There’s a mind-boggling amount of science and research done around sports — and especially a game like baseball. Popular Mechanics recently published a feature about homers: “What’s the Longest Possible Home Run?”

We’re deep in the playoffs, so this is a good and interesting read if you’re interested in some of the physics behind the long ball. Author Tim Newcomb leans on U of I Professor Emertus Alan Nathan, an expert in this arena.

Read the whole article (linked above) for the full scoop.

Perhaps no shot was more impressive than one from New York Yankees rookie Aaron Judge, who blasted a home run 495 feet in Yankee Stadium this summer. 

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Alan Nathan is a professor emeritus of physics at the University of Illinois who has spent a career tracking physics, especially as it relates to baseball. He says two primary factors guide how far a ball is going to fly: exit velocity and launch angle.

Aaron Judge photo by Getty/Abbie Parr