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Beer Bubbles Really Do Sink

Posted by michael on from the news-you-can-use dept.

Galvatron writes "A group of researchers at Stanford have shown that, despite being lighter than the beer itself, bubbles can actually slide down the sides of glasses. So, if you see it happen, it's not just that you've had too much to drink. For a description of methodology and an explanation of why it works, see the article."

23 of 137 comments (clear)

  1. Oh come on by Spruce+Moose · · Score: 4, Funny

    This story is just asking for a frosty piss joke to be made!

  2. sliding down the glass.... by timelady · · Score: 5, Funny

    odd, I've seen many a drunk sliding down the side of a glass...those pesky bubbles!

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    Nothing - well thats something.
    1. Re:sliding down the glass.... by Hogwash+McFly · · Score: 5, Funny

      hey, remember linus signed some pretty odd things during LCA:)

      Yeah, my wife still refuses to wash her left breast....

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      Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
  3. Old story? by ltning · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Wasn't there a story on /. a few years ago about someone researching why the bubbles in Guinness were apparently sinking - with the conclusion that they are driven down by streams closer to the centre of the glass?

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    Love over Gold.
    1. Re:Old story? by ltning · · Score: 5, Informative

      Found it here.

      It's old :)

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      Love over Gold.
    2. Re:Old story? by ubera · · Score: 5, Informative

      This one. The researchers here appear to be putting an academic imprimateur on the model discussed in 2000.

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      But what is the SIGnificance?
  4. So by riotstarter · · Score: 4, Funny

    when you're high, can dogs really fly or is it just the weed?

    1. Re:So by Hobbex · · Score: 4, Funny

      If dogs are flying, then that is not weed you are smoking... Tread carefully, but enjoy.

  5. Too much? by Calren · · Score: 5, Funny
    So, if you see it happen, it's not just that you've had too much to drink.

    So do bubbles going around the glass mean I'm half-way there?

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    I've finally got a fan! Now what do I feed him?
    1. Re:Too much? by SmackCrackandPot · · Score: 4, Funny

      But are you North or South of the equator? That determines whether they go round clockwise or anti-clockwise.

  6. Nice article - but whatabout sharing the evidence? by Jabes · · Score: 5, Funny

    I have seen bubbles moving down at the edges of my Guinness. This latest "discovery" seems to be common sense to me, and is exactly how I have explained the phenomenem to other drinkers down the pub.

    Shame I wasn't paid to do my "research", and that no-one would have listened to me because I didn't have a 750-frame-per-second video camera.

    Now, this story would have been really interesting if it had a link to the videos of it happening 'cause it really is a sight to behold!

  7. In Australia they also rise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Of course it depends which way your head is up, or down - sometimes they go sideways in both directions.

  8. Beer by radiochild · · Score: 4, Funny

    Not being a beer drinker I am not surprised, the bubbles are probably trying to drown themselves rather than taste that foul brew...

  9. In other news.. by plams · · Score: 4, Funny

    ..women at the bar can really like you! If one of them is turned on by your presence it's not just that you've had too much to drink!

    1. Re:In other news.. by mccalli · · Score: 4, Funny
      If one of them is turned on by your presence it's not just that you've had too much to drink!

      No. It's just that they've had too much to drink...

      Cheers,
      Ian

  10. Legitimate scientific value by TobiasSodergren · · Score: 5, Funny

    "While the pair's finding will be invaluable to barroom betters across the globe it also has legitimate scientific value in the area of fluidized beds, the mixing of solid particles with liquids and gases, which has industrial and engineering applications."

    It's amazing what people do come up with to get an excuse for drinking beer.

    1. Re:Legitimate scientific value by betelgeuse-4 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Since this phenomenom only lasts for a short period after the beer is poured, they must have had to pour a lot of beers to allow detailed analysis. It would have been a shame to let it go to waste wouldn't it?

      Next we'll see an academic doing a research paper on the marketing techniques used by pr0n sites.

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      Decode these
  11. Wasted Tax Payers Dollars by fozzmeister · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm not saying that this is not valuable information, however if only they had googled before hand they would have noticed that this WAS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT IN 1998! see this story at http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/phys/liquids /p00053d.html

  12. Alcohol increases intelligence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny


    For any newbies: Apparantly your intelligence is increased by drinking alcohol, since it kills off your poor quality brain cells leaving more room for your high-powered brain cells.

    So kids, if you want to pass your exams, sneak into Daddy's Spirits cabinet and have a swig before breakfast.

  13. Hmm... by natrius · · Score: 5, Funny

    I had a class with this professor earlier this year. This really explains his teaching style... he must have done his beer "research" each day right before he lectured...

  14. Video report about it by tsager · · Score: 5, Informative

    There's a video about it here: video/mov,4MB
    Mentioned in news article from

  15. Damn by lars_boegild_thomsen · · Score: 5, Funny

    Damn - I wish I had never seen this article. I've always used that observation as a definite measure when to stop drinking beer. Now I won't know when to stop. I'm sure this article has been sponsored by the breweries.

  16. My solution by Mantorp · · Score: 4, Funny

    quickly turn the glass upside down over your mouth