Actually, It Is Rocket Science

We often hear the phrase, “It’s not rocket science,” and it’s true — most things aren’t. But as a student of aerospace engineering at Purdue University, I can say with confidence: actually, it is rocket science. The term rocket science often intimidates people, but should this be the case? What if I told you that almost anything could be considered rocket science, depending on how deeply you look?

Falling Isn’t That Hard… Is It?

Everything has a simple, surface-level explanation — but there’s almost always a much deeper level of understanding beneath. Take something as ordinary as dropping a ball. At first glance, you might think, “Gravity just pulls the ball down.” But the reality is far more complex.

To start, gravity itself is not a simple concept. Not only is the Earth pulling the ball downward, but the ball is also pulling the Earth upward. Gravity causes the ball to accelerate, increasing its speed as it falls. After one second, it will be moving at approximately 32 feet per second (equivalent to a little over 20 mph).

But gravity isn’t acting alone. As the ball falls, it encounters air resistance: a drag force that opposes its motion. The faster the ball moves, the stronger the drag force becomes. Eventually, the drag force balances out the force of gravity, and the ball stops accelerating. It then continues to fall at a constant speed known as terminal velocity.

Interestingly, in a perfect world, the ball never actually reaches terminal velocity. Because drag increases with speed, the net force on the ball decreases, causing the ball to accelerate more slowly. This means the ball approaches this terminal speed asymptotically — getting closer and closer but never quite arriving.

Even without diving into all the physics and mathematics, this example shows just how much complexity lies behind something as “simple” as a falling ball. Add in variables like air currents or altitude-based changes in gravitational force, and things quickly become even more intricate.

Wait, But I Do That Every Day

Have you ever thought about how complex walking is? It’s something we do naturally, without conscious thought — but it’s far from simple. I once tried to build a robot that could walk on four legs, and I failed miserably. Boston Dynamics, with its world-class teams and years of research, has only recently succeeded in developing robots that can walk and run with agility.

Walking is essentially controlled falling. To walk forward, we balance on one leg, deliberately tip ourselves off balance, then catch ourselves with the other leg. Balance, timing, muscle coordination — all of it happens in a split second without our conscious input. Our bodies handle it effortlessly, but recreating that mechanism artificially is a major engineering challenge.

I wouldn’t have realized how complex walking is if I hadn’t tried to replicate it in a robot. It’s one of many everyday phenomena we take for granted that are astonishingly complex under the hood.

So, What Does This Mean?

We’ve just looked at two examples of how even the most ordinary actions are layered with complexity. The truth is, almost anything becomes “rocket science” if you dive deep enough. When I was younger, I often felt frustrated by science books that only skimmed the surface. I read about combustion engines, airplane wings, gravity — all fascinating topics — but I wanted to really understand how they worked. Most books left me with only partial answers.

Every so often however, I’d find a book or a video that truly went deeper, and those were the ones I loved. By continuing to ask questions and refusing to settle for partial explanations, you can develop a much deeper understanding of any subject. So keep asking questions, don’t stop at the surface, dig deeper and find out what’s really going on.

Because sometimes, even if it doesn’t look like rocket science… actually, it is.