Domino is a type of flat, thumb-sized rectangular block with one side bearing from one to six dots or pips, and the other blank or identically patterned. Two or more dominoes are used to form chains. A game involving the strategic placement of such tiles requires foresight and planning, and fosters skills that extend well beyond the gaming table.
Physicists have demonstrated the power of the domino effect—that is, a series of small changes can lead to larger-scale events. A team of researchers recently set up a giant domino tower in a lab, and used it to knock over an object one-and-a-half times its size. This experiment showed that the force of a domino can be asymmetrical, meaning that the bigger an object is, the more force it will require to knock over the smaller object.
The domino principle can also be applied to the human body. A single, serious injury or illness can have a devastating effect on the entire body. Even seemingly minor ailments, such as a cough or cold, can have a domino effect on other parts of the body and the immune system.
For example, an ear infection can cause a sinus headache that triggers a migraine. Or, an ankle sprain can lead to swelling of the feet and hands.
This chain-reaction approach to health is a good reminder that it is important to take care of the little things in life, as they can easily turn into big problems. When a child is sick, parents often take extra steps to prevent complications that may result from poor hygiene or lack of treatment. This includes keeping kids away from crowds, washing their hands frequently, and avoiding certain foods that can trigger food allergies.
In the business world, a company’s successes can have a domino effect on other businesses. For instance, Domino’s pizza delivery service has benefited from COVID-19, as customers have turned to takeout and home deliveries instead of dine-in establishments. This has hurt traditional eat-in restaurants, which are forced to alter their menus and reduce customer traffic.
Domino’s has responded to this shift in consumer behavior by implementing new policies and training its employees on how to best deliver the pizza. This has helped the company bounce back from a rough start and maintain its reputation for fast, high-quality pizza.
In writing, the domino effect can be a good reminder to consider the impact of each scene on the scenes that come before it. For example, if a character does something that is outside of societal norms, the writer needs to provide enough motivation or logic for readers to accept the action. Otherwise, the scene won’t have the dramatic impact needed to keep the story moving forward. To avoid this, writers who prefer to write by the seat of their pants should use tools such as Scrivener or outlines to ensure that each scene supports the plot.