Non-Newtonian Fluids Come To TV

TV people will understand why this makes me happy. I am doing a story on non-Newtonian fluids and it’s OK

I worked on tomorrow’s tech segment tonight. Coming up with a topic is what takes the most time. We’re doing non-Newtonian fluids. You’ve got to trust me on this.

TV people will understand why this makes me happy. I am doing a story on non-Newtonian fluids and it’s OK. No one has ever asked me to dumb my stories down or keep the topics simple.

It’s funny how this works, because I came onto the subject after watching a video of a student project to fill potholes with a non-Newtonian fluid. I didn’t know it was a non-Newtonian fluid then, because I’d never heard of one!

Silly putty is a non-Newtonian fluid.

A non-Newtonian fluid resists deformation at high shear levels. If you go in slowly you sink. If you go in quickly you stay on the surface.

Anyway, I found cool video and I’m excited to see it put together!

7 thoughts on “Non-Newtonian Fluids Come To TV”

  1. The Myth Busters had a ball with this type of material on one show VERY interesting stuff..look forward to see your demo. By the way I am so glad you are NOT asked to dumb things up it is refreshing !!On other stations I feel they think the general public is somehow lacking in the ability to understand or even care.

  2. FYI, there is an episode of Big Bang Theory in which the geek boys are playing with this stuff, making it jump around on a speaker.

  3. Didn’t get a chance to see it last night, but just watched the video. Really cool! Thanks, Mr. Science. 🙂

  4. My kids make this at school in science with corn starch, I think. When you apply pressure it keeps it shape but as soon as you release it, it melts through your fingers. Some toy company marketed this product several years ago — Gak? I remember seeing a demonstration in FAO Schwartz at some point in the ’90s when I worked in NYC.

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