A loop of chain that flows through its own shape

A chain loop in space flows through its own shape instead of falling apart. YouTuber Steve Mould showed a chain fountain in 2013. A 2016 paper explained that a moving chain kicks the pile below it, creating an upward force. To test this without gravity, NASA astronaut Don Pettit tried it on the International Space Station in October 2025. They tied a chain into a loop and pushed it to circulate. In microgravity, the loop flowed through itself just as predicted.

License: TypeCram Original