Open Post: Hosted By The NASA #BroomstickChallenge
Well, it’s happened again. Someone did something in a video, and then everyone did it, and then it trended on Twitter, and now we’re hearing it’s not true. Yesterday, the #NASABroomstickChallenge trended on Twitter because of a rumor that NASA claimed that on one specific day of the year, broomsticks can stand up on their own because of a gravitational pull. We’re all bored so people did it. And well, NASA says it’s not true and they never made such a claim.
The trick is exactly what it sounds like: you stand a broom up on its bristles and it will stay there on its own:
https://twitter.com/mikaiylaaaaa/status/1226959129157259266
https://twitter.com/dyantaatnaydh/status/1226988352911572997
Even Paula Abdul did it:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8akctxl9Ic/
Well, CNN says you can do this “trick” today, tomorrow, yesterday, or a month from now. It’s just gravity and balance. CNN says that since the center of gravity is low on a broom, you can get the bristles to fan out in a way which balances it straight up. And you can do this all-year round. Wait! Gravity exists every day?! Shocking. NASA tweeted:
There’s no special gravity that only affects brooms, but the Moon’s gravity creates tides on Earth. Thanks, @NASAMoon! #BroomstickChallenge ???????????????? https://t.co/5XryZ4SfmH
— NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) February 11, 2020
The challenge being debunked as a one-day only occurrence is good news for dudes who go to the ER claiming that a broomstick just magically ended up in their ass due to basic physics. They can use that excuse all the time now!
Pic: Twitter