---
title: "Adorable Physics Prof Finally Gets His Viral Moment of Fame"
description: "A viral video uploaded on Wednesday by college student Erica Church shows her physics professor David Wright jovially pull off some amazing tricks in class."
date: "2019-12-13"
modified: "2019-12-13"
authors:
  - name: "Victor Tangermann"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/adorable-physics-prof-viral-video"
categories:
  - "Future Society"
  - "Physics"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "college"
  - "physics"
  - "the digest"
---

# Adorable Physics Prof Finally Gets His Viral Moment of Fame

![A viral video uploaded on Wednesday by college student Erica Church shows her physics professor David Wright jovially pull off some amazing tricks in class.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/adorable-physics-prof-viral.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Erica Church\</em\>*

## Wholesome

A video uploaded on Wednesday by Tidewater Community College sophomore student Erica Church shows her physics professor, David Wright, jovially pull off some amazing science tricks in class, including lying on a bed of nails and jumping around on a pogo stick.

A fun detail: he's 69 years old.

https://twitter.com/its_riccaa/status/1204834518089289729

The video quickly went viral and has been retweeted over 300,000 times. Over 12 million people have seen it so far, and it even got [shared by *Good Morning America*](<https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/story/69-year-physics-professors-extra-demonstrations-class-won-67685639>).

## GOAT

Wright sounds like a source of boundless enthusiasm.

"The world is a wondrous place and it’s all understandable with mathematics and physics," Wright told *Good Morning America*. "I hope that’s what students take away."

His key belief: physics should be fun.

"I figure if I’m not having fun teaching the course they’re not going to have any fun either," Wright told the talk show. "You should be really passionate in what you’re doing and I hope I serve as an example of that."

**READ MORE:** [This 69-year-old physics professor's extra demonstrations for his class have won our hearts](<https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/story/69-year-physics-professors-extra-demonstrations-class-won-67685639>) \[*Good Morning America*\]

**More on college:** *Learn the Ins and Outs of AI With This Artificial Intelligence Engineer Master Class Bundle*

## Author
I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/vtanger.bsky.social>)