Mathematics
Spline Interpolation and Its Role in Computer Graphics
Quick fact
The word 'spline' originally referred to a flexible strip of metal or wood that draftsmen used to draw curves through points, and the mathematical spline is its digital descendant.
Why this is interesting
You see a smooth curve connecting points in a game or design software—but a computer only knows those points, not the curve in between. How does it fill in the gaps so smoothly?