Bee Stability

[ysabetwordsmith]

 The researchers were studying bee cooperation.  I was considerably more interested in the physics of load redistribution under shaking stress.  That is, could we get molecules, machines, or buildings to self-stabilize under horizontal shaking e.g. earthquakes?

Comments

[gatheringrivers]

Look to Japan - I've seen some interesting building designs that deal with earthquakes and other tremor sources.

[redsixwing]

Seconding what xevokitty said. I've walked on a structure built for self-stabilization in earthquakes, successfully enough that it's still standing several centuries later: the Kiyomizu Temple stage in Kyoto. There's a spot where you can look beneath and see the wedges in the latticework that supports the stage. They're meant to shake loose when the building sways, granting it more flexibility to ride out even the worst.

Here's a neat summary and a paper(pdf) on how five-story pagodas stand up to earthquakes. I couldn't find anything specifically on Kiyomizu Temple, but that can be partially blamed on the net-nanny here.

Wow!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Faaaascinating.