Science Reveals Dropping Eggs on Their Side Reduces the Risk of Cracking

A recent survey published in the journal Communication Physics reveals that eggs are more likely to crack when they fall on their sides.

What implications does this have for cracking eggs? Eggs for breakfast? It may not matter significantly. The middle section remains intact while the Golden Fork fills with escaping whites.

Scientists suggest that this knowledge could aid in cooking stubborn eggs: dropping them horizontally may prevent a destructive crack that leads to a messy, cloudy interior.

Common belief holds that eggs are strongest at their edges, as demonstrated by their packaging in cartons. It’s thought that the curved base of the egg helps distribute force and minimize impact.

However, during compression tests, scientists found that eggs cracked with the same force regardless of the direction of pressure.

“The fun started when I expected one outcome and got another,” remarked Hudson Borja da Rocha from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who was involved in the experiment.

The researchers conducted simulations, releasing eggs from three heights in both horizontal and vertical orientations, ranging down to 0.4 inches (10 mm).

The outcome? Fewer eggs broke when dropped horizontally.

“Conventional wisdom holds that vertical eggs are stronger than they appear, but this research shows otherwise,” stated Mark Myers, a materials scientist at the University of California, San Diego, who was not part of the study.

The research found that the equator of the egg is more flexible and can absorb more energy from a fall before breaking.

Eggs are often used in at-home experiments for egg drop challenges, which has partly inspired this new research. It remains uncertain whether these findings will help safeguard these delicate eggs.

Tal Cohen, a co-author from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, noted that it’s somewhat counterintuitive that the rectangular sides of the egg can better endure falls.

Countless broken eggs illustrate “the bravery to question these widely accepted notions.”