It’s usually over in an instant, but when you capture macro footage of a match head igniting at 4,000 frames per second, suddenly that almost instantaneous event becomes a fascinating look into the science of fire and ignition. And believe it or not, YouTuber UltraSlo had to throw an additional 2,000 watts of light on this match head to capture this mesmerizing footage—that’s a lot of birthday candles.
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Need an excuse to go play with matches
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In practice, strike-anywhere matches are super simple; just hit things until fire starts. But there’s actually a whole bunch of chemistry hiding in those little red and white tips, and even the sticks below them.
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We all know the familiar, dotted pattern of a matchbox striking strip. It’s distinctive, but not particularly pretty. But with a splash of color and a little geometric variation, you can actually get something worth having out on the shelf. More »
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