Bengals Win Because Of Science, Says Neil deGrasse Tyson

The Coriolis effect, caused by the earth's rotation, explains why the ball bounced right after hitting a goal post upright.

The Cincinnati Bengals are now 5-0, thanks to placekicker Mike Nugent's overtime field goal that banked off the goal post's left upright, giving the team an improbable win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

But luck had nothing to do with it, America's favorite astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, said on Twitter. It was science -- the Coriolis effect caused by the rotation of the Earth.

Because the playing field at Paul Brown Stadium, home to the Bengals, is more-or-less oriented north and south, the earth's rotational effect deflected the the ball to the right, according to Tyson. Obviously.

Here's Tyson explaining:

Mind. Blown.

That's also what physics looks like. Thanks science!

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