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NYU Team Solves Long-Standing Feynman Sprinkler Paradox

7/22/2026

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Summary

Story summary

U.S. scientists led by experimental physicist and applied mathematician Leif Ristroph of New York University announced they solved the Feynman sprinkler problem.
The team experimentally determined whether a submerged sprinkler rotates, reverses direction, or remains still.
Their findings were published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Detlef Lohse, a professor at the University of Twente, said the problem is solved.

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Story summary

U.S. scientists led by experimental physicist and applied mathematician Leif Ristroph of New York University announced they solved the Feynman sprinkler problem.
The team experimentally determined whether a submerged sprinkler rotates, reverses direction, or remains still.
Their findings were published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Detlef Lohse, a professor at the University of Twente, said the problem is solved.