What happens when you drop a hydrogel bead on a water droplet? Because of the hydrogel’s viscoelasticity and its hydrophilic nature, the rebounding bead carries the droplet with it. As Keep reading
Self-Assembly Under Stratification
Sometimes mistakes lead to great discoveries. After leaving a failed outreach demo overnight, researchers discovered a new mechanism for self-assembling particles. In the initial set-up, a layer of fresh water Keep reading
Siberia’s Rivers
Each winter the Kolyma River in Siberia freezes to a depth of several meters. But by June the river thaws and discharges its annual 136 cubic kilometers of water into Keep reading
Recreating Volcanic Lightning
Some natural phenomena, like volcanic eruptions or tornado formation, don’t lend themselves to fieldwork — at least not at the height of the action. The danger, unpredictability, and destructiveness of Keep reading
The Best of FYFD 2019
2019 was an even busier year than last year! I spent nearly two whole months traveling for business, gave 13 invited talks and workshops, and produced three FYFD videos. I Keep reading
Behind the Bubbly
Carbonation and the fizzy bubbles that come with it are surprisingly popular among humans. Through fermentation or artificial introduction, carbon dioxide gas gets dissolved into a liquid under high pressure. Keep reading
Blowing Vortex Rings from Bubbles
When bubbles burst, we often pay attention to the retracting film and forming droplets, but what happens to the air that was inside? By placing a little smoke inside them, Keep reading
Twirling Liquids
What do you get when you spin a splash? I expect the result is a lot like these whirling fluid structures captured by photographer Hélène Caillaud. I love the fantastical Keep reading
Waltzing Defects
Liquid crystals are a peculiar state of matter with both liquid and crystalline properties. In this video, a microfluidic device breaks water into droplets surrounded by a shell of liquid Keep reading
Inside the Fire Lab
Fire plays an important role in nature, one with which humanity must live without controlling fully. After several disastrous historic wildfires in the American West, the U.S. Forest Service established Keep reading