"The collective mood is influenced by the combination of loud, fast music, synchronized with bright flashing lights, and frequent intoxication." What the science behind mosh pits can tell us about human behaviour

Mosh pit.

Ever wondered about the physics of mosh pits and circle pits?

If so, you're not alone, because earlier this week, Max Sebastian, a subscriber to the podcast The Rest Is Science, posed a question for hosts Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens on this very subject. He asked, "Can you talk a bit about mosh pits and fluid dynamics, and how that links to crowd safety at large concerts?"

Before answering the question, mathematician Fry referenced an academic paper published by Cornell University in 2013 titled Collective Motion of Humans in Mosh and Circle Pits at Heavy Metal Concerts. The paper, authored by Jesse L Silverberg, Matthew Bierbaum, James P Sethna and Itai Cohen from the Department of Physics and Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics at the New York-based university, drew comparisons between 'moshers' and the behaviours of particles.