The Pitch Drop Experiment (the longest continuously running experiment)

By Ben • science • 6 Mar 2013

"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, 80 years later, the ninth drop is only just forming."

In the 80 years since the experiment has started no one has ever actually seen one of the eight drops fall, but it's due to fall any day now- or at least within the next couple years. Lucky for you, there's now a live webcam constantly trained on the funnel so you can tune in from anywhere.

fromĀ The Pitch Drop Experiment
via RadioLab's Speed Episode

The Pitch Drop Experiment | School of Mathematics and Physics

 

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