The Tacoma Narrows Fallacy

The video debunks the common misconception that the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed due to resonance with the wind. Instead, it explains that the real cause was aeroelastic flutter, a phenomenon where wind causes structures to twist and vibrate until they fail. The video also clarifies that vortex shedding was not responsible for the collapse. Aeroelastic flutter can affect not only bridges but also airplane wings, though it hasn't caused commercial airplane failures since the 1960s. The video concludes with a fun fact about a swing set in Argentina, which swings due to aeroelastic flutter, not ghosts.

What new insight or understanding did you gain from this video?