Soccer Players Act Like Turbulent Particles, Study Says

New research shows the way soccer players move about the field bears similarities to the manner in which particles behave under the chaotic conditions of turbulence.

This discovery is one of the many made in an effort to better understand turbulence, which is a surprisingly active and pressing field. More, physicists still don’t have a complete understanding of what goes on under conditions of turbulence, and no equation exists to accurately describe the phenomenon. That matters greatly, because turbulence is one of the primary enemies of efficiency. If the behavior of particles in turbulent conditions was better understood, it could probably save billions of dollars by allowing for more efficient vehicles, aircraft and ships, and even spare lives. Indeed, turbulence routinely causes injuries and deaths. Just this week, on June 20, between Panama City and Houston, which led to the injuries of at least nine passengers and one crew member.