A science experiment 69 class in the qualification has in conclusion come to a decision at Dublin ’s Trinity College . Though this may seem like small potatoes compared to the 421 - twelvemonth - one-time university , scientists are thrilled that the experiment — a test of the viscousness of the industrial plant spin-off pitch — has come to fruition .
Last Thursday , the act of a drip of pitch drop through a funnel and into a jar below was finally captivate on camera , after decade of waiting . The drip in question was said to haveformed weeks prior;in April , scientist set up round - the - clock webcam surveillancein order to catch the accurate moment in finally fell into the jar .
So , why is this a big deal ? Back in 1944 , the experiment was started by a colleague of Nobel Prize victor Ernest Walton at the Trinity physics section . His aim was to prove that the pitch-black carbonous substance was indeed pasty or menstruate ( this had long been hypothecate , but there was n’t any actual trial impression ) . Over the years , a few drip were said to have fallen into the shock — the last was recorded on November 28 , 2000 — but the evidence had never before been conquer on camera until last week . found on the answer of the experimentation , they can now estimate the viscosity of pitch to be two million sentence that of honey .
Professor Shane Bergin of TCD School of Physics call the long - await event “ amazing , ” say it summed up why he likes being a scientist — skill serving as a catalyst for curio . Until its 69 - year - old theory was fulfilled , many physicist believed the experiment to be among the old active experiments in the world . The championship for the world ’s longest running experiment is a similar study started in Australia in the 1920s — another jar of pitch , one that has not yet been caught dripping on photographic camera .
