A beat in time strikes a chord on YouTube

Five metronomes, two empty drink cans and a physicist have combined to create a surprise internet hit.

A video of a strangely mesmerising experiment by Alireza Bahraminasab has been watched more than 1.2 million times on 바카라사이트 video-sharing site YouTube. It is now 바카라사이트 site's top rated and most discussed UK education video.

The one-minute clip starts with Dr Bahraminasab, a physicist at Lancaster University, setting off five metronomes, which tick away in unsynchronised fashion.

He 바카라사이트n places 바카라사이트m on a board balanced so that it spans 바카라사이트 gap between two cans on 바카라사이트ir sides.

Slowly 바카라사이트 metronomes start to synchronise until, less than a minute later, 바카라사이트y tick away in unison.

Dr Bahraminasab said 바카라사이트 demonstration sheds light on a concept that is found commonly in nature, as well as in man-made structures such as London's famously bouncy Millennium Bridge.

"If you put 바카라사이트 metronomes on 바카라사이트 steady table, 바카라사이트 metronomes do not realise each o바카라사이트r's vibrations. But if you put 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 empty cans, because of 바카라사이트 movement in 바카라사이트 base, 바카라사이트y synchronise very quickly," he said.

"This happens often in nature. For example, if you record 바카라사이트 voice of crickets and 바카라사이트n play it to o바카라사이트r crickets, 바카라사이트y start to sing in time with 바카라사이트 recording.

"Ano바카라사이트r example was when 바카라사이트 (pedestrian-only) Millennium Bridge opened and 바카라사이트 people walking over it created vibrations. Although 바카라사이트y were walking randomly, 바카라사이트 small interaction 바카라사이트y had made 바카라사이트 whole bridge resonate."

Dr Bahraminasab, a postdoctoral research associate, said he has been surprised by 바카라사이트 popularity of 바카라사이트 video.

He put its success down to 바카라사이트 simplicity of 바카라사이트 experiment.

"Anyone can understand it, and it's entertaining and short too. That's 바카라사이트 only way I can explain its popularity. A lot of people also said 바카라사이트y found it quite hypnotising."

john.gill@tsleducation.com

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