Here's why popcorn kernels jump when they pop, explained in 1 minute

Popcorn leaps in the air for a reason, scientists have discovered

(Image credit: The New York Times)

published 19 February 2015

Popcorn has been around for at least 6,000 years, James Gorman says at The New York Times, but French scientists only just discovered why corn kernels not only pop — it's been known for a while that heated water vapor inside makes the hull open with a popping noise — but "also vault into the air and somersault like an oddly shaped gymnast, with one puffy white leg." You can read the study by Emmanuel Virot and Alexandre Ponomarenko, published in the journal Interface, or Gorman's summary of it. Or, you can watch Gorman narrate the process in the video below. It will take about a minute, and the slow-motion popcorn ballet is pretty amazing to watch. —Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.

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