DistantNews
Support us
🇨🇳 China /Technology

Cats and mind-full mechanics: what happens when quantum physics meets the brain

From South China Morning Post · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Cats' ability to land on their feet after being dropped upside down inspired 19th-century physicists George Gabriel Stokes and James Clerk Maxwell.
  • The scientists conducted experiments in the 1850s that Maxwell later called “cat-turning” experiments.

Cats are remarkable gymnasts. Their ability to land on their feet, even when dropped upside down, fascinated two of the 19th century's leading mathematical physicists, Sir George Gabriel Stokes and James Clerk Maxwell.

The cats' acrobatics inspired the pair to conduct experiments in the 1850s. Maxwell later referred to them as legendary “cat-turning” experiments, recalling a tradition at Trinity.

There is a tradition in Trinity that when I was here I discovered a method of throwing a cat so as not to light...

· James Clerk MaxwellMaxwell recalled the experiments inspired by cats' ability to turn in midair.
About this summary

Originally published by South China Morning Post. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog