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"Science: Why Shoelace Knot Failure"

by Nsikan Akpan

No matter how tight you tug, it feels like some shoelaces are doomed to come untied.

Fret no longer, as new research from the University of California, Berkeley, has figured out the physics behind why the knots fail and why some shoelaces are more prone to the mistake.

While the poetic inevitability of the slipup may provide comfort to those afflicted by wayward shoelaces, the research published Tuesday in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London A may also provide clues for building soft, lifelike robots.

Mechanical engineer Oliver O’Reilly began looking into this telltale problem three years ago, after trying to teach his young daughter to tie her shoes.

A photo shows a person tying their sneakers.
Source: BestPhotoPlus. Shutterstock

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Question
Use the passage to answer the question.

Drag each sentence into the correct order to accurately summarize the text.

(2 points)
Arrange responses in the correct order to answer the question. Select a response, navigate to the desired position and insert response at that position. Responses can be selected and inserted using the space bar, enter key, left mouse button or touchpad. Responses can be moved using the up and down arrow keys or by dragging with a mouse.

1 answer

Here is an accurate summary of the text in the correct order:

  1. New research from the University of California, Berkeley, has figured out the physics behind why shoelace knots fail and why some shoelaces are more prone to coming untied.
  2. Mechanical engineer Oliver O’Reilly began looking into this telltale problem three years ago, after trying to teach his young daughter to tie her shoes.
  3. The research published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London A may also provide clues for building soft, lifelike robots.
  4. While the poetic inevitability of the slipup may provide comfort to those afflicted by wayward shoelaces, understanding this problem could lead to practical applications.

Feel free to adjust or add if more context is required!