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Celebrating the physics of all that flows

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Celebrating the physics of all that flows

FYFD

  • Browse
    • The Archive
    • Themed Series
    • FYFD Videos
    • Research
    • Phenomena
    • Art
    • Reader Questions
  • Follow
    • Email Newsletter
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • Support
  • Events
  • Resources
  • Merch
  • Contact Us
  • Email Newsletter
Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds over Slovenia. By Gregor Riačevič. Art

Sunset Swirls

Nicole Sharp - January 15, 2021January 4, 2021

This gorgeous photograph of Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds was taken in late December in Slovenia by Gregor Riačevič. The wave-like shape of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability comes from shear between two fluid layers Keep reading

A gliding owl adjusts to a wind gust. Research

Adjusting for Gusts

Nicole Sharp - January 14, 2021December 23, 2020

In flight, birds must adjust quickly to wind gusts or risk crashing. Research shows that the structure of birds’ wings enables them to respond faster than their brains can. The Keep reading

A color-enhanced satellite image of Australia's Broad Sound. Phenomena

High Tide

Nicole Sharp - January 13, 2021December 22, 2020

Broad Sound, in eastern Australia, is home to some of the most extreme tidal swings in the world, with more than ten meters difference between high and low tides. The Keep reading

Lake stars form on a slush-covered frozen lake. Research

Lake Stars

Nicole Sharp - January 12, 2021December 21, 2020

As snow-covered frozen lakes melt, stars appear on their surface. These lake stars form around holes in the ice where (relatively) warm water seeps up into the slush layer. The Keep reading

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Phenomena

Slow Mo Pulse Jet Engine

Nicole Sharp - January 11, 2021December 18, 2020

Pulse jet engines rely on their shape to maintain combustion without moving parts. The pressure waves that travel through the engine pump fresh oxygen into the combustion chamber and then Keep reading

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Art

“Mist and Water”

Nicole Sharp - January 8, 2021December 17, 2020

Years ago, I drove through the Blue Ridge Mountains on a wet and misty New Year’s Day. The fog that clung to the dark trees made the whole world quiet Keep reading

Artist's illustration of a high-density configuration of supercooled water, with oxygen molecules in red and hydrogen in silver. Research

Dual Structure of Water

Nicole Sharp - January 7, 2021December 17, 2020

Water is so ubiquitous in our lives that we rarely recognize just how strange it is. For example, when pure liquid water is supercooled well below its freezing temperature, it Keep reading

A sunspot larger than the Earth. Phenomena

Eyes on the Sun

Nicole Sharp - January 6, 2021December 16, 2020

Though it may look like the Eye of Sauron, this image is actually one of our best-ever glimpses of a sunspot. Captured by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, this Keep reading

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Research

Seismic Events Reveal Ocean Temperatures

Nicole Sharp - January 5, 2021December 16, 2020

Decades ago, researchers proposed sending sound waves through the ocean to measure its temperature. Although the technique worked, it ran into noise pollution issues, but now it’s back, using naturally-occurring Keep reading

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Phenomena

The Strangeness of Sand

Nicole Sharp - January 4, 2021December 15, 2020

Sand and other granular materials can flow, jam, and transmit forces in counterintuitive ways. This Lutetium Project video gives a nice overview of some of these bizarre properties. Many of Keep reading

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  • Sunset Swirls
  • Adjusting for Gusts
  • High Tide
  • Lake Stars
  • Slow Mo Pulse Jet Engine

Recent Comments

  • John Dibelka on Dual Structure of Water
  • Ty Buchanan on Wrinkles on Bubble Collapse
  • Nicole Sharp on “The Unseen Sea”
  • Alvaro on “The Unseen Sea”
  • Peter Luken on A Primer on Blood Pressure

About FYFD

FYFD celebrates the physics of all that flows. It was established in 2010 by Nicole Sharp, PhD. You can also follow FYFD on Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

If you’re a fan of FYFD and would like to help support the site and its outreach, please consider becoming a patron on Patreon or giving a donation through PayPal. Your support is much appreciated!

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