# melting (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 2 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover melting. Page: Feed: --- ## [Controlling Run-Off With Ponds](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/controlling-run-off-with-ponds/) _2026-08-26 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Urban environments are full of impermeable surfaces. Without enough soil for stormwater to soak into, rain turns into run-off, carrying with it all the dirt, oil, and pollutants it picks up. To keep the run-off from turning into a flood, developers often use retention and detention ponds to collect and slowly release stormwater–sometimes with added \[…\] ## [Freezing Via Ice Bridge](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/825935741127376896) _2026-08-25 · FYFD_ For frost to spread on a surface, individual water droplets freeze and then spread the freezing front to a nearby droplet. Frequently that happens through an ice bridge that connects one droplet to the next. (Image credit: frost - K. Shimizu , experiment - S. Yang et al. ; research credit: S. Yang et al. ; via Physics World ) ## [Cometary Knots in the Helix Nebula](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/825845130046144512) _2026-08-24 · FYFD_ Within the Helix Nebula, a planetary nebula about 650 light-years away, knots of dust and gas stream away from the central star. Though they appear small here, each contains a mass similar to the Earth's, spread out over an area larger than Pluto's orbit . (Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/JWST/A. Pagan; via APOD ) ## [Flows From Above](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/825573344509345792) _2026-08-21 · FYFD_ Our planet is constantly carved by the flow of wind, water, and ice. These images, all shortlisted by the International Aerial Photographer of the Year competition, highlight those forces . (Image credit: Various Artists/IAPOTY , see images for details; via Colossal ) ## [Flows From Above](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/flows-from-above/) _2026-08-21 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Our planet is constantly carved by the flow of wind, water, and ice. These images, all shortlisted by the International Aerial Photographer of the Year competition, highlight those forces. From meandering rivers and spreading deltas to cracked valleys and windswept dunes, flow is all around us. (Image credit: Various Artists/IAPOTY, see images for details; via \[…\] ## [Representing Rain's Microphysics](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/825482753538670592) _2026-08-20 · FYFD_ Realistically modeling rainfall remains an extremely difficult problem. To be practical, results have to be on the scale of kilometers; no one is looking to find out whether rain will fall from one specific cloud over their head. But making that prediction depends on physics that happens at the microscale, where droplets tens of microns in size are condensing, colliding, and eventually growing… ## [How Strings Vibrate](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/825482745397608448) _2026-08-20 · FYFD_ Many of us have a mental image of strings vibrating like a swinging jump rope, but that's not quite what you actually see. Instead, plucked strings often look strangely triangular, as Henry explains in this Minute Physics video . (Video and image credit: Minute Physics) ## [Representing Rain’s Microphysics](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/representing-rains-microphysics/) _2026-08-20 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Realistically modeling rainfall remains an extremely difficult problem. To be practical, results have to be on the scale of kilometers; no one is looking to find out whether rain will fall from one specific cloud over their head. But making that prediction depends on physics that happens at the microscale, where droplets tens of microns \[…\] ## [How Strings Vibrate](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/how-strings-vibrate/) _2026-08-19 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Many of us have a mental image of strings vibrating like a swinging jump rope, but that’s not quite what you actually see. Instead, plucked strings often look strangely triangular, as Henry explains in this Minute Physics video. This more complicated shape comes from the way the string’s tension responds to the applied force of \[…\] ## [Stripping Mars' Atmosphere](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/825301557655568384) _2026-08-18 · FYFD_ Unlike Earth, Mars lacks a strong global magnetic field, which allows the solar wind to strip its atmosphere, but the exact mechanisms of that process have been unclear. But a new study has caught the process in action . (Image credit: Mars - NASA, illustration - C. Zhang et al. ; research credit: C. Zhang et al. ; via Gizmodo ) ## [Refer a Friend, Earn Rewards (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/s6qJInYF4K18) _2026-08-18 · **Sponsored**_ Earn rewards when a friend signs up for the Graphite Business Card ## [Stripping Mars’ Atmosphere](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/stripping-mars-atmosphere/) _2026-08-18 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Mars was once a warmer, wetter place, swathed in a thick and protective atmosphere. Unlike Earth, Mars lacks a strong global magnetic field, which allows the solar wind to strip its atmosphere, but the exact mechanisms of that process have been unclear. But a new study has caught the process in action. By combining simultaneous \[…\] ## [An Iceberg Flips](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/825210953352298496) _2026-08-17 · FYFD_ Footage of a massive iceberg flipping in Greenland has gone viral. Icebergs shift like this because they melt unevenly, with submerged areas melting faster. (Video and image credit: AfarTV; via Colossal ) ## [An Iceberg Flips](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/an-iceberg-flips/) _2026-08-17 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Footage of a massive iceberg flipping in Greenland has gone viral. The feat took place off the coast of Ilulissat and was caught on a nearby livestream camera. Icebergs shift like this because they melt unevenly, with submerged areas melting faster. As the underwater shape of the iceberg changes, the buoyant forces shift relative to \[…\] ## [Flex Pen and Ink](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/824939154199740416) _2026-08-14 · FYFD_ It’s no secret that I’m a fan of fountain pens. They’re just one way I like to have little celebrations of fluid physics in my everyday life . (Video and image credit: Flexperiments) ## [Flex Pen and Ink](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/flex-pen-and-ink/) _2026-08-14 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ It s no secret that I m a fan of fountain pens. They re just one way I like to have little celebrations of fluid physics in my everyday life. That said, I don t typically use anything with a monster flex nib like what you see here. This is extra. But it s also an incredibly cool glimpse of \[ \] ## [Capillary Slinkies](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/824848588628721664) _2026-08-13 · FYFD_ Nature is full of helical fibers, including in plants and bird feathers. In this study, researchers explore how these soft springs react to droplets . (Image and research credit: B. Bhatt and A. Carlson ) ## [Capillary Slinkies](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/capillary-slinkies/) _2026-08-13 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Nature is full of helical fibers, including in plants and bird feathers. In this study, researchers explore how these soft springs react to droplets. When the pitch of the spring (roughly speaking, the spacing between coils) is small, droplets can flow down in a plug (not shown). But as the pitch increases, droplets can take \[ \] ## [Levitating By Squeeze Film](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/824757984006635520) _2026-08-12 · FYFD_ We’ve seen a few different kinds of levitation here over the years, including via acoustic waves, aerodynamics, and Leidenfrost effect. Here, Steve Mould describes something a bit different: a levitation squeeze film driven by ultrasonic transducers . (Video and image credit: S. Mould) ## [Levitating By Squeeze Film](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/levitating-by-squeeze-film/) _2026-08-12 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ We ve seen a few different kinds of levitation here over the years, including via acoustic waves, aerodynamics, and Leidenfrost effect. Here, Steve Mould describes something a bit different: a levitation squeeze film driven by ultrasonic transducers. Like a vibrating droplet, the thing keeping surfaces apart here is a thin, lubricating layer of air. The vibration \[ \] ## [Dragonfly Dogfights](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/824667366193496064) _2026-08-11 · FYFD_ Like fighter pilots of old, male dragonflies engage in aerial combat where each tries to outmaneuver the other to keep a sight on their rival’s tail. A recent study observed this combat in the field and uncovered some surprising similarities to dogfighting . (Image and research credit: S. Fabian et al. ; via Ars Technica ) ## [Recipe PDFs Ready Fast (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/5q1E4GisO7gd) _2026-08-11 · **Sponsored**_ Turn online or personal recipes into clean, printable PDFs in seconds. ## [Dragonfly Dogfights](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/dragonfly-dogfights/) _2026-08-11 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Like fighter pilots of old, male dragonflies engage in aerial combat where each tries to outmaneuver the other to keep a sight on their rival s tail. A recent study observed this combat in the