Gömböc—The Shape That Shouldn't Exist

In this video I show you a Gömböc. This is a shape that has only two equilibrium points—one stable and one unstable, instead of the usual minimum of 4. It is self-righting no matter how you set it down.

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*Any experiment you try is at YOUR OWN RISK. The Action Lab assumes no responsibility for any injury if you attempt anything you see in this video or on The Action Lab channel.

[TheActionLab]

Hi everyone, some are confused about why there is only one unstable equilibrium on the Gomboc since you can set it along anywhere on the upper edge and it will tip over. An unstable equilibrium is not simply an edge where it will tip over, but it has a specific definition. The equilibrium points are where the derivative of the potential energy of the shape is zero. To see if it is an unstable or stable equilibrium, then you check to see if the second derivative is positive or negative. If the second derivative of the potential energy is negative then it is an unstable equilibrium. If the second derivative is positive it means that the equilibrium stable. Non-mathematically this means that the unstable equilibrium is the point that it theoretically could be balanced because the weight is equal all around the point, but it would fall over at the slightest wind or movement.

[breddiemercury]

"You'll notice that this may look similar to something you've seen in nature"

My first thought: rock?..

[pixeldoge]

Title:"Gömböc-The shape that shouldn't exist"
Gömböc: *cries in shape*

[pinba]

Hungarian: Gömböc
The action lab: *GOMPOK*

[whittydabomb]

"Whats you favorite shape?"
"Gömböc"
"What?"
*_"g ö m b ö c"_*

[cooldownboi]

Everybody gangsta until the gömböc becomes a school subject

[theedankesst]

"A what?"
"Gömböc."
"Gesundheit."

[KoroHO]

God, I'm glad I'm already done with school, imagine calculating the area of a Gömböc in your finals

[Wikingking]

The Gömböc (not gumbock, but more like goem-boetz) was made and designed at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). The name itself is kind of a made up word we use in Hungarian for objects with a round-ish shape, but what is not perfectly round like a ball, however it resembles one. Like for example when you're working with dough you can form small "gömböc" from the pastry. Not a perfect ball, but something close.

[angryspirit]

Gömböc : A shape that shouldn't exist.

Me : Maybe I am a Gömböc.

[Empark]

Now that's something you see once in your life. And then you forget about it.

[zonnihf]

Gömböc: perfectly balanced
Thanos: as all things should be

[Nevernamed]

This is one of those educational videos that is somehow manages to make you more confused than when you started because it assumes you already understand the definition of an equilibrium point.

[DenimDucky]

I like to imagine that this is a very intelligent hand explaining everything

[OtterPxp]

“Gömböc- the shape that shouldn’t exist”

Rocks: I don’t have such weaknesses

[zemezola]

“you’ll notice that this may look similar to something that you’ve seen in nature”
me: ah yes, a walnut
“a turtle”
me: ah, not a walnut,

[jarzantarzanful]

If anyone interested, the original “gömböc” is a Hungarian food. Their shape is somewhat similar and the name has a cutesy ring to it (for Hungarians). As for the food it’s not really produced anymore as it’s kinda disgusting by today’s standards (pork intestines filled with blood, meat, skin etc). It’s similar to “head cheese”, a similarly less known food in some parts of Europe.

It’s also the antagonist of a horroristic Hungarian folk tale (“Kisgömböc”) where a gömböc decides to run amok and basically eats the whole village alive :)

[abood.]

**Gömböc**

Everyone: Gombuc, Gumboc, Gumbuc, Gomboc.

[mlodyfranke]

aliens: what the hell is this???

me, a normal human being: this is my Gömböc

[loargesnek]

Mathmatician: every object has at LEAST 4 equilibrium points

Some random ass turtle: Im about to end this mans whole career