Ig Nobel Prize winner David Hu and colleagues explain the simple rules that fire ants use when they build a tower-of-fire-ants. They explain in a new study: “Fire Ants Perpetually Rebuild Sinking Towers,” Sulisay Phonekeo, Nathan Mlot, Daria Monaenkova, David L. Hu, Craig Tovey,” Royal Society Open Science, vol. 4, 2017, 170475. In the aftermath […]
Tag: rules
A 1912 Olympic shooting mystery math/physics quiz
This week’s math/physics essay quiz is to explain the math and physics underlying these “INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE OFFICIALS AND COMPETITORS AT THE SHOOTING COMPETITIONS” from THE OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES OF STOCKHOLM 1912, ISSUED BY THE SWEDISH OLYMPIC COMMITTEE. Here is the relevant passage: In addition to the rules and regulations already issued, […]
Can’t kiss a cardboard vampire
In the There’s-a-Rule-for-Everything Department: A CINEMA has banned fans from kissing the cardboard cutout of a film’s lead actor – because they might catch swine flu. Teenage girls had been planting kisses on, or hugging, the cutout of Brit heartthrob Robert Pattinson – who plays Edward in The Twilight Saga: New Moon – at the […]