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arXiv · 2203.16630

The popular myth of the drunk fireworks in the Valencian Fallas: "If you run, it chases you"

Eloy Peña-Asensio
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Abstract

There is a popular myth transferred from generation to generation related to the festivity of the Valencian Fallas. During these days, it is traditional to throw pyrotechnic devices of all kinds. There is a legend about the so-called drunk fireworks, small rockets that move randomly at high speed. According to folk wisdom, if you try to run away from a drunk firework, it will chase you until it hits you. It is performed a Monte Carlo simulation without considering aerodynamic effects to see if there is indeed a greater chance of a person being hit when moving. The results indicate that the popular myth is correct, at least in terms of having a higher probability of impact. Once again, it is demonstrated that popular myths can be a source of valuable knowledge beyond formal science.

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Eloy Peña-Asensio. 2022-03-30. The popular myth of the drunk fireworks in the Valencian Fallas: "If you run, it chases you". https://arxiv.org/abs/2203.16630

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