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How does the structure of buckminsterfullerene resemble a geodesic dome?

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A labeled diagram of the periodic table entry for carbon, showing its atomic number 6, symbol C, electron configuration, atomic weight range, solid physical state, hexagonal crystal structure, and weakly acidic oxide properties. Color coding and icons indicate it is a nonmetal, solid at room temperature, with hexagonal structure and weak acidity. — carbon Carbon and its properties.

Buckminsterfullerene ( $C_{60}$ ) resembles a geodesic dome because both structures utilize the same geometric principles to create a stable, hollow, and highly symmetrical form.123

The $C_{60}$ molecule is a spheroidal closed cage consisting of 60 carbon atoms arranged as a truncated icosahedron. This structure is composed of 32 faces—12 pentagons and 20 hexagons—which gives it a geometry similar to that of a soccer ball.123

The molecule was named in honor of the architect R. Buckminster Fuller, who developed the geodesic dome. Like the molecule, a geodesic dome is a spherical form that distributes stress across its surface using a network of triangular or polygonal facets. Both the molecular cage and the architectural dome achieve structural integrity through this interconnected, multifaceted design, which allows them to maintain a hollow, spherical shape while remaining exceptionally stable.1345