One-Minute Math: Why you can't comb a hairy ball

Sandrine Ceurstemont, editor, New Scientist TV

Combing a ball covered with hair is no easy feat if you want the hair to lie flat. In this One-Minute Math episode, animator Henry Reich explains the algebraic theorem responsible which proves that hair must stick up somewhere on the sphere. The theorem is also relevant to wind velocity on the surface of the Earth, showing that there is always one point where the wind isn't blowing.

If you enjoyed this video, check out our One-Minute Physics series to find out for example, why past and future are the same or why GPS is just a big clock in space.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/1aacd3e4/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cnstv0C20A110C120Cone0Eminute0Emath0Ewhy0Eyou0Ecant0Ecomb0Ea0Ehairy0Eball0Bhtml0DDCMP0FOTC0Erss0Gnsref0Fonline0Enews/story01.htm

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