Rhett Allain
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rhettallain.bsky.social
Rhett Allain
@rhettallain.bsky.social
1K followers 130 following 630 posts
#physics stuff. WIRED blogger. #MythBusters #science and #MacGyver technical advisor.
https://www.wired.com/author/rhett-allain
https://rhettallain.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Rhett Allain
jenlucpiquant.bsky.social
"My soul left my body during the very first seconds of the film.... But my soul didn’t just escape and flee... No, it lingered, glaring at me the entire running time with a mixture of disappointment and anger, like an owner would at their dog after it ate the garbage." deadline.com/2026/01/mela...
‘Melania’: What The Critics Are Saying About Amazon’s Controversial Big-Budget Documentary
'Melania' reviews: the critics are having their say on the expensive Amazon documentary...and it may be hard to find a worse reviewed film this year.
deadline.com
January 31, 2026 at 2:10 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
I updated my #physics lab material for introduction to numerical calculations with electric field (using #python). Here's the stuff I give the students in case you want to use it.

rjallain.medium.com/python-physi...
Python Physics Lab. Calculating the Electric Field due to a Charged Rod
Note: The following are the instructions for my introductory calc-based physics lab. In this case, we are using python to calculate the…
rjallain.medium.com
January 30, 2026 at 9:54 PM
Reposted by Rhett Allain
mburnskaurin.bsky.social
@rhettallain.bsky.social
@wbrianlane.bsky.social

From trinket:

You will have access to trinket.io as long as it is up and running, until early August.

I just released a way to download all of your trinkets at once. Go to My Settings then Data or use the link below.

trinket.io/account/data
January 26, 2026 at 1:45 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics post - using the work-energy principle to estimate the acceleration when a guy jumps from a 5th story window into a snow bank.

rjallain.medium.com/the-physics-...
The Physics of a Dangerous Jump. Fifth Floor to a Snow Bank.
Sometimes people do some silly things. In this case, a guy jumps out of a window from the 5th floor into a pile of snow. It seems he’s OK…
rjallain.medium.com
January 23, 2026 at 7:31 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
Here's a #physics thread for all my #aapt @aapthq.bsky.social friends (and others). Thanks again for the recognition with the 2026 Richtmyer award and for all of the inspiration and ideas from the many physics people out there.

aapt.org/aboutaapt/Rh...
Rhett Allain Recognized as 2026 Recipient of the Richtmyer Award
Allain joined AAPT in 1997 and has served locally in the Louisiana Section and nationally as a Section Representative, Membership & Benefits Committee member. and on the Annual Meetings Planning Subcommittee.
aapt.org
January 22, 2026 at 1:58 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics post - putting together notes for my summer course. Here is my chapter on #torque and #equilibrium

rjallain.medium.com/physics-note...
Physics Notes: Chapter 2 Equilibrium and Rigid Objects
I’m still working on my summer course notes (you can find chapter 1 here). Before getting into moving objects — I figured we might as well…
rjallain.medium.com
January 21, 2026 at 8:50 PM
Reposted by Rhett Allain
aapthq.bsky.social
Day 3 of #AAPTWM26: Plenary Speaker V: Rhett Allain, and Richtmyer Memorial Lecture awardee. #AAPTMeeting #AAPTConference
January 20, 2026 at 4:11 AM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics post - is energy conserved with this climber and belayer? Yes, energy is always conserved.

medium.com/@rjallain/re...
Real World Physics: Conservation of Energy in a Belay Fall
I like to find stuff online that leads towards interesting physics homework. Here’s one I saw recently. It shows a rock climber on belay…
medium.com
January 12, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Reposted by Rhett Allain
jenlucpiquant.bsky.social
That time Will Smith helped discover new species of anaconda. Footage of the discovery appears in this 3-minutes clip from NatGeo’s new documentary series "Pole to Pole with Will Smith" arstechnica.com/science/2026...
That time Will Smith helped discover new species of anaconda
Footage of the 2024 discovery appears in NatGeo's new documentary series Pole to Pole with Will Smith...
arstechnica.com
January 11, 2026 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by Rhett Allain
jenlucpiquant.bsky.social
These rare dogs eavesdrop on their owners to learn new words. “Under the right conditions, some dogs present behaviors strikingly similar to those of young children.” arstechnica.com/science/2026...
These dogs eavesdrop on their owners to learn new words
“Under the right conditions, some dogs present behaviors strikingly similar to those of young children.”...
arstechnica.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:05 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
Starting a new #physics video playlist. I'm going to be teaching an online algebra-based course this summer, so I'm pre-loading videos.

