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Thanks to Skillshare for supporting this episode of SciShow.
感谢Skillshare对本节目的大力支持。
Sometimes, headphones are just the worst.
有时候，耳机很烦。
It seems like every time I want to whip out my earbuds and go for a run, I'm stuck untangling a huge knotted mess.
好像每次我想要拿耳机的出来的时候，解耳机线都要弄半天。
I swear I try to keep them organized, but nothing seems to work.
我发誓我把耳机整理的好好的，但是这样也没什么用。
Believe it or not, scientists have studied this phenomenon before or at least something like it.
不管大家信不信，科学家之前就研究过这种现象，至少研究过类似现象。
And they've found that pieces of string naturally form knots within seconds of being agitated.
他们发现线状物体自然而然就会在几秒内缠绕在一起。
So clearly, there's a reason I'm not the only one suffering from headphone tangles.
所以我并不是唯一一个被耳机缠绕问题困扰的人。
But better yet, these findings also point to a solution that just might end our days of untangling cords once and for all.
这些发现都指向了一种解决方法，或许可以解决耳机缠绕问题。
The knotty experiment dates back to 2007, when a physics professor at UCSD
该实验要追溯到2007年，当时加利福尼亚大学圣迭戈分校的一名物理学教授
and a lucky undergraduate decided to find out exactly how strings make a mess of themselves.
和一名幸运的大学生决定寻找线会自己打结的原因。
They dropped strings of various lengths and stiffnesses into a plastic box,
他们将长短硬度不一的各种线放在一个塑料箱里，
which they then spun at various speeds and for various amounts of time.
然后以各种速度旋转这个箱子，旋转的时间也不一样。
Using a computer, then they meticulously cataloged the types of knots, if any, that resulted,
然后他们用电脑仔细计算了打结的几种方式，
using a branch of mathematics called knot theory to guide them.
并用一系列纽结理论进行操作。
Knot theory has all sorts of applications, from physics to biology, but it's also good for just understanding how and why stuff gets tangled up.
纽结理论用途很广，比如物理学和生物学，但是也可以用来很好的理解这些东西如何以及为什么会缠在一起。
In knot theory, knots are always studied as closed loops,
在纽结理论中，总将打结作为闭环进行研究，
so after the strings in this experiment got jumbled, the two ends were tied together to form a circle.
所以当这些线被弄得乱七八糟后，线的两段被系在一起形成环形。
From these basic experiments, which included more than 3400 test drops,
这些基础实验中，包括3400多次跌落试验，
the duo discovered a couple of things, like the fact that it doesn't take much to get a knot.
两人发现很多情况，比如打结并不需要很长时间。
In just 10 seconds, with 10 rotations, about half of the strings formed knots. So don't beat yourself up, knots just happen.
仅10秒内，转10次，其中半数绳子就打结了。所以不用自责，打结就是这么发生了。
Strangely, these knots were almost all big, single knots what mathematicians call prime knots instead of strings with two knots,
奇怪的是，这些结都是巨大的反手结，数学家称之为素纽结
say, at either end, which they call composite knots.
而非素型纽结。
Without doing the experiment, researchers would have assumed both types were possible.
在没有进行实验的情况下，研究人员假设两种结都有可能存在。
But instead, they tended to tie themselves up the same way, over and over. First, they'd coil up, creating some loops.
但他们更倾向于绳子一遍又一遍的以同一种方式缠绕。首先它们盘卷在一起形成一些环。
Then some of the overlapping strands would work their way across one another, forming a kind of braid.
然后一些重叠的绳子会相互缠绕形成一种穗带。
Depending on the number of crossings, which happened as many as 11 times, the knots could get very complex.
形成的结会非常复杂，这要取决于交叉的次数，会发生11次之多。
So we know these knots happen, and how, but is there any hope for those of us plagued by headphone tangles?
所以我们知道这些结如何发生，但是有没有希望可以解决这些耳机打结的问题呢？
Well, the researchers noticed that the chance of a knot forming generally went up
研究人员注意到如果线长度更长或是旋转时间越久
if the string was longer in length, or spun for a longer length of time.
打结的几率就越高。
But if it was spun too fast, the strings weren't allowed to tumble, and the probability of a knot went down.
但如果旋转的太快，绳子动弹不得，那么打结的可能性会下降。
Stiffer string also decreased knot potential.
绳子越坚硬，打结的可能性会降低。
Giving the string less space by reducing the box size also made it much harder for the knots to form.
减少箱子空间也可以减少打结。
Weirdly, not enough space is also the reason doctors think umbilical cord knots
奇怪的是，不充足的空间也是医生们认为脐带打结
are very rare, the amniotic sac is just too tiny for much knotting to occur.
罕见的原因，羊膜囊太小了，所以不会发生打结。
So, your math-approved way of avoiding tangled earbuds is to just tuck them away in a tiny space,
避免耳机缠绕的数学方法不过是将它们藏在微小的空间中
ideally wrapping them around something so they can't jiggle at all.
用东西把它们包裹住，这样它们就不会晃动了。
And if all that doesn't work, well, maybe next time you can just marvel at the wonderful complexity of your knot instead.
如果这些都不管用，那么下一次你就直接惊叹自己的耳机怎么能够打出这么复杂的结吧。
Who knew knots were so amazing? I bet you did, if you're a knitter.
有谁会惊叹结可以如此神奇。如果你是编织者的话，你会。
It's already starting to get cold where I live in Montana, so it's definitely hat and scarf season.
蒙大纳已经开始变冷了，是戴帽子和围巾的季节。
If you're ready to snuggle indoors and try out a new craft,
如果要在室外保持温暖，尝试学习一种新手工，
you can knit yourself a scarf in Davina Choy's Knitting Basics class on Skillshare.
你可以在Skillshar的课堂上学习给自己织一条围巾。
You'll learn several basic techniques and how to troubleshoot common mistakes.
你将学到基本技巧，答疑解难。
And at the end, you'll have a cozy neck!
最后，你就有一条舒适的围巾啦！
Right now Skillshare is offering SciShow viewers two months of unlimited access to over 20,000 creative and technical classes for free.
现在Skillshare为《科学秀》的观众提供两个月权限免费学习两万多种课程。
Follow the link in the description to check out Davina Choy's classes as well as thousands of others.
点击下方链接观看Davina Choy及其他上千课程。
