Falling felines and fundamental physics
- New Haven : Yale University Press, 2019
- xiv, 337 p. ; ill., 22 cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
The question of how falling cats land on their feet has intrigued humans since at least the middle of the nineteenth century. In this playful and eye-opening history, physicist and cat parent Gregory Gbur explores how attempts to understand the cat-righting reflex have provided crucial insights into puzzles in mathematics, geophysics, neuroscience, and human space exploration. The result is an engaging tumble through physics, physiology, photography, and robotics to uncover, through scientific debate, the secret of the acrobatic performance known as cat-turning, the cat flip, and the cat twist. Readers learn the solution, but also discover that the finer details still inspire heated arguments. As with other cat behavior, the more we investigate, the more surprises we discover"--Front flap of dustjacket.
9780300231298
Miscellaneous Physics Angular momentum Cat-turning Earth effect Falling cat Force Gravity Mpemba effect Motion studies NASA Photography Reflex Robot Rotational movement Vestibular system