Squeeze an Egg Without Breaking It

Is it possible to squeeze an egg as hard as you can without breaking it? The answer is - yes! We've all learned the hard (and messy) way that eggs can be fragile, but despite their reputation, eggs are amazingly strong. Amaze your friends and yourself by doing this easy experiment.

With One Hand

 * 1) Place an egg on your fingers.
 * 2) Close your hand so that your fingers are completely wrapped around the egg.
 * 3) Squeeze the egg by applying even pressure all around the shell.
 * 4) Look at everyone's amazement (mostly your own) as the egg remains whole and your hand remains dry!

With Two Hands

 * 1) Lace your fingers together.
 * 2) Place the egg lengthwise between your palms.
 * 3) Squeeze your palms together as hard as you can on the points of the egg.

Tips

 * If you're a little nervous about the outcome, try sealing the raw egg in a zipper-lock (plastic) bag before putting the squeeze on it, or hold the egg over the sink if you're in the super brave category. Or go outside and try it.
 * Eggs are similar in shape to a 3-dimensional arch, one of the strongest architectural forms. The curved form of the shell distributes pressure evenly all over the shell rather than concentrating it at any one point.
 * By completely surrounding the egg with your hand, the pressure you apply by squeezing is distributed evenly all over the egg. However, eggs do not stand up well to uneven forces which is why they crack easily on the side of a bowl.

Warnings

 * Be careful not to wear a ring while squeezing. The uneven pressure of the ring against the shell will result in an amusing display of flying egg yolk.
 * Do not attempt this experiment near carpet, curtains, or any other hard-to-clean item. If this experiment fails, egg yolk will fly in all directions.
 * This only works if you perfectly apply even pressure. Read the discussion page for examples of successful and failed attempts on this trick.
 * One reason why this trick often fails to work, is that even an almost-invisible, hairline crack will cause the egg to break easily, no matter how evenly you apply pressure. The 3D arch structure is indeed very strong, but it only takes one minor flaw to weaken it dramatically. Read up on the Paris Airport Terminal collapse for a larger-scale example of this phenomenon. So inspect the egg very carefully before you try it. If there's even a hint of a crack, use another egg.
 * Don't try this in the store before you buy the egg. The storekeeper will not be amused.

Things You'll Need

 * Eggs
 * Paper towels (optional)
 * Zipper-lock plastic bag as mentioned in tips (optional)

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Make a Naked Egg
 * How to Break an Egg With One Hand
 * How to Make Eggs Benedict
 * How to Make a Cloud in a Bottle
 * How to Make an Egg Go Through a Bottle
 * How to Hard Boil an Egg

Sources and Citations

 * SteveSpanglerScience.com - More instructions on this experiment and the source of this article