Pitch drop experiment

If you have nothing else that's urgent you could always spend a couple of years watching this experiment.

In 1927 Professor Parnell heated a sample of pitch and poured it into a glass funnel with a sealed stem. Three years were allowed for the pitch to settle, and in 1930 the sealed stem was cut. From that date on the pitch has slowly dripped out of the funnel - so slowly that now, 83 years later, the ninth drop is only just forming.

In the 83 years that the pitch has been dripping no-one has ever seen the drop fall. If you're interested in trying your luck, or at least just having a look at the experiment, you can watch the live view below

http://ift.tt/xFR1oz



I watched the live cam with the realtime clock beside it and could see the reflections of people passing in the glass.



Not a drop fell while I watched