Credit: public domain The Wimshurst machine doesn’t create static electricity out of nothing; rather, it amplifies small random charges through the process of electrostatic induction as the ...

To make static electricity you need to rub an electrically insulating object against an electrically conductive object. Balloons are made from electrically insulated materials such as rubber.

Static electricity is everywhere, especially in your house. “Everyone has experienced that unexpected shock when folding laundry or touching a metal object in their home,” says John Bell ...

Most experts believe the Hindenburg tragedy likely hinged on fires sparked by static electricity. By better understanding the mechanisms involved, experts across industries can help make their ...

Electrets produce a semi-permanent static electric field, similar to how a magnet produces a magnetic field. The ones in microphones are very small, but in the video after the break [Jay Bowles ...

After all, removing static electricity is all about giving the charge an alternative way out. "The way to remove a static charge is to create pathways for the charge to dissipate," Dr. Morse explains.

The magic happens when wind passes over the material, taking advantage of friction in small places to create static electricity. It could have everyday applications. "There's potential for energy ...

The researchers also decoded what causes the static electricity effect at the nanoscale ... “We’ve figured out how to make the insides of reformed polystyrene rub across each other in a ...

Static electricity was first observed in 600 B.C., but researchers have struggled to explain how rubbing causes it. In 2019, researchers discovered nanosized surface deformations at play.