The Future Is Here
We may earn a commission from links on this page

The physics of curling are actually really fascinating

They're also surprisingly counterintuitive. For instance: who here thinks that the sweepers' job is to increase or decrease the friction of the ice in front of the stone to make it curl? I definitely did. Turns out that's totally wrong. And it's still not even the weirdest thing about the physics of this sport.

In this, the latest installment of Smarter Every Day, Destin explores the controversial physics of curling. His opening observations on the spin of a circular interface's effect on the path of an object across a low-friction surface had me baffled in the best possible way.

PSA: If you enjoy Smarter Every Day as much as we do, consider donating to Destin's science video project through Subbable or patreon, (more details for which show up at the end of the video up top). Destin's content is really top notch. Fascinating subjects, incredibly lucid explanations, and fantastic visuals – plus his enthusiasm is ridiculously contagious. Easily some of the best science communication on the Internet today.

Advertisement