The "Never Ending Slinky Machine" Is Exactly What It Sounds Like

Once upon a time, the concept of perpetual motion was thought of as a game changer that would fly in the face of physics and maybe even save the world. In the Internet’s GIF-happy culture, however, perpetual motion has become commonplace a billion times over. The folks behind the Project NESM Kickstarter are harnessing the power of the classic Slinky toy to recapture the magic behind perpetual motion. DIY hacker ethics and a clever design give this little machine a mesmerizing physicality that a GIF of a cat jumping into a box just can’t compete with.

Project NESM stands for ‘Never Ending Slinky Machine," and it involves—you guessed it—a device that puts a Slinky in an endless loop, the likes of which our childhood selves could only dream. Back when we played with Slinkys, no staircase was big enough to actualize its true potential. With the NESM, we don’t need a staircase anymore—we’re going beyond staircases.

Supporting the Kickstarter earns you a kit to build the perpetually amusing machine yourself. It includes everything you need to get slinking, from the conveyer belt, the frame, and the motor to the classic silver Slinky itself. The Project NESM team lauds the benefits of maintaining  an endless Slinky in a creative environment. The site proclaims:

“If you would describe yourself as a day dreamer and are always thinking of a new idea or project to undertake… then you'll appreciate the awesomeness of this project. That is why we want to aid the creative thinkers and the entrepreneur's of the world, because what’s better than a machine which blends science, art and Slinky’s?”

If you don’t have the time or the £45 necessary to attain this bad boy yourself, check out the GIFs below. Try not to stare too long—all the creativity in the world means nothing if you spend the afternoon enraptured by a Slinky.

Find out more about the project and visit its Kickstarter page here.

Thanks to reader Charlotte Williams for the tip! For other awesome projects, submit to editor@thecreatorsproject.com

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