Dominoes have long been a favorite pastime for children and adults alike. They are easy to play, fun to set up in curved lines and grids that form pictures when they fall, or even 3D structures like towers and pyramids. There is also a certain magic to watching one domino fall after another, creating an endless chain reaction of falling pieces. But did you know that this chain reaction is far more powerful than you might think? A 1983 study by University of British Columbia physicist Lorne Whitehead shows that a single domino can knock over things about one-and-a-half times its size.
Known as the Domino Effect, this phenomenon demonstrates just how much power is in even the smallest of objects. This video explains how a simple push can create a chain reaction that leads to something much larger, and it goes on to explore the science behind what makes dominoes such a fascinating toy and subject of scientific inquiry.
When most people think of domino, they picture a line of dozens or hundreds of small, rectangular playing pieces that stand in careful sequence until the first one is knocked over by the nudge of just one more domino. This is the classic image of a domino rally, where competitors compete to build the most impressive and imaginative domino effect or reaction before a crowd of fans.
However, what many people don’t realize is that a domino isn’t just a generic gaming device; it can also be used as a model for the way our world works. The same principles that make a domino rally possible are what govern the workings of our economy, society and even the world.
The word domino derives from the Latin dominus, meaning “lord” or “master.” Its use in this context dates to the early 19th century, though the game itself has been around for centuries. In a much earlier sense, the word denoted a long hooded cloak worn with a mask at masquerades. It is believed that the playing piece itself was modeled after this garment.
Whether you are trying to build a rainbow spiral or a line of dominoes that extends into the sky, a key principle of domino is that each tile has its own individual weight and inertia, which is why it can take so long for the very first domino to topple over when no other forces are applied to it. A domino that is weighed down with several other tiles, on the other hand, will fall much more quickly, as there are already forces pushing against it.
The same principle applies to your business. When you invest in a strong, flexible and scalable infrastructure, it can help you overcome complex challenges and support your goals faster. Whether you need to run Domino on-premises, in the cloud or in a hybrid multi-cloud environment, Domino can deliver a single platform that gives self-service access to tools and infrastructure that are secure, compliant and flexible.