« Turkey Science | Home | 18% off at Best Deal Magazines - Today Only! »
Say it with Showers
By Linda | December 1, 2008
The first time I went to Disneyworld, I was mesmerized by (among many things) the “leapfrog” water fountain located near “Journey into Imagination” at Epcot. Like living crystal serpents, arcs of water leapt from one landing spot to the next at perfectly timed intervals. Much more recently, my own children were just as captivated by this amazing feat of aquatic engineering.
Apparently, I am not the only fan of this bit of “imagineering”. I found several sites on which backyard enthusiasts share information on engineering similar effects using parts from the local hardware store, some homegrown, ingenuity & lots of patience. The device is called a laminar flow fountain. At mad-laboratory.com , the writer documents his experimentation into making one of his own.
The following clip is evidence that, as with all forms of technology, the engineering that went into the leapfrog fountain at Epcot has advanced tremendously in the intervening years. I have not been able to learn much about this amazing fountain beyond the unverifiable data that accompanies its YouTube entry. From the “Welcome to Canal City” message displayed in the program, it appears that this fountain is located somewhere in the Canal City Hakata Commercial Complex but I have been unable to dig up any credible specifics on its exact location, construction or design.
In any case, it is a very cool effect although I don’t recommend watching this clip if you have to pee…
I thought you might also enjoy this aquatic timepiece. It’s not only cleverly designed but I love the water/time metaphor….
Topics: Technology, The Petri Dish |
