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Physics

How to make the biggest splash in a pool, according to science

Analysing footage of what happens when people jump into water, and using a robot to mimic them, has revealed how do the perfect dive-bomb using a Maori technique called the Manu

By James Woodford

19 December 2024

A boy jumping into a pool

If you want to make a huge splash when dive-bombing, you need to get your technique just right

Studio Nut/Shutterstock

To make the biggest splash when you dive-bomb into water, the secret seems to be to use the Manu technique practised by the Maori of New Zealand. This involves folding yourself so your torso and legs make a V-shape as you fall and making sure your buttocks hit the water first.

The origins of the Manu, which is Maori for bird, are unclear, but leaping from bridges, docks, rocks and diving platforms, aiming to produce the largest possible splash, has…

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