While friction isn’t the only influence on the slopes, it is definitely something at the top of a skier’s mind—especially ...

From the biathlon to the slopestyle to the giant slalom, raising a ski above your head after crossing the finish line is the triumphant Olympic skier's standard celebration. But why do the skis of the ...

From DIY levitation tricks to clever braking systems, these swirling paths of electrons keep finding new ways to surprise and inspire.

Kathryn Jezer-Morton recently wrote a viral article for The Cut saying that we should all try to make 2026 the year of “friction maxxing.” Here's why she's right.

To study fine touch, selecting samples based on how many mechanical instabilities they can form is more predictive than using the friction coefficient, which has been the default choice.

Imagine a material cracking—now imagine what happens if there are small inclusions in the material. Do they create an ...

Linfield University physics professor Michael Crosser explains what makes ice slippery, and why different winter Olympic sports prefer different temperatures.

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed an ultra-stretchable material that repels nearly ...

Below the surface, Greenland’s ice appears to be churning up, a process one scientist described as akin to a “boiling pot of pasta” ...

Tiny zircon crystals are revealing that Earth’s earliest history may have included surprisingly complex tectonic activity.