News Physics

Levitating plastic beads mimic the physics of spinning asteroids

Whirling clumps of particles split up like space rocks falling to pieces

a group of plastic beads hovering in midair

Levitated by sound waves, scores of plastic beads clump together and form loosely bound structures (one pictured) that mimic the physics of some asteroids.

M. Lim, B. VanSaders, A. Souslov, H. Jaeger

By Emily Conover

- More than 2 years ago

Some asteroids can barely hold it together.

Rather than solid lumps of rock, ‘rubble pile’ asteroids are loose collections of material, which can split apart as they rotate (SN: 3/16/20).