The Physics of Crowds
Bowler Hat Science from Matthew R Francis
As an American science journalist — and someone who simply cares about human rights — I am distressed beyond words about the results of last week’s national elections. The words may yet come, but in the meantime, I am thinking of ways to support my communities even as the incoming administration will actively seek to destroy them. More on that later, I hope.
Bustling through the physics of crowds
Meanwhile, Election Day also saw the publication of my latest comic with artist Maki Naro in Knowable Magazine. We examined a number of studies where researchers used the physics of fluids to understand how human crowds behave. These mathematicians, physicists, and engineers are concerned with everything from saving lives during emergencies to simple curiosity about why people behave the way they do in groups. I spoke with researchers in Europe and China, and Maki turned the obnoxious problem of drawing crowds over and over into a beautiful set of visual metaphors (with animations!).
Bowlerhattishly thine,
Matthew
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