field and uncovered some surprising similarities to dogfighting. Like pilots, dragonflies used spiraling turns and other high-g moves to gain an \[ \] ## [Blowing Droplets Apart](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/824576769416970240) _2026-08-10 · FYFD_ In raindrops, ink-jet printing, and spray painting, droplets get broken apart y the air flowing around them. Here, researchers investigate how a jet of fluid can push a droplet from its perch, or–with enough momentum–shatter the droplet . (Video and image credit: S. Jain et al. ) ## [Blowing Droplets Apart](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/blowing-droplets-apart/) _2026-08-10 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ In raindrops, ink-jet printing, and spray painting, droplets get broken apart by the air flowing around them. Here, researchers investigate how a jet of fluid can push a droplet from its perch, or with enough momentum shatter the droplet. There are some lovely flow visualizations here; it s especially cool to see the starting vortex ring of the \[ \] ## [Salt and Dunes](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/824304950434758656) _2026-08-07 · FYFD_ Photographer Barbara Brown captured these striking aerial views in Namibia. Coastal dunes and saltworks feature in the photos from Walvis Bay, where wind, waves, evaporation, and humankind have shaped the landscape. (Image credit: B. Brown/ IAPOTY ; via Colossal ) ## [Salt and Dunes](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/salt-and-dunes/) _2026-08-07 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Photographer Barbara Brown captured these striking aerial views in Namibia. Coastal dunes and saltworks feature in the photos from Walvis Bay, where wind, waves, evaporation, and humankind have shaped the landscape. The colorful and dendritic dune images come from Sossusvlei, where the ephemeral Tsauchab River ends in the Namib Desert. Recent flooding left its mark \[ \] ## [How Corals Stir](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/824214395135705089) _2026-08-06 · FYFD_ Reef-building coral polyps constantly stir the water around them with dense carpets of microscopic hair-like cilia. The beating of the cilia helps polyps feed while also pushing away sediment and debris . (Image and research credit: S. Selvan et al. ; via APS ) ## [How Corals Stir](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/how-corals-stir/) _2026-08-06 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Reef-building coral polyps constantly stir the water around them with dense carpets of microscopic hair-like cilia. The beating of the cilia helps polyps feed while also pushing away sediment and debris. Their stirring increases nutrient and gas exchange with seawater, too. A new study combines experimental measurements with a simple mathematical model to recreate the \[ \] ## [The Subtleties of Pipe Flow](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/824123796297547776) _2026-08-05 · FYFD_ If you put a thumb over your hose’s outlet, you get a faster jet, but how does that affect the flow rate? That’s the question Grady starts from in this Practical Engineering video exploring pipe flow physics . (Video and image credit: Practical Engineering) ## [The Subtleties of Pipe Flow](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/the-subtleties-of-pipe-flow/) _2026-08-05 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ If you put a thumb over your hose s outlet, you get a faster jet, but how does that affect the flow rate? That s the question Grady starts from in this Practical Engineering video exploring pipe flow physics. From continuity and control volumes to practical losses, he touches on both the theory and practice behind this \[ \] ## [Screening for Sleep Apnea](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/824033185704902656) _2026-08-04 · FYFD_ Snoring and sleep apnea–a condition where aeroelastic flutter obstructs the airway and stops breathing during sleep–often go hand-in-hand . (Image credit: L. Cline ; research credit: H. Li et al. ; via Physics World ) ## [Ask the crowd: AI or not (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/fC09UDP57NQr) _2026-08-04 · **Sponsored**_ Get a transparent verdict from verified humans via web, RSS, or API. ## [Screening for Sleep Apnea](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/screening-for-sleep-apnea/) _2026-08-04 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Snoring and sleep apnea a condition where aeroelastic flutter obstructs the airway and stops breathing during sleep often go hand-in-hand. But diagnosing sleep apnea involves an expensive and time-consuming screening in which the patient has to sleep while monitored by various sensors. To make the process easier, researchers are developing a screening method based only on audio \[ \] ## [Microplastics in the Water Column](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/823942581090123776) _2026-08-03 · FYFD_ Of the more than 9 billion metric tons of plastic that’s been produced, a mere 9% has been recycled. About 12% has been incinerated, and the remainder is just out there–in our homes, our landfills, and, unfortunately, in our oceans. (Image credit: iStock/dottedhippo ; via Eos ) ## [Microplastics in the Water Column](https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2026/08/microplastics-in-the-water-column/) _2026-08-03 · Nicole Sharp · FYFD_ Of the more than 9 billion metric tons of plastic that s been produced, a mere 9% has been recycled. About 12% has been incinerated, and the remainder is just out there in our homes, our landfills, and, unfortunately, in our oceans. Exactly where all the plastic is continues to be an active question of research. Plastic s \[ \] ## ["Supercell"](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/823670807735697408) _2026-07-31 · FYFD_ A supercell thunderstorm in New Mexico appears almost otherworldly in this photo from Dennis Hualong Zhang . (Image credit: D. Zhang; via ILPOTY ) ## [Ice Giant or Magma Ocean World?](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/823631650966650880) _2026-07-31 · FYFD_ Uranus and Neptune–known as our system’s ice giants–are our least explored planets. “Ice giant” is one structure that matches the limited measurements we have from these planets, but, as today’s preprint study points out, it’s not the only one . (Image credit: NASA ; research credit: E. Young et al. (preprint); via Gizmodo ) ## [Giant Water Balloon to the Face](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/823489559802331136) _2026-07-29 · FYFD_ It’s the summertime, so Gav and Dan of the Slow Mo Guys are back to experimenting with giant water balloons. In this video, they send several careening down a slope into Dan’s face . (Video and image credit: The Slow Mo Guys) ## [Inside an Espresso Bed](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/823399027555106816) _2026-07-28 · FYFD_ When pulling a shot of espresso, there are complicated physics at play. The ground coffee is tamped into a puck-like bed of grains, through which high-temperature, high-pressure water is forced . (Image credit: top - R. Wicks , experiment - J. Foster et al. ; research credit: J. Foster et al. ; via Physics World ) ## [Canyon Swirls](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/823308371163824128) _2026-07-27 · FYFD_ For much of the year, Cañon Fiord in the Canadian Arctic lies under ice and snow, but in the summer melt season, colors peek out. Here sea ice and sediment swirl in the fjord in eddies that are kilometers wide . (Image credit: L. Dauphin; via NASA Earth Observatory ) ## [Múlajökull](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/823036578810281984) _2026-07-24 · FYFD_ Iceland’s Múlajökull glacier is prone to sudden surges, where rapid ice flow is interspersed between periods of quiescence or retreat. The isolated nature of the glacier and its marshy surroundings make approaching on foot almost impossible, but photographer Dani Guindo captured gorgeous aerial images of the glacier’s many rivulets ribboning about the landscape it’s carved .… ## [Convection Inside the Mantle](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/822945972867989504) _2026-07-23 · FYFD_ Most of what we know about Earth’s interior comes from observing how seismic waves–mostly from earthquakes–bounce around. As our observations have gotten better–more seisometers, better imaging techniques–scientists have identified two large anomalies sitting near the bottom of the mantle . (Image credits: E. Garnero and C. Richardson ; see also Physics Today ) ## [Even Penguins Love Bubbles](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/822855397759172608) _2026-07-22 · FYFD_ Walter, a young African penguin at the New York Aquarium, loves soap bubbles. In fairness to Walter, so do most people (Image credit: I’ve met. There’s just something that feels a bit magical about these ephemeral rainbow spheres that pop at a (dry) touch . (Image credit: New York Aquarium ; via PopSci ) ## [Where Waves Carry Plastics](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/822764819690242048) _2026-07-21 · FYFD_ The classic theory of steady wave motion predicts a phenomenon called Stokes drift, in which particles spread horizontally in the direction of wave travel. That means that something like microplastics will drift in the direction that waves are traveling. But in the real world, ocean waves aren’t quite so neat and unchanging. A new study looks at what happens when waves are decaying in… ## [Making Quieter Shock Waves](https://fuckyeahfluiddynamics.tumblr.com/post/822674178167767040) _2026-07-20 · FYFD_ NASA’s X-59 aircraft is intended to demonstrate supersonic flight without the boom. Although we haven’t yet heard its “sonic thump,” we do have a glimpse of what to expect, thanks to wind tunnel tests . (Image credit: NASA; see also: Ars Technica , M. Ahaus et al. )