Fluid dynamics for the artistically inclined: To create his astounding Black Hole series, which shows paint modeled by centripetal force, photographer Fabian Oefner dripped various shades of acrylic paint onto a metallic rod connected to a drill. Once the drill is switched on, the paint swirls away from the rod, creating astounding structures. Oefner writes:

The motion of the paint happens in a blink of an eye, the images you see are taken only millisecond after the drill was turned on. To capture the moment, where the paint forms that distinctive shape, I connected a sensor to the drill, which sends an impulse to the flashes. These specialized units are capable of creating flashes as short as a 1/40000 of a second, freezing the motion of the paint.

 (↬ It’s Okay To Be Smart)

What is light? Thomas Young’s double slit experiment begins with a tragicomic illustration Richard Feynman’s lament that “the enormous majority of people are woefully, pitifully, absolutely ignorant of the science of the world that they live in,” then moves on to illuminate the actual science of light, something that surrounds yet something we barely think about.

(↬ Doobybrain)

Absolutely mesmerizing ultra slow-motion video of a water drop falling into a clear tray, shot from underneath. More slow-motion magic here.

(↬ Doobybrain)

Is light a particle or a wave? An animated explanation. 

Common physics misconceptions from MinutePhysics, who have previously given us a stride-stopping open letter on the state of science education and animated explanations of why the color pink doesn’t exist, why the past is different from the future, why it’s dark at night, and the purpose of the universe.

What is touch? An animated quantum science explanation from Minute Physics, who gave us this fantastic open letter to President Obama on the state of science education and have previously explained why the color pink doesn’t exist, why the past is different from the future, and why it’s dark at night –

Would you weigh less if you jumped in an elevator? Gravity, the normal force, and Newton’s Second Law of Motion, explained in a lovely animation from TED.

A Slower Speed of Light – new free game from MIT Game Lab simulates lowering the speed of light as a gameplay mechanic

Minute Physics, who have previously illuminated such fascinations as why the past is different from the future and why the color pink doesn’t really exist, explain why E=mc² is incomplete.

A bit of physics mesmerism demonstrating how vibration and sound create structure – water droplets bouncing over a vibrating layer of fluid.

A brief history of how quantum mechanics originated, animated.

(ᔥ It’s Okay To Be Smart)

30 seconds of breathtaking awe at physics – watch a water droplet bounce in ultra-slow-motion. Then, see 7 more everyday things in mesmerizing slow motion.

(↬ Open Culture)

The ABC of gases – Avogadro’s Law, Boyle’s Law, and Charles’s Law – animated in stop-motion chalk drawings.

Higgs boson data from CERN turned into a melody? Yes, please! Best thing since the Solar System set to music and this three-movement choral suite inspired by Sagan.

(↬ Open Culture)