B Unusual question about video experiment on YouTube

[MulderFBI]

Hello, I have found a YT video which shows some kind of experiment. You see a wooden toothpick suspended on a spider's web single thread and covered by a jar. Then a you see a man who holds a few plastic straws in his hand. He closes them to the toothpick and it slowly moves (which is seen if you click on various timelines in video in like 10-15 second interwals). What happens here?



Thank you.

 

[berkeman]

I didn't watch the video, but it seems like it could just be an electrostatic attraction effect? What is the mysterious part?

 

[jedishrfu]

Looks like a Leyden jar:

https://www.wired.com/2017/01/the-physics-of-leyden-jars/

He's not showing you everything in the video like if he's rubbing the straws to create a charge on their surface. Also, the toothpick has a green coating on one half which most likely needed for the effect.

 

[DrClaude]

It is. not clear to me whether the toothpick follows the straws or the straws follow the toothpick.

Also, note the high level of background noise. Vibrations alone could explain the movement.

 

[sophiecentaur]

I cannot understand the commentary but there is no clear indication of what's what. If it's some sort of 'magic' trick then he could be using a magnetised needle inside the 'pointer' and making it rotate with a magnet on his knee under the table.
What's actually going on?

 

[MulderFBI]

He explains what's in a closed jar: a wooden toothpick with one side painted on blue/green (he doesn't say why). It's suspended on a spider's thread which is connected to wooden stick under the lid. He uses plastic drinking straws which are empty and he tries to show that. That's basically all.

 

[sophiecentaur]

So it could just be a spoof. I could have done it.

 

[CWatters]

Ask him?

 

[sophiecentaur]

Ask him?

But, if it were a spoof, would he necessarily come clean about it? It would depend on his motives and there a lot of spoofs on Youtube.

 

[MulderFBI]

But, if it were a spoof, would he necessarily come clean about it? It would depend on his motives and there a lot of spoofs on Youtube.

I will try to send him message. I tried to copy that experiment but it's hard to find spider's threads now in winter.