Slowest Drop Ever: The Mind-Bending Science of Pitch!

https://www.ihadnoclue.com/article/1065902860607979521

The Pitch Drop experiments, based in laboratories in Queensland, Australia, and Dublin, Ireland, are the world's longest-running laboratory experiments, exploring the unusual properties of pitch. This material behaves as both a solid and a liquid. Pitch appears solid at room temperature and can shatter like glass when struck with a hammer, but it also flows like a liquid, albeit at an extremely slow rate, making it a perfect subject for long-term observation. These experiments defy the traditional classification of matter into distinct solid, liquid, and gas phases and provide essential insights into non-Newtonian fluids and the nature of extremely high-viscosity materials. Despite their long duration, no one has ever witnessed a drop falling in the Queensland experiment due to its slow flow rate and various technical issues. These experiments have become a powerful metaphor for processes that happen beyond the threshold of human perception, reminding us of the limitations of our senses and the importance of scientific patience. Besides, they serve as humbling reminders of our place in the cosmos and the value of long-term thinking as global challenges such as climate change or space exploration unfold over decades or centuries.