Are scientists and science journalists brilliant, industrious, visionaries? Or, are they simply over-privileged, obsessive compulsives, with more time on their hands than they know what to do with?
I got a few paragraphs into a Wired blog post, which starts off with this:
Why Eggs Could Be Getting Harder to Peel
Consider the farm-fresh egg, the pristine symbol of the simple days of pre-industrial farming.
People love them, but there’s a problem: They seem to be getting harder to peel. And though I’ve messily discovered this on my own, there’s some science to back this idea up.
…and my first thought was: Why the HELL am I reading this?!!”
Then, I read on a little more:
As an egg ages, it loses some carbon dioxide through tiny pores in the shell, making the egg white more basic. At the same time, it loses moisture, which increases the size of the “air cell” at the bottom of the shell, between the inner and outer membranes.
…and I thought to myself, “Who the HELL has the time for this?!!”
But, here I am blogging about a blogger who blogged about the science of peeling eggs. It’s an embarrassing paradox.
(Footnote: Incidentally, the solution for the difficult-to-peel egg: ice bath. Simply transfer boiled eggs into a bowl of ice water and cool completely.)
Fish & Bicycles 