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- TL;DR Summary
- In sailing, rock climbing, construction, and any activity requiring the securing of ropes, certain knots are known to be stronger than others. Any seasoned sailor knows, for instance, that one type of knot will secure a sheet to a headsail, while another is better for hitching a boat to a piling.
But what exactly makes one knot more stable than another has not been well-understood, until now.
(two minute audio)
It presents the use of basic knot theory and a new kind of fiber that shows tension by changing color. Suitable for almost any listener.