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Exploding Arts and Crafts: Popsicle Sticks Meet Kinetic Art

by Caleb Johnson on February 21, 2010 at 12:29 PM

The coolest thing we ever made from Popsicle sticks was a tiny house. Come to think of it, that probably wouldn't be considered "cool," even to our fellow first graders at the time. These days a new trend called kinetic art is utilizing Popsicle sticks in ways we never imagined.

The king of the kinetic art world is a man named Tim Fort. According to Boing Boing, Fort recently set the world record for the largest "stick bomb." What's a stick bomb? It's okay, we didn't know at first either. Basically, Fort weaved 2,250 sticks together into small diamonds and placed them flat on the floor, shaping them to create tension, or potential energy. When the first stick is released, the kinetic energy shoots through the design, causing each stick to flip into the air or "explode." It's a lot like toppling dominoes, but much cooler.

It's really something else to see, and you can actually view Fort's creations on his Web site, in museums, and on TV. But here's a warning: if you try this at home, it might be a good idea to wear eye protection. Those sticks really have some pop to them! [From: Boing Boing]

Tags: art, artists, cool, crafts, kinetic art, KineticArt, kineticenergy, popsicle sticks, top

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