Friday, June 1, 2012

I'll Buy You A Beer If You Already Knew The Answer

For those of you still awaiting the results of the groundbreaking research on how Scotch ages in zero gravity there is other breaking alcohol news of import:

"Irish Mathematicians Solve The Guinness Sinking Bubble Problem

Bubbles sink in Guinness because of the peculiar geometry of pint glasses, say a dedicated group of researchers at the University of Limerick

One of the more intriguing conundrums in fluid dynamics is the puzzling behaviour of bubbles in Guinness, the famous Irish stout.
As many drinkers will attest, the bubbles in Guinness appear to sink as the drink settles and the head forms. How can this be, given that bubbles are less dense than the surrounding fluid and so should rise?"

FOR THE ANSWER READ THE FULL STORY at the Physics arXiv Blog from the MIT Technology Review.

2 comments:

  1. Given my math/science background this problem has my interest, but insisting to resolve this matter while at the pub is not advised...I'm just sayin'. dm

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  2. You're scaring me. I'm not sure that watching the bubbles is as important as tracking the rate of increasing "irish" lace down the sides as I pour 'em back.
    I mean, really.
    -G.

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