The Martian atmosphere lacks the density to support tornado storm systems, but vortices are nevertheless a frequent occurrence. As sun-warmed gases rise, neighboring air rushes in, bringing with it any Keep reading
Tag: conservation of angular momentum
Bubbly Tornadoes Aspin
Rotating flows are full of delightful surprises. Here, the folks at the UCLA SpinLab demonstrate the power a little buoyancy has to liven up a flow. Their backdrop is a Keep reading
The Variable Venusian Day
Venus is a thoroughly unpleasant place thanks to its hellish temperatures and acidic clouds, but a new study adds another wrinkle to our strange sister planet: Venus’s day varies by Keep reading
Waterspouts
Despite their ominous appearance, these waterspouts – like most of their kind – are fair-weather phenomena unrelated to tornadoes. They can form when cold, dry air moves over warm waters. As warm, Keep reading
Putting a Spin on Splashes
Researchers put a spin on splashing droplets with selective wetting. When a drop impacts on a water-repellent, superhydrophobic surface, it will spread circularly, then pull back together and rebound off Keep reading
Fire Tornado in a Bubble
File this one under awesome tricks you shouldn’t try at home. Here bubble artist Dustin Skye demonstrates his handheld inverted fire tornado. First, he blows a large encapsulating bubble, then Keep reading
Water Bottle Flipping Physics
In 2016, a senior talent show launched a new viral craze: water bottle flipping. As improbable as it seems at first glance, physics is actually on your side when it Keep reading
From Firenado to Water Spout
Just a few years ago, fire tornadoes were almost fabled because they were so rarely captured on video. Now, with worsening wildfire seasons and cell phone cameras everywhere, there are Keep reading
Rainbow Paint on a Speaker
Every year brings faster high-speed cameras and better quality imaging, so the Slow Mo Guys like to occasionally revisit topics they’ve done before, like paint vibrated on a speaker. The Keep reading
Caught in a Whirl
View this post on Instagram #menorca #bubblering #jellyfish #freedive #goproes #gopro @goproes @gopro @angels.of.the.sea A post shared by Victor de Valles (@victordevalles) on Jun 6, 2017 at 12:15am PDT Vortex Keep reading