The Physics Of Non-Newtonian Goo Could Save Astronauts' Lives
The slimy, gloopy, colorful oobleck has a very interesting set of properties. Flickr User Trevor Cox There’s an experiment you may have done in high school: When you mix cornstarch with water—a concoction colloquially called oobleck—and give it a stir, it acts like a liquid. But scrape it quickly or hit it hard, and it stiffens up into a solid. If you set the right pace, you can even run on top of a pool of the stuff. This phenomenon is called shear force thickening, and scientists have been trying to understand how it happens for decades. Watch the difference in thickness between plain water and when it's mixed with cornstarch here: Credit: Cohen Lab There are two main theories, and figuring out which is right could affect the way we make things like cement,...