Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
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The Euler's Disc scientific toy was invented in the late 1980s by Joseph Bendik, while working at the Hughes Aircraft Company. The story goes that he was spinning a heavy polished metal chuck on his desk one lunchtime. The apparatus is a dramatic visualization of energy exchanges in three different, tightly coupled processes. As the disk gradually decreases its azimuthal rotation, there is also a decrease in amplitude and increase in the frequency of the disk's axial precession.
The commercial toy, shown here, consists of a heavy, thick chrome-plated steel disk and a rigid, slightly concave, mirrored base. Included holographic magnetic stickers can be attached to the disk, to enhance the visual effect of wobbling. These attachments may make it harder to see and understand the processes at work, however.
When spun the disk exhibits a spinning/rolling motion, slowly progressing through varying rates and types of motion before coming to rest. Most notably, the precession rate of the disk's axis of symmetry increases as the disk spins down. The mirror base provides a low-friction surface; its slight concavity keeps the disk from "wandering" off the surface.
Any disk, spun on a reasonably flat surface (such as a coin spun on a table), will exhibit essentially the same type of motion as an Euler Disk, but for a much shorter time. Commercial disks provide a more effective demonstration of the phenomenon, having an optimized aspect ratio and a precision polished, slightly rounded edge to maximize the spinning/rolling time.
Previous shoots of the Euler's Disc ...
youtu.be/YHh6JsDbN-s?si=vFlhVP34QF3Cki3y (2016 - shot in HD)
youtu.be/rFtYzVJcWyA?si=VhdMAla50MTzwAV0 (2011- shot in SD)
Sadly the Mirage, which was manufactured in the USA by the Optigone company, seems to be no longer available.
Sign up for the free Grand Illusions newsletter, at conta.cc/3dplns1
_______________________________________________________________________
The Euler's Disc scientific toy was invented in the late 1980s by Joseph Bendik, while working at the Hughes Aircraft Company. The story goes that he was spinning a heavy polished metal chuck on his desk one lunchtime. The apparatus is a dramatic visualization of energy exchanges in three different, tightly coupled processes. As the disk gradually decreases its azimuthal rotation, there is also a decrease in amplitude and increase in the frequency of the disk's axial precession.
The commercial toy, shown here, consists of a heavy, thick chrome-plated steel disk and a rigid, slightly concave, mirrored base. Included holographic magnetic stickers can be attached to the disk, to enhance the visual effect of wobbling. These attachments may make it harder to see and understand the processes at work, however.
When spun the disk exhibits a spinning/rolling motion, slowly progressing through varying rates and types of motion before coming to rest. Most notably, the precession rate of the disk's axis of symmetry increases as the disk spins down. The mirror base provides a low-friction surface; its slight concavity keeps the disk from "wandering" off the surface.
Any disk, spun on a reasonably flat surface (such as a coin spun on a table), will exhibit essentially the same type of motion as an Euler Disk, but for a much shorter time. Commercial disks provide a more effective demonstration of the phenomenon, having an optimized aspect ratio and a precision polished, slightly rounded edge to maximize the spinning/rolling time.
Previous shoots of the Euler's Disc ...
youtu.be/YHh6JsDbN-s?si=vFlhVP34QF3Cki3y (2016 - shot in HD)
youtu.be/rFtYzVJcWyA?si=VhdMAla50MTzwAV0 (2011- shot in SD)
Sadly the Mirage, which was manufactured in the USA by the Optigone company, seems to be no longer available.