Here are the videos so far.
www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Physics 01 - YouTube
This is my summer session online physics course. It's an algebra-based physics college level physics course.
www.youtube.com
January 3, 2026 at 11:30 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics post - a ball of clay hits a stick in the center and then on the edge. Which one has a greater recoil speed? #python included (of course).

rjallain.medium.com/the-physics-...
The Physics Paradox: Does Where You Hit a Stick Change How Fast It Moves?
Here’s a fun physics question. Suppose we have a 1 kilogram stick laying flat on ice (at rest). A 1 kilogram ball of clay is launched…
rjallain.medium.com
January 2, 2026 at 7:12 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
My wife when someone in the house gets sick
a man in a jacket says i say we take off and nuke .
ALT: a man in a jacket says i say we take off and nuke .
media.tenor.com
December 31, 2025 at 9:31 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #python #physics video. Because I keep forgetting how to do this - here is a how to model a rigid object with finite point masses connected by stiff springs (so, not really rigid)

youtu.be/MrjHrvJpz4s
Python Physics: Modeling Rigid Objects with Springs
YouTube video by Dot Physics
youtu.be
December 31, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Reposted by Rhett Allain
thadharroun.bsky.social
It works! I built the Photon Bricks #Lego Interferometer designed by the Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics at Nottingham and Cardiff. Works like a charm.
artlab-nottingham.com/lego/
Now to find some minifigs. Should I build in Bricklinks StudIO?
#ITeachPhysics
Close up photo of the green laser interference fringes from the Photon Bricks Lego Interferometer The whole layout of the Photon Bricks Lego Interferometer
December 27, 2025 at 4:36 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
Getting ready for #pluribus season finale - so here is my list of #physics homework questions for you.

rjallain.medium.com/physics-home...
Physics Homework: PLUR1BUS Edition
I just want to make you happy and I know that physics homework makes you happy. So, here are some questions for you. Honestly, some of…
rjallain.medium.com
December 22, 2025 at 6:48 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics posts - what happens to the brightness of a bulb in three circuits: 1) connected to a battery with a capacitor 2) battery bulb and inductor 3) battery bulb and DC motor.

rjallain.medium.com/can-you-pred...
Can You Predict the Bulb Brightness in These Three Circuits?
It’s time for some fun circuit questions. Well, they are fun for me at least. I’m going to show you three different circuits. Each one has…
rjallain.medium.com
December 21, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Reposted by Rhett Allain
cityspaceastro.bsky.social
Jupiter - Two hour time lapse showing 3 moons and the Great Red Spot. This was the 2nd of the night.

C6- ASI585 -IR720 Pass filter
#astronomy #astrophotgraphy
December 20, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Reposted by Rhett Allain
xkcd.com
Jumping Frog Radius

xkcd.com/3181/
Comic. [Equation [rjf = 2GM / (4.5 m/s)2] with small drawing showing a circle with the radius delineated. On top of the circle there is an arc showing a small frog jumping and landing with RIBBIT and PLOP sound effects.] [caption] More practically useful than the Schwarzschild radius, the *Jumping Frog Radius* is the radius at which an object’s gravitational pull is so strong that even a champion jumping frog can’t escape.
December 18, 2025 at 9:17 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
Do you remember Knight Rider? What about KITT's Super Pursuit Mode? How possible would that be? Here is my #physics analysis.

rjallain.medium.com/is-knight-ri...
Is Knight Rider’s Super Pursuit Mode Physically Possible?
If you even remember Knight Rider, you aren’t super young. Of course I watched this show from the 80s. Back then, you really didn’t have…
rjallain.medium.com
December 13, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Reposted by Rhett Allain
jenlucpiquant.bsky.social
This 400,000-Year-Old Campfire Could Rewrite Human History gizmodo.com/this-400000-...
This 400,000-Year-Old Campfire Could Rewrite Human History
Humans likely harvested their first flames from wildfire. When they learned to make it themselves, it changed everything.
gizmodo.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:48 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
awesome
December 10, 2025 at 7:53 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics post - modeling the astroblaster. Could you get the top ball to make it into space? Spoiler alert: no.

rjallain.medium.com/can-an-astro...
Can an AstroBlaster Launch a Ball Into Space?
No. That’s the answer. You can’t throw something into space, so an astroblaster won’t do it either. OK, now for the other important…
rjallain.medium.com
December 10, 2025 at 3:09 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
I need a LiDar drone
fakehistoryhunter.net The Fake History Hunter @fakehistoryhunter.net · Dec 7
The remains of Gresham castle photographed with a regular camera and how it looks with a LiDar drone camera.
December 8, 2025 at 7:33 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics post - using video analysis to determine the speed of a car (or other stuff) you see on your security camera.

rjallain.medium.com/catch-that-s...
Catch That Speed Demon: How to Clock a Car (or Meteor) with Your Home Camera and Physics
Pretty much everyone has a camera on their house. How else will you know when your package gets delivered or that neighbor is doing that…
rjallain.medium.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:13 AM