Could physics predict a crowd crush before it starts?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
A “crowd crush” can happen when too many people pack into a tight space. It’s dangerous! The pressure can stop you from moving – or even breathing.
Enter physicist Francois Gu and team at École Normale Supérieure! They studied videos of crowds at European festivals. Then they crunched the numbers! Measuring crowd density, speed, and direction!
Their discovery? Before a crush, people start swirling in small circular motions. Like fluid! When crowds move like this, watch out!
How can you stay safe? Avoid rigid barriers. And keep arms at chest level to create breathing space.
From formulas to festivals – physicists know how to party!
Reference: Gu, F., Guiselin, B., Bain, N., Zuriguel, I., & Bartolo, D. (2025). Emergence of collective oscillations in massive human crowds. Nature, 638(8049), 112–119. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08514-6