Static electricity was first observed in 600 B.C., but researchers have struggled to explain how rubbing causes it. In 2019, researchers discovered nanosized surface deformations at play. The same ...

Environmental carbon coatings determine charge transfer direction between identical insulating materials, enabling control of ...

The first documentation of static electricity dates back to 600 BCE. Even after 2,600 years’ worth of tiny shocks, however, researchers couldn’t fully explain how rubbing two objects together causes ...

The film explains the fundamentals of electricity, including static and current electricity, the behavior of electrons, and the concept of electrical circuits. It demonstrates how static electricity ...

Scientists at Northwestern University may have figured out why walking on carpet in your socks, petting your furry friend, or rubbing a balloon on your hair creates static electricity. In a new study, ...

Northwestern University scientists have made a new contribution to understanding a long-standing phenomenon called static electricity. In their most recent research, the researchers found that such ...

We’re all familiar with static electricity and its many “appearances.” It can be an annoying spark when you walk across a rug; allow you to stick a balloon against a wall after rubbing it across your ...

Could detecting static electricity be a factor in explaining why treehopper insects have evolved such bizarre body shapes? That is the hypothesis put forward in a new research paper published in ...

Door handles, taps, playground slides, furry pets… Getting zapped by static electricity is a common experience. But the physics that causes the spark is surprisingly intricate. If you’re getting ...

Winter brings drier air inside and outside our homes, even in typically humid Southern areas. With less humidity comes static electricity and clothes that cling to your body. You may think the ...

Researchers discovered different electrical charges build up on the front and back parts of a sliding object, creating a current of static electricity. This explains why petting fur or shuffling along ...