Rhett Allain
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rhettallain.bsky.social
Rhett Allain
@rhettallain.bsky.social
1K followers 130 following 600 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
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 · 29d
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
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics #electrodynamics video. Calculating the force and torque on a loop of current near a bar magnet. Of course I do this two ways - first by treating the loop as a bunch of tiny wires and second using m x B and del(m dot B). #python
youtu.be/GqPPqCDN7go
Electrodynamics: Force and Torque on Loops and Magnetic Dipoles
YouTube video by Dot Physics
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 4:40 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics post - do rubber bands follow Hooke's law and act like springs? Here I use the Vernier go direct cart to collect data.

medium.com/@rjallain/do...
Do Rubber Bands Follow Hooke’s Law Like Springs?
There are plenty of great uses for a rubber band. Personally, my favorite is to stretch one between by thumb and finger and then pluck it…
medium.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:08 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics video - magnetic vector potential. I think making a 3D visual with #python really helps. #electrodynamics

youtu.be/YiJmN9xDCeI
Electrodynamics: The Magnetic Vector Potential due to a Straight Wire
YouTube video by Dot Physics
youtu.be
November 13, 2025 at 12:16 AM
rhettallain.bsky.social
Real World #physics - how fast would you have to run to parkour wall run the side of this curved bridge?

medium.com/@rjallain/co...
Could You Use Physics to Wall-Run This Bridge?
Everybody loves parkour — it’s like when a human becomes a superhero and does the unthinkable. Oh, you think only Spider-Man runs on walls…
medium.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:33 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
Here’s my required #aroura pic from last night in #louisiana
November 12, 2025 at 12:09 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
#physics homework. Forces, pressure, area
November 11, 2025 at 9:01 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
Here's my #physics explanation of calculating the magnetic field due to a line, a loop, and a solenoid. Oh, of course #python is included. #electrodynamics

rjallain.medium.com/magnetic-fie...
Magnetic Fields: From Lines to Loops to Solenoids
The electrodynamics course starts off with a bunch of electric field stuff. After that, it finally gets to magnetostatics (non-changing…
rjallain.medium.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:56 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
#physics meets #art - visualizing the magnetic field due to a solenoid with #python #vpython

youtu.be/dgwz_XYJnto
Electrodynamics: Visualizing the Magnetic Field due to a Solenoid
YouTube video by Dot Physics
youtu.be
October 31, 2025 at 10:27 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics #electrodynamics video - finding the magnetic field due a solenoid 3 ways: Ampere's law, Biot-Savart and #python (of course).

youtu.be/nP0wecIyx2E
Electrodynamics: Magnetic Field due to a Solenoid
YouTube video by Dot Physics
youtu.be
October 31, 2025 at 8:28 PM
rhettallain.bsky.social
New #physics #python video - visualizing the magnetic field due to a loop of current. Bonus: calculating the magnetic dipole moment for #electrodynamics

youtu.be/iEq-C91bMbU
Electrodynamics: Visualizing B due to Loop and the Magnetic Dipole Moment
YouTube video by Dot Physics
youtu.be
October 29, 2025 at 3:42 PM