Sneaker 'Squeak' Unlocks Insights Into Earthquakes

Study of basketball shoe friction could help scientists better understand tectonic plate movement.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A study published in the journal Nature examines the science behind the ubiquitous "squeaking" sound of basketball shoes on hardwood floors. Researchers found that the high-pitched squeak is caused by tiny sections of the shoe sole rapidly changing shape as they lose and regain contact with the floor thousands of times per second. The insights from this study could help scientists better understand how the Earth's tectonic plates slide and grind during earthquakes.

Why it matters

Understanding the physics behind friction and the rapid changes in shoe-floor contact is not just an interesting basketball quirk. It could provide valuable insights into the fundamental mechanics of earthquakes and how tectonic plates move, which has important practical applications for predicting and mitigating seismic events.

The details

Researchers at Harvard University, led by materials scientist Adel Djellouli, conducted experiments sliding basketball sneakers against a smooth glass plate. Using high-speed cameras, they observed that as the shoes work to maintain grip, tiny sections of the sole rapidly change shape, losing and regaining contact with the surface thousands of times per second. This creates the high-pitched "squeaking" sound. The specific ridge-like patterns on the shoe soles seem to organize these bursts of friction, producing a clear, audible squeak.

  • The study was published on February 26, 2026 in the journal Nature.

The players

Adel Djellouli

A materials scientist at Harvard University who led the research on the physics behind the "squeaking" sound of basketball shoes.

Bart Weber

A physicist who wrote an editorial accompanying the study, noting that understanding friction is an "oldest and most intricate problems in physics" with important practical applications.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“That squeaking is basically your shoe rippling, or creating wrinkles that travel super fast. They repeat at a high frequency, and this is why you get that squeaky noise.”

— Adel Djellouli, Materials Scientist, Harvard University

“Friction is one of the oldest and most intricate problems in physics. Yet, despite its practical importance, it is difficult to predict and control.”

— Bart Weber, Physicist

What’s next

The researchers believe the insights from this study could help guide the design of future basketball shoes to either enhance or eliminate the squeaking sound as desired.

The takeaway

This study not only satisfies the curiosity of basketball fans, but also provides valuable scientific insights that could help advance our understanding of fundamental physical processes like friction and tectonic plate movement, with important real-world applications.