Ten Tops List [videos of spinning tops] — 2011

There are lots of top ten lists, but this is the first Ten Tops List. Here are ten videos of spinning tops that scientists find interesting and or amusing.

[Want to take a whirl at learning the science of spinning tops? Download (free) Professor John Perry’s 1890 book Spinning Tops— The “Operatives’ lecture” of the British association meeting at Leeds, 6th September, 1890. It’s a real page-, uh, -turner.]

Here, listed in no particular order, are the Ten Top Videos for 2011:

1. The Levitron

2. Kitten playing with a spinning top

3. Granpa’s nonstop top from NASA

4. PJ’s machine-made graviton

5. Origami spinning top

6. Bill Nye the Science Guy – “Spin Around”

7. Extreme spinning top

8. Singing Chinese Top

9. Russian horserace top

10. Tiny dog versus spinning top

BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS: The Four Tops:

BONUS: Michael Berry explains the science of the Levitron