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Gavin Harper is a mathematician working right at the heart of genetics

A favourite from the archive...
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March 2010
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moment of inertia

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In this article, we look at the physics behind the curved flight path of a returning boomerang, and explain that boomerangs are really a kind of gyroscope. We even show you how to bang up a boomerang yourself!

Tags: force : gyroscope : angular force : moment of inertia : boomerang : circular motion : couple : precession


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On the 25th of May 1997 a dramatic collision tore a hole into the space station Mir and sent it hurtling through space. As NASA astronaut Michael Foale tells Plus, the fate of Mir and its crew hinged on a classical set of equations.

Tags: space exploration : spin : astronomy : moment of inertia