Why does flipping a coin feel so random?
Chaos in Your Thumb
Why does flipping a coin feel so random?
You flip a coin. It spins through the air, tumbling end over end, and lands — heads. Was that random? It felt random. But here's the thing: that coin was never deciding anything. The whole time it was flying, physics was running the show.
The moment your thumb leaves the coin, everything is already locked in. How hard you flicked it. What angle it left your hand. How fast it's spinning. Air pushing against it as it flies. Gravity pulling it down. These forces are writing the answer before the coin even peaks.
