The Physics of Zero-G Whipped Cream

SpaceAdmiral writes "An experiment on the Space Shuttle Columbia has been analyzing your ice cream sundae. Or, rather, it looked at the phenomenon of 'shear thinning,' which explains why whipped cream comes out of the can like a liquid, but sits atop your sundae like a solid. The experiment actually involved shear thinning of xenon, a substance used in ion rocket engines, but whipped cream tastes better." I'm not sure it was cost effective to fly Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass into low earth orbit either, but hey, it's NASA — who am I to judge?

Coming soon...

[carlvlad]

2 astronauts, 1 cup...

a long time ago

[wingome]

Herb Alpert - Whipped Cream - someone is showing their age. Me too I guess.

objectivity please

[Anonymous Coward]

> The experiment actually involved shear thinning of xenon, a substance used in ion rocket engines, but whipped cream tastes better.

let's stay objective and keep personal opinions out of this

Ice Cream Sundae?!

[Yvan256]

An experiment on the Space Shuttle Columbia has been analyzing your ice cream sundae.

I'm lactose-intolerant, you insensitive clod!

Re:a long time ago

[Adambomb]

And for the next experiment....Love Potion #9.

For sale now on pay per view and direct to home dvd.

Re:You know...

[crispin_bollocks]

NASA obviously needs a Czar, and a War on Space

Re:Ice Cream Sundae?!

[AikonMGB]

An experiment on the Space Shuttle Columbia has been analyzing your ice cream sundae.

I'm lactose-intolerant, you insensitive clod!

You expect us to care about someone who is themselves admittedly intolerant of others?

Aikon-

Re:Ice Cream Sundae?!

[Anonymous Coward]

he was just being intolerant of lactose intolerance insensitivity jokes

Re:Ice Cream Sundae?!

[ip_vjl]

>> low carb

Not really. Fat is over twice the calories as sugar - removing the sugar would only reduce the calories by about 20-25%.

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

Re:lactose intolerance?

[petes_PoV]

so just because you suffer a reaction if you eat something, no-one else in the world is allowed to mention it? Who made you king of the internet

to properly study this

[nguy]

To properly study the physics of whipped cream in zero G, I need the Swedish woman's volleyball team as... assistants.

Re:You know...

[davolfman]

We need an "I support the War on Space" t-shirt.

Your application has been accepted

[maroberts]

...but due to a translation error, the Volleyball team was replaced by the Russian Womens weightlifting team.

Re:a long time ago

[shark72]

Yup. My guess is that for most readers, it's not just the space shuttle that's whooshing way overhead.

Re:Your application has been accepted

[Rhinobird]

Shaving cream, whipped cream, whatever.