The Sophisticated Science Behind the Sport of Bowling

Derek Muller of Veritasium (previously) takes an extensive look at the sophisticated science behind every aspect of bowling. He starts off with how bowling balls are made from start to finish. He then moves over to the lanes where bowling pros Chris Barnes and Pete Weber teach Muller about the different strategies employed within the game. This includes pin analysis, ball spin, oil patterns on the lanes, and the invention of reactive resin bowling balls. The bowlers also look at the surface of a ball, the center of mass, ball axis, and weight blocks within their balls.

Bowling has been reinvented many times over the past seven thousand years but especially in the last 30. This is the fascinating physics of balls, oil, lane and pins. …Now do that again 12 times in a row and you have a perfect game.