A rapidly rotating wheel that seems to balance effortlessly on one finger – this experiment gave Matthias Wagner, a high school student at Stiftsschule Engelberg, the idea for his Matura thesis.

He investigated whether gyroscopes, which are already used for stabilization in shipping, could also have a positive influence on the movements of cable car gondolas. Using a self-developed simulation in Excel, he calculated the acceleration and alignment of the gondola step by step. The result: although the gyroscope does not lead to complete stabilization, it significantly reduces acceleration and makes the ride noticeably more comfortable for passengers.

Matthias Wagner’s fascination with technical issues was not only a driving force behind his A-level thesis. He took part in the Swiss Physics Olympiad and made it to the final – another impressive achievement. For the future, he can well imagine studying mechanical engineering, perhaps even with the aim of one day being involved in the development of cable cars himself.