Ex-NASA engineer films dropping a raw egg from space and surprisingly, it doesn't break

We don’t know what came first, the egg or the chicken, but what we do know is that an egg can survive a massive drop from space, that is, if the conditions are right. Ex-NASA engineer turned YouTuber Mark Rober (@MarkRober) has stacked up a reputation with his wild science experiments on his massively popular eponymous channel that has a whopping 65.1 million fanbase. In one such dabble, he attempted to drop an egg from the Earth’s outer orbit while ensuring it did not crack. He documented the challenge in a detailed video, viewed over 126 million times. Rest assured, it turned out to be an easy success, thanks to his much complex preparations. 

Now, if you were a science enthusiast, you must have tried the egg drop challenge in school, if not, it is a fun thing to do. The experiment teaches one the basics about gravity, impact force, and the engineering required to protect the egg from smashing. Rober wanted to set a record for the highest egg drop and initially figured the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building on Earth, would earn him the reputation. But he wanted to be sure his record couldn't be easily broken, say if there's a taller building built someday. Therefore, to be safe, he chose the highest point from the Earth's surface– space.

Using his NASA resources, or in his words, “experience of landing stuff on other planets,” Rober got to work with his team of three and devised a plan to launch an egg into space by planting it on a rocket, which is further attached to a weather balloon. Upon reaching space, the science expert devised equipment to leverage the force of gravity into free-falling the egg rocket back to Earth, landing safely on a mattress on the ground. 

As simple as it may sound, the process was rather rigorous and burnt a hole in Rober’s pocket. But he was determined and ready to do what it takes to accomplish the novel record. Hoards of calculations, practical try-outs, and consulting with other engineers followed before the rocket was finally launched. Unfortunately, they faced a major setback as the whole equipment entangled itself while on its way up and came toppling down in a mess at 150 miles per hour. The egg was meant to survive no more than 80 miles per hour. The technical failure also altered the predicted landing spot for the egg. Quick on their feet, Rober and his mates rushed to the spot. 

“We knew what was done was done. There was nothing left to do but go on a hunt to find the wreckage and reveal our fate,” he said, while the team searched for the orange balloon. Stumbling upon the deflated balloon, Rober excitedly put his hand inside the rocket to check for the egg and was relieved to find that it had in fact landed safely from space. “This was in space, and now it’s on Earth and it’s not broken!” the former Apple engineer exclaimed in the video. He concluded the same with an inspiring message about the tenacity and firm resolve of humans, which has helped them accomplish unachievable feats now celebrated in science. 

You can follow @MarkRober on YouTube for more interesting science videos.