Slow-motion slinkies defy gravity.

[ffutures]

I had never noticed this despite using Slinkies fairly often for wave experiments at work. REALLY cool!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/14/falling_slinky_defies_gravity/

Comments

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

When I was a physics major, a group of us were puzzling over a similar problem.

Thinking about the bottom end, one of my fellow students asked, "What's holding it up?"

Mark Parker quickly answered with a grin:

"Ignorance!"

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Which is of course entirely correct - it's ignorant of the change in stress propagating down the spring.

[eledonecirrhosa.livejournal.com]

That's fascinating! Now I want to find a lead slinky and a slow motion camera...