A very homespun example of a singularity can be realized by taking a coin and spinning it on a table. If there was no friction on the table or air resistance, the coin would spin forever at a constant speed. However, because in fact energy is dissipated, the coin does not spin forever. Instead, the angle of the coin to the table decreases, and, intriguingly, the speed of the rotation increases proportionally. As the angle approaches zero, the speed eventually becomes infinite. The final stages of the spinning result in the coin shuddering as it falls and there is a whirring sound whose
...more
example of infinity and singularity. interesting.
