Skydiving Without a Parachute
A skydiver recently jumped out of a helicopter without deploying his parachute -- on purpose. Dot Physics blogger Rhett Allain uses video analysis to explain how the stuntman did it.
Photo: Eddie Keogh/Reuters
Rhett Allain is an associate professor of physics at Southeastern Louisiana University. He enjoys teaching and talking about physics. Sometimes he takes things apart and can't put them back together. ... Read More
Unpicking How to Measure the Complexity of Knots
Two mathematicians have proved that a straightforward question—how hard is it to untie a knot?—has a complicated answer.
Physicists Create a Thermometer for Measuring ‘Quantumness’
“Anomalous” heat flow, which at first appears to violate the second law of thermodynamics, gives physicists a way to detect quantum entanglement without destroying it.
In Orbit You Have to Slow Down to Speed Up
Driving a spacecraft around a planet isn’t anything like driving on a planet. A physicist explains orbital navigation.
The Hidden Math of Ocean Waves
The math behind even the simplest ocean waves is notoriously uncooperative. A team of Italian mathematicians has made major advances toward understanding it.
The ‘10 Martini’ Proof Connects Quantum Mechanics With Infinitely Intricate Mathematical Structures
The proof, known to be so hard that a mathematician once offered 10 martinis to whoever could figure it out, uses number theory to explain quantum fractals.
Can a Hydroelectric Dam Really Make the Days Longer?
By shifting water to a higher elevation, the giant Three Gorges Dam caused the Earth to spin more slowly.
How Do Metal Detectors Work?
What sneaky invisible forces enable these instruments to locate buried treasure?
Climate Change Made Hurricane Melissa 4 Times More Likely, Study Suggests
Unusually warm ocean temperatures fueled one of the worst hurricanes on record. New research finds climate change increased the storm’s likelihood.
Hurricane Melissa Has Meteorologists Terrified
The storm, which is set to make landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, has stunned meteorologists with its intensity and the speed at which it built.
An Invasive Disease-Carrying Mosquito Has Spread to the Rocky Mountains
The Aedes aegypti mosquito that can carry dengue, yellow fever, and Zika was thought to be too reliant on a hot and wet climate to survive in the Mountain West. But now, a population is thriving in Western Colorado.
Teachers Get Death Threats After MAGA Claims Their Halloween Costumes Mocked Charlie Kirk
A Turning Point USA official inaccurately claimed a high school's math department wore Halloween costumes that mocked Charlie Kirk. Those teachers are now facing a flood of online attacks and death threats.
Analog Photography: The Beginner’s Guide to Film Cameras
Which film camera should you get? Which films are the best? We demystify the world of analog photography to help you get started.