On this morning's news out of Madison Wisc. they had an egg balancing on it's end. They said it was due to the earth's gravitional pull during the vernal equinox. We tried and couldn't get our egg to balance. Was this a smoke and mirrors trick of television or can this really be done? Thanks and happy spring everyone!

-- rose marie wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), March 20, 2002

Answers

yes i tcan be done,, but it has to be at about the MINUTE of spring,, which was around 3 o clock, (my time)

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), March 20, 2002.

You've never seen this before? When I was a kid, my mom and I got about 5 or 6 eggs to stand on our counter. There's a picture of it somewhere around here.... (sometimes it takes alot of patience to get the egg to stand)

-- malinda (teneniel_80@yahoo.com), March 20, 2002.

We do this every year, and leave them to see how long they stand. Some stand all night. They say it should be with fresh eggs, but thats all we ever have so not sure if thats true or not!! Happy Spring...

-- Suzanne (weir@frontiernet.net), March 20, 2002.

We did this in biology class in high school (years ago!) - It can be done!

-- heather (h.m.metheny@att.net), March 20, 2002.

Hi, I balanced a few eggs on my window sill this morning. They went up right away. I've also done this a day or so before and after the equinox other years. Eggs will also stand on the autumnal equinox. Kids will have fun with this.

-- vicki in NW OH (thga76@aol.com), March 20, 2002.

Sorry folks,

Just went to Urban Legends on the net. Eggs will balance ANY day of the year. It is believed this superstition about only balancing on equinox days has been carried over from the Chinese who used to balance eggs on the two equinox days to symbolize balance.(Equal days and nights)

-- Bob in WI (bjwick@hotmail.com), March 20, 2002.

Bob is right, we do this to help the kids learn about balance. I can get 8 at one time ( my record so far...LOL).

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), March 20, 2002.

The Chinese did it on THEIR first day of spring - not the equinox, which is the middle of spring. If you've got the patience eggs can be balanced on any day of the year. See Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy site, www.badastronomy.com. It's fun!

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), March 20, 2002.

yes, every year , we do this in our house, we had 3 dozen standing on end this morning when the kids came down to color eggs and eat into thier baskets!,

also tried home dying our eggs for the first time ever, (thanks Carla Emory) used onion skins, beets and Thyme, wow, i cant wiat till next year, i will be doing this again!, what i cant believe is how vibrant and well... solid the colors came out!

-- Beth Van Stiphout (willosnake@hotmail.com), March 20, 2002.

We got the egg to balance only at the said time and never before or after.

-- Novina in ND (homespun@stellarnet.com), March 21, 2002.

Use a teeny pinch of salt, balance the egg, and blow away the salt residue. It's cheating, but that egg won't tip. Roma

-- Roma Milner (rmiln@aol.com), March 21, 2002.