Tuesday, February 12, 2008

5 second science courtesey of Dr Karl

Got this from a Triple J podcast this morning - thought it was good - perhaps not as good as weighing your own head, but certainly less messy...

1. Stand on your left foot with your right foot raised a few inches off the ground
2. Move your right foot in a circular motion (clockwise)
3. (While continuing to circle your foot) with a pen in your right hand try drawing the figure '6' on a piece of paper

Good isn't it!

3 comments:

Jon Baines said...

hello all!

for photos of young Ben, one option would be to get yourselves onto the evil empire of facebook and 'make friends' with me there - this will give you access to stacks of photos.

if you can't face facebook, i'll email you a selection. let me know!

love

jon

Anonymous said...

Don't try this at home at the top of the stairs.
Does it work with the other foot going anticlockwise.Or what if you only use your left hand?
Can you weigh you head at the same time?
Why the figure 6? have you noticed any difficulty with any of the other figures? the whole thing raises far too many imponderables!

Trevor and Amy said...

In answer to your queries....It's basically to do with the fact that your hand/arm can't go anti-clockwise while your leg is going clockwise (it's too much for your brain to work out). In the motion of writing the figure '6' you move your hand anti-clockwise. You'll find other figures far easier as 2,3,5 are are drawn with a clockwise motion. The figure '8' involves both clockwise and anti-clockwise motion and so like '6' is a bit strange.

You'll find writing the figure '6' is made easier if you start from the centre (rather than the top) of the figure.

After considerable practice it should be possible to move your foot clockwise and draw the figure '6', but I do agree with you that you should find a flat and firm surface to practice - the top of the stairs is certainly not recommended.