Mathematics
Topological Invariants and the Classification of Manifolds
Quick fact
The Euler characteristic (V - E + F) is a topological invariant: for any convex polyhedron it always equals 2, and it is the same for any shape that can be deformed into a sphere—yet a donut (torus) has Euler characteristic 0, so it is genuinely different.
Why this is interesting
You can stretch, twist, and crumple a coffee mug until it becomes a donut—but can you ever turn it into a pretzel? What is it about the shape that stays the same no matter how you bend it?