The Egg Challenge

The egg challenge is a short documentary about how fun science actually can be. It is based on a popular experiment American children have to perform each year in science class; constructing a device which can save an egg from a high drop. We were astounded by the fact that an egg could survive a drop of six meters into cornstarch mixed with water. Thus we went out to discover why, equipped with a high speed camera. By filming the impact of eggs onto a variety of liquids like cornstarch with water, but also pure water and a viscoelastic fluid (borax), we were able to discover why eggs didn’t break. In this short film we show what experiments we did and what happens to an egg as it hits the liquid. Moreover, we explain why the eggs do not break.

Filmed in 2013-2014 at Science Park Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam

Credits

A film by Siesja Kamphuis

Edited by
Siesja Kamphuis
Nick Laan

Eggsperiments conducted by
Nick Laan
Katja Goris

Filmed by Siesja Kamphuis

Voice over by Richard Newell

Animations by Nikki van Sprundel

Thanks to
Kate Jensen
Karla de Bruin
Daniel Bonn (the Boss)

Music from
Huma-Huma - Crimson fly
Kevin MacLeod - Funk game loop
Kevin MacLeod - Feeling Good
Kevin MacLeod - Protofunk
Kevin MacLeod - Funkorama
Jason Farnham - Microchip