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07 April 2006

Holy shit, dude! Look, I hate links to video sites as much as the next person, but this is SCIENCE. And it's really cool. [More:] Especially near the end, when goblins start crawling out of the petri dish.
We did something similar to this in HS chemistry. If you get the proportions right, you can make a slurry that is hard when hit with force, but soft when touched gently.
posted by mudpuppie 07 April | 17:32
that needs editing and a soundtrack
cornstarch Is fun and evil
posted by ethylene 07 April | 17:38
Writhing masses of fingerlike protrusions squick me out. More, more!
posted by amro 07 April | 17:40
"thixotropic"

if you fill a swimming pool with cornstarch-containing custard, you can walk across the surface, provided you take firm enough steps. stand still and you sink without trace...
posted by matthewr 07 April | 17:43
New word! Thanks, matthewr!
posted by mudpuppie 07 April | 17:45
ok, we have two days to get this ready in front of a catholic congregation
posted by ethylene 07 April | 17:45
I believe the phenomenon being shown (particulate mass + vibrations and waveforms) is called cymatics.

I've seen a lot of stuff done with cymatics with pure liquids and particulates or powders, but not a thixotropic mass like that.

Those growing, morphing finger things are seriously fucking freaky.

I'd really like to know why disturbing the standing waves in that thixotropic cornstarch mass sets off such an active and entirely improbable chain reaction that bears little or no resemblence to the original patterns and behaviors.

Also, there's ferrofluidics, which was making the rounds a while ago. Searching "ferrofluid" on youtube turns up a lot of results.
posted by loquacious 07 April | 18:05
Awesome, but that "fingers" segment creeped me out bigtime.
posted by matildaben 07 April | 18:46
freaky.
posted by delmoi 07 April | 18:58
Vibrations are neat. I especially like the part where the voiceover comments that the waves are fading in and out because the camera isn't in sync.

*wonders if this lab has any openings*
posted by casarkos 07 April | 19:12
And this is why science kicks ass. Thanks, muddgirl!
posted by Frisbee Girl 08 April | 13:27
I love this video! I'd seen it before but it's been a while. The physics probably wouldn't support it, but I wish there were some way of doing this at a larger scale, with human-sized figures rising up out of a vibrating swimming pool full of cornstarch and water.
posted by ooga_booga 08 April | 14:14
Bad Bunny. || Where is Anti-Pesto?

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