Not quite as exciting as a new Samsung product, but have you ever wondered exactly how bubbles pop?

Researchers have stumbled upon a universal behavior in how bubbles pop.

A force acting on a bubble causes the film to fold in on itself. This traps a pocket of air in the shape of a donut. Next, surface tension breaks this donut of air into a circle of smaller bubbles. The small bubbles no longer form a circular cap and they reintegrate into the liquid. This stops the popping action.