Sometimes you think you have a complete understanding of something and then BOOM—a simple problem throws everything out the window. Let's consider a very basic physics problem involving pushing a ...

For several decades physicists have been intrigued by the idea of quantum friction — that two objects moving past each other experience a friction–like lateral force that arises from quantum ...

Quick, out behind the bike shed, Professors Pendry and Leonhardt are having a fight over a completely hypothetical situation. If we hurry, we should catch the end of round three. Science: it is ...

Friction is a force that always opposes motion. Force is measured in newtons (N). A force is a push or a pull. Contact forces arise between two objects which are in contact. Non-contact forces act ...

It may seem like fun and games, but understanding how dominoes topple isn’t child’s play. “It’s a problem that is so natural; everybody plays with dominoes,” says David Cantor, a researcher at ...