7 Science Phenomena That Are Basically Magic

2. Possessed Pendulums

This mesmerising demonstration of wave dynamics looks like it must have been programmed or controlled (or bewitched) in some way, but in reality, the only thing that is governing the movements of the pendulums is good old physics. The key to the effect is the length of the pendulums.

The longest pendulum has been adjusted so that it completes 51 oscillations (swings) in a minute. The next one along is slightly shorter and can therefore complete 52 in a minute and so on until the 15 pendulum, which completes 65 in a minute. Due to the different lengths of their oscillations, they quickly fall out of sync with one another.

However, the regular and precise intervals between them mean that they create a range of different wave patterns (travelling, standing, beating etc.), before coming back together after a 60 second cycle.