From the ashes arise origami koi
Robert Lang, a physicist who became a leading figure in the world of origami, lost a lifetime's work of folded paper art to the 2025 wildfires in Altadena, Calif. He then set out to recreate his designs – and the origami community joined in.
August 23, 2026 / 9:45 AM EDT / CBS News
Starting when he was six years old, Robert Lang has folded life out of paper. Now, at 65, Lang is recognized worldwide as one of today's masters of origami, responsible for more than 800 origami designs.
Asked if he is comfortable being an origami rock star, Lang replied, "Yeah, I guess I've been that long enough that I've gotten used to it."
Origami originated in Japan more than three centuries ago, but Lang led its renaissance in the 1990s.
He showed off some of his proudest patterns to "Sunday Morning" back in 2007 at his California home. By then, a physicist who once designed lasers for NASA had designed a full-time origami career combining math and art to create magic.
WATCH, FROM 2007: Origami artist Robert Lang (YouTube Video)