Everyday Science
Why Spaghetti Never Breaks in Half (and How to Fix It)
Discover the physics behind Feynman's spaghetti puzzle, from cascading flexural waves to MIT's twist-controlled fracture mechanics.
Topic
Materials Science
A collection of essays to explore, one idea at a time.
Essays
Newest first
Everyday Science
Why Peeling Scotch Tape in a Vacuum Emits Real X-Rays
Discover how peeling ordinary sticky tape in a vacuum turns weak van der Waals bonds into a tabletop particle accelerator emitting X-rays.
Coffee Ring Effect
The Coffee Ring Effect: How Physics Solved Everyday Stains
Discover why drying liquid droplets leave dark ring edges, the fluid dynamics behind capillary flow, and how particle shape fixes the coffee ring effect.
Materials Science
X-Rays from Scotch Tape: The Physics of Peeling
How peeling ordinary Scotch tape in a vacuum creates electric fields strong enough to generate medical-grade X-rays through Bremsstrahlung.
Curiosity
The Glass Paradox: Physics of Prince Rupert's Drop
Discover why Prince Rupert's drops can survive hammer blows on their bulbous head yet explode into fine dust at Mach 5 when their tail is clipped.
Curiosity
Prince Rupert's Drop: The Glass Teardrop That Defies Bullets
Discover how a simple drop of molten glass creates an indestructible head resistant to bullets, yet shatters instantly when its thin tail is pinched.