Eggs are Less Likely to Crack When Dropped on Their Sides: Study
When it comes to the age-old question of how to drop an egg without breaking it, most of us have been taught that the safest way is to drop it vertically on its ends. After all, this approach seems to make the most sense, as it allows the egg to fall in a way that minimizes the impact on its delicate shell. However, a recent study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) engineers has challenged this conventional wisdom, revealing that eggs are actually less likely to crack when dropped on their sides.
The study, conducted by a team of MIT engineering students, tested 180 eggs to debunk the common misconception that an egg is strongest when dropped vertically on its ends. According to the researchers, the traditional approach of dropping an egg vertically is actually the most likely to result in a cracked shell, while dropping it horizontally can be a much safer and more effective way to prevent breakage.
So, what’s behind this surprising finding? The key lies in the way that eggs absorb and distribute the force of impact when dropped. When an egg is dropped vertically, it falls with a relatively short distance and a high velocity, which can cause the shell to shatter or crack under the pressure. In contrast, when an egg is dropped horizontally, it falls over a longer distance and at a slower velocity, allowing the shell to bend and absorb the energy of the impact over a greater distance.
This process of absorption is similar to how our bodies work when we fall, bending our knees to soften the blow and reduce the impact on our joints. In the same way, the horizontal drop of an egg allows the shell to flex and absorb the force of the fall, making it less likely to crack or break.
The MIT researchers used high-speed cameras and sensors to capture and analyze the movement of the eggs as they were dropped, both vertically and horizontally. The results showed that the horizontally dropped eggs were able to absorb and distribute the force of the impact much more effectively, resulting in significantly fewer cracks and breaks.
The study’s findings have important implications for industries that rely on the transportation and handling of eggs, such as food manufacturers and distributors. By adopting the horizontal drop method, these companies may be able to reduce the number of eggs that are damaged or destroyed during shipping and storage, leading to cost savings and improved efficiency.
But the benefits of the horizontal drop method aren’t limited to industrial applications alone. For anyone who’s ever struggled to transport eggs safely, whether it’s for a family dinner or a baking project, this study offers a simple and effective solution.
So the next time you’re tasked with transporting eggs, don’t be afraid to think outside the box (or shell, in this case). By dropping those eggs on their sides, you may be surprised at just how much more likely they are to arrive at their destination intact and unbroken.
Source:
https://news.mit.edu/2025/mit-engineering-students-crack-egg-dilemma-sideways-stronger-0508
