The first few months of 2025 saw several concerning headlines involving major plane crashes. This led many to believe they were happening at a higher rate than normal.
While the number of crashes within the first two months of 2025 was lower than the year prior, the number of fatalities was higher, per National Transportation Safety Board data obtained by Newsweek.
That’s enough to make anyone anxious when they think of their next trip. And with most Americans taking a flight at least one to two times per year, per a 2022 Gallup poll, any source of comfort is welcome.
Well, this aviation fan has a reminder that could ease your mind the next time you take off. They call it the “jello theory.”
In a viral video, TikTok user Seb (@neoaviation) records a plane’s wing from their window. The wing jostles around a bit as the plane experiences turbulence.
“If you’re scared of turbulence, just remember the jello theory, it makes turbulence 100x more enjoyable,” the user writes in text overlay.
Their clip has garnered over 2.5 million views since it was shared Monday.
What is aerophobia?
Aerophobia is a fear of flying. Roughly 25 million Americans experience aerophobia, according to the Cleveland Clinic. These anxiety symptoms can be triggered by disastrous news headlines relating to flights, take-offs and landings, thoughts of illness spreading through the plane, and—that’s right—turbulence.
The sharp jostling known as turbulence can be incredibly uncomfortable for passengers. It may even instill fear that they could be in danger. Turbulence is simply a sudden shift in airflow, comparable to bumps in a road experienced while driving a car or riding in a bus.
While these bumps in the road can make passengers uneasy, there’s no reason to be concerned. And this little visual trick may even make turbulence “enjoyable,” as Seb says, for those with a playful imagination.
What is the Jello Theory?
The Jello Theory is a visual aid that can help ease the minds of anxious travelers. Here’s how it works:
Envision the plane as an object suspended in Jello. Pressure coming from all directions keeps the object suspended in the gelatinous substance. In this analogy, that means the plane is suspended in the air. As the Jello shakes, the object remains suspended, even though the object experiences turbulence. The movement poses no risk of the object falling out of position.
So, the turbulence you feel on a flight doesn’t mean you’re going down. Most pilots simply try to avoid turbulence because they know it makes the ride uncomfortable.
“Turbulence has not caused an airplane to crash,” United Airlines pilot Rob Biddle told Fox News. “Airplanes are built very sturdily. In fact, there’s a lot of countermeasures built into the engineering of an airplane much like a car has different things to make a smooth ride on a bumpy road, airplanes have so many parts to it that’s built into the aircraft to be able to deal with and safely handle the turbulence.”
The Jello Theory originated online in a post from Anna Paul in 2022. She said she learned the tool from a pilot.
“You can just chill there. You’re just wiggling in jelly,” Paul says in the clip, demonstrating with a cup of Jello. “It’s not going to just automatically fall just ’cause it’s shaking.”
If you’re still struggling with aerophobia, there are several avenues of care, including different forms of psychotherapy, group classes, coping mechanisms, and medication, per VeryWell Mind.
@neoaviation explanation – turbulence feels bumpy, but the plane is stable in the air, like floating safely in Jello. #fyp #turbulence #planes #aviation #flying ♬ viva la vida – moiseslyricsss
What do you think of the Jello Theory?
In the comments section of Seb’s video, several viewers shared their own methods for dealing with turbulence.
“I love turbulence with the mindset of ‘these things were literally made for this,’” one user wrote.
“Me on the plane during turbulence: ‘I’m jello, im jello, im jello, im jello,’” another said.
“Lowkey the best part of the plane ride,” a further viewer joked, picking at Seb calling it “enjoyable.”
Others noted that aerophobia isn’t calmed by a simple visualization.
“I could be sitting there with bill nye holding my hand and explaining what’s happening and still have a panic attack lol,” one commenter said.
“I’m scared of the mechanics deciding to slack off one day. or the pilots having a bad day. or a bird decided to fly in the engine before we land. or an act of God,” a second wrote.
The Daily Dot reached out to Seb via TikTok direct message.
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