Cartoon Physics

As every 5-year-old fan of Wile E. Coyote understands, the study of cartoon sciences is predictable and rewarding.

One of the basic Laws of Cartoon Physics states that "Everything falls faster than an anvil." This means, of course, that whenever Wile E. happens to fall off a cliff at the same moment as an anvil, he will always hit the ground first - glancing up helplessly seconds before the plummeting anvil finds his skull.

(I suspect we'd have a lot more scientists if our colleges offered advanced degrees in Anvilology.)

Much of what we know about the world comes directly from the classics of cartoon animation. Several generations of Americans now recognize the same set of visual touchstones - wildly outdated, but warmly familiar.

Fedoras. Propeller beanies. Stockings with seams. Tattoos of anchors and battleships. Parasols. Clothespins. Slingshots. Peashooters. Ball bearings. Clark Gable. Animals wearing white gloves.

All together now: "Shave and a haircut ..."