![Couples are less likely to physically collide with others than friends](https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/09170646/SEI_159570138.jpg?width=1200)
Couples are less likely to physically collide with others than friends are
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Couples are less likely to physically bump into other people when walking in busy public spaces than pairs of acquaintances or work colleagues are. However, adding a child into the mix makes the group more likely to have a collision.
When developing mathematical models for how people move in crowds, researchers often borrow techniques from particle physics. But there is one particularly important way that two people in a crowded corridor can differ from a pair of particles – …