This paper aims to show that the history of mathematics can be a way to allow exploration of the borders between mathematics and other disciplines and create communication between them. To show this, an experiment was conducted with about sixty 15-year-old students in an Italian high school encompassing both mathematical and physical tasks, all viewed through a historical lens. The research presented here centres around Fagnano's problem: “Given an acute triangle, how can we determine the inscribed triangle with the minimal perimeter?” This intriguing problem has been thoroughly explored, employing various methodologies from mathematical analysis and synthetic geometry, yielding numerous demonstrative strategies. Ultimately, the solution to this problem lies in the concept of the orthic triangle. Notably, Fagnano's problem finds applications in the realm of billiard physics, where the orthic triangle represents the minimum periodic orbit for an acute triangular billiard. This study also delves into the practical applicability of various geometric theorems in real-world contexts, which was tested through the creation and utilization of tailored teaching materials and artifacts. To analyze the qualitative data generated by this teaching experiment, the theoretical framework of Habermas’ communication theory was employed.