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How the new World Cup ball was designed to not influence the games
popular science ^ | June 18, 2018 | Dyani Sabin

Posted on 06/19/2018 10:41:19 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper

Every four years there’s a new ball for the World Cup—and every four years players are unhappy with it. Maybe it’s too light and has too much lift, like the 2002 Fevernova. Or maybe it wobbles unexpectedly in the air, making it harder for goalies to predict its motion, like the 2006 Teamgist. Or maybe the ball suddenly changes speed, dropping out of the air and causing accidental handballs, like the 2010 Jabulani.

At the World Cup level, these tiny changes in a ball’s aerodynamics can legitimately impact a team’s performance, so the intense scrutiny of the World Cup ball is perhaps to be expected. “You could argue that it’s the most important piece of equipment in the most popular sport in the world,” says John Eric Goff, Professor of Physics at University of Lynchburg.

Adidas designs every World Cup ball, and on top of being a big seller for them, engineers at the company are constantly a little closer to the perfect ball, Goff says. The ideal soccer ball is a pimple-covered, perfect sphere, its surface just subtly textured enough to keep the airflow around the ball slightly turbulent. Unintuitive as this might sound, the ridges and pimples on the ball make it more aerodynamic, helping the ball to fly through the air more stably.

The Telstar 18, the design for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, is as close to a perfect sphere as you can get.

(Excerpt) Read more at popsci.com ...


TOPICS: Science; Sports
KEYWORDS: soccer; worldcup2018
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To: Berlin_Freeper

FT: Brazil 2-0 Coasta Rica

Feel totally drained from the tension.

Neymar was broken down in tears when the final whistle blew.


121 posted on 06/22/2018 6:55:21 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

wow

going to set my alarm for a forty minute power nap.


122 posted on 06/22/2018 6:56:42 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Wow!
HT: Nigeria 0-0 Iceland


123 posted on 06/22/2018 8:47:32 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Very nice Nigeria goal 1-0.


124 posted on 06/22/2018 9:07:50 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Nigeria goal with fast attack 2-0.

That’s the way to score goals. Not bring the whole team every damn time (looking at you Germany).


125 posted on 06/22/2018 9:35:17 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Video Review PK for Iceland!

Nigeria 2-0 Iceland

Shock miss over the net.


126 posted on 06/22/2018 9:40:35 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Quick shock Serbia goal 1-0 Switzerland


127 posted on 06/22/2018 11:07:04 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

I was watching the World Cup when my wife told me something about the dog and going to the Zoo.

So I replied: No problem. I’ll stay with Luna and you two have fun at the Zoo. Try not to spend too much.

Then she made clear that tomorrow is bring your pet dog to the Zoo day.

I said it’s a bad idea because Luna is a toy poodle puppy and would be an easy snack.

But my wife said our daughter wants to show Luna the elephants and things.

So we are going.

I will miss one maybe two games tomorrow but at night is Germany v Sweden. Must win for Germany!


128 posted on 06/22/2018 11:18:42 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

I made this picture yesterday.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1775/42039754955_75b66e7497_b.jpg


129 posted on 06/22/2018 11:24:24 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

If I stop posting it’s because I died trying to fight off a hungry kangaroo.

Or something.


130 posted on 06/22/2018 11:32:10 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Last time I was at the Zoo, there were a group of idiots staring down a huge gorilla till it ran up to the plexiglas and slammed its fist on it.


131 posted on 06/22/2018 11:45:33 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

This Zoo event is bound to attack the crazies who happen to have dogs and their dogs are going to be crazy too.


132 posted on 06/22/2018 11:48:12 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

HT: Serbia 1-0 Switzerland


133 posted on 06/22/2018 11:49:36 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: BlueLancer

A physicist designed the perfect golf ball by removing the dimples down the middle but leaving the dimples on the outermost most quadrants. It coulld be hit straight everytime. No hook, fade or draw. The USGA bought the patent and its is banned from play.


134 posted on 06/22/2018 11:53:22 AM PDT by shotgun
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To: Berlin_Freeper

I have no idea how toy poodles survive in the wild.


135 posted on 06/22/2018 12:09:07 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

ROCKET Switzerland goal 1-1!


136 posted on 06/22/2018 12:10:08 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Welcome To The Jungle
https://youtu.be/o1tj2zJ2Wvg


137 posted on 06/22/2018 12:21:03 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

The last ten minutes are usually the best. I love the pure physical desperation.


138 posted on 06/22/2018 12:34:46 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

You don’t get that in baseball.


139 posted on 06/22/2018 12:37:24 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

WOW Serbia 1-2 Switzerland in minute 90!

WOW!


140 posted on 06/22/2018 12:48:05 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (alea iacta est)
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