Since our ancient ancestors fashioned the first iPod out of stone, man has engaged in constant battle with his headphones and muddled about how to stop them tangling up in knots.
Because headphones, like coat hangers, are in fact alive and fully self-aware, they will attempt to cause mischief at every opportunity, but now, thanks to actual real science, we have a method to stop these shenanigans and restore some semblance of order to your pocket.
Robert Matthews, a physicist at Aston University, Birmingham, has worked out that if you clip a pair of headphones together at two key points to form a loop they’ll avoid wrapping around themselves. While the method doesn’t guarantee a completely knot-free experience forever more, it should reduce the occurrence of headphone knotting significantly – you might now find your earbuds are knotted every now and then, as opposed to every damn time you take them out of your pocket or bag.
Matthews described the theory behind the method to ABCNews: “First, by forming the loop you've effectively reduced the length of string able to explore the 3D space by 50 per cent, which makes a big difference,” he said. “Second, you've also eliminated the two ends, which are the prime movers of knot formation.”
There’s even a nifty diagram showing where to clip your earbuds to prevent knots.
Matthews apparently crowdsourced the data for his theory with schools across the UK participating in The Great British Knot Experiment. As well as solving the riddle for countless smartphone, tablet, and portable music player users, the research has wider and nobler ramifications as well. Matthews commented that it could help reveal why DNA and cancer cells can create “knot formations”.
by pbriden via Featured Articles
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