<P> The 15 - minute dark ride demonstrates to guests how advancements in human communication have helped to create the future one step at a time . Passengers journey back in time to witness the origins of prehistoric man, then travel forward in time to witness important breakthroughs in communication throughout history--from the invention of the alphabet to the creation of the printing press to today's modern communication advancements, including telecommunication and mass communication . At the conclusion of the ride, passengers have the chance to design their own future using touch screens that are embedded into the ride cars . </P> <P> The structure is similar in texture to the United States pavilion from Expo 67 in Montreal, but unlike that structure, Spaceship Earth is a complete sphere, supported by three pairs of legs . The architectural design was conceived by Wallace Floyd Design Group . The structural designs of both Expo 67 and Spaceship Earth were completed by Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts . </P> <P> Geometrically, Spaceship Earth is derived from the Class 2 geodesic polyhedron with frequency of division equal to 8 . Each face of the polyhedron is divided into three isosceles triangles to form each point . In theory, there are 11,520 total isosceles triangles forming 3840 points . In reality, some of those triangles are partially or fully nonexistent due to supports and doors; there are actually only 11,324 silvered facets, with 954 partial or full flat triangular panels . </P> <P> The appearance of being a monolithic sphere is an architectural goal that was achieved through a structural trick . Spaceship Earth is in fact two structural domes . Six legs are supported on pile groups that are driven up to 160 feet into Central Florida's soft earth . Those legs support a steel box - shaped ring at the sphere's perimeter, at about 30 degrees south latitude in earth - terms . The upper structural dome sits on this ring . A grid of trusses inside the ring supports two helical structures of the ride and show system . Below the ring, a second dome is hung from the bottom, completing the spherical shape . The ring and trusses form a table - like structure which separates the upper dome from the lower . Supported by and about three feet off the structural domes is a cladding sphere to which the shiny Alucobond panels and drainage system are mounted . </P>

How many triangles are on the epcot ball