This is the 14937th most frequent German word.
rüttelt
"Rüttelt" means "shakes" or "jolts."
In this sentence, 'rüttelt' indicates the action of forcefully moving the door in an attempt to open it.
Er rüttelt an der Tür, um sie zu öffnen.
He shakes the door to open it.
This usage of 'rüttelt' metaphoricly represents challenging or disturbing fundamental concepts in science.
Das Thema rüttelt an den Grundlagen der Wissenschaft.
The topic shakes the foundations of science.
Here, 'rüttelt' is used to describe the action of shaking or jostling, implying a movement caused by an external force (the storm) on the windows.