this post was submitted on 26 Apr 2024
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xkcd

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https://xkcd.com/2924

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The creepy fingers that grow from a vibrating cornstarch-water mix can be modeled as a chain of inverted vertical pendulums (DOI:10.1039/c4sm00265b) and are believed to be the fingers of Maxwell's Demon trying to push through into our universe.

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[–] [email protected] 44 points 6 months ago

I used to have a simulation of a double pendulum as my screensaver, and it was so hypnotic that when I was out of the office, no one in the office could work either. I had to change it.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 6 months ago
[–] [email protected] 20 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Inverted pendulum becomes stable when vibrated?

[–] [email protected] 20 points 6 months ago (4 children)
[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I'll bring the pie. Pie's a good idea for most any occasion.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago

Perfect, I love pie.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago

It works with double pendulums too

https://youtu.be/gnn21smGVrQ

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (2 children)

That was surprisingly loud, I almost fell off the toilet

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

He falls off the toilet.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

My bad, I chose the first example video I could find that was less than five minutes long. I previewed it, but without audio since I was at work.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

Oh, wow! That's cool. Thanks