CHRISTOS GEORGHIOU / DREAMSTIME (TEST TUBE)
TUMBLING TOAST
Sidesplitting Experiment:
Why does dropped toast
always seem to hit the floor
buttered-side down? A team
of researchers from England
decided to investigate. They
got some not-so-high-tech
tools for the experiment—
toasted slices of bread and
some butter—and dropped a
hundred buttered slices from
a table, one at a time.BIRD BRAINS
Sidesplitting Experiment:
Japanese scientists showed
eight pigeons a set of paintings
by Pablo Picasso and Claude
Monet multiple times. They gave
half of the birds treats for peck-
ing only at Picasso art and the
other half treats for pecking only
at Monet art. Then the scientists
showed the birds art they’d never
seen before by both painters.THE MILKIER WAY
Sidesplitting Experiment:
Many dairy farmers in Great
Britain suspected that giving
cows TLC—naming them, pet-
ting them, and talking to
them—caused the animals to
make more milk. So scientists
tested the theory. They sur-
veyed 516 farms to see if their
cows had names, then compared
how much milk each animal
generated over 10 months.
Funny Findings: During the
time period, each named cow
produced about 68 more gallons
of milk than unnamed ones—
enough to fill a large bathtub!
Experts think cows with names
form stronger bonds with their
owners. That likely decreases
their stress, which can interfere
with milk production.
Not-So-Silly Uses: Naming
cows seems to be good for cat-
tle. It’s also a way for farmers to
produce more milk—and more
moo-la.Funny Findings: When the
new art was shown, the birds
continued to peck at the correct
artist’s paintings to get their
treats. This meant that they had
learned to notice the difference
in the artists’ painting styles.
Not-So-Silly Uses: The results
gave more proof that pigeons
are brainy. They also showed that
practice and rewards can shape
behavior.Funny Findings: When
buttered toast slips off a plate
you’re carrying, it doesn’t spin
fast enough or have the dis-
tance to complete a full rota-
tion. So it turns halfway and
lands on its buttered side.Not-So-Silly Uses: Dropping
toast can be sticky, but here’s
some good news: These findings
could help us design smart-
phones that are less likely to
land on their screens when
dropped.Sidesplitting
Experiment: Cartoon
characters often wipe
out on banana peels. To
find out how slick the
yellow skins really are,
Japanese scientists
analyzed what happened
when volunteers placed
one foot on the peels
and pushed forward.
Funny Findings:
Under the weight of a
person, the peels slid
across the floor with
almost the same ease as
skis over snow! Using a
high-powered micro-
scope, the team learned
the peel’s slick trick:
Crushed skins release
an ultra-greasy gel.
Not-So-Silly Uses:
Scientists hope to use
this substance as lubri-
cant for machines.PEELING OUT
i
could
totally
paint
that.NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS 25