# At what point does bread become toast?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 19, 2010, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678 "2010-12-19T03:38:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/21 "2010-12-22T01:28:36Z")
How much sand can you take away from a pile of sand before it is no longer a pile?
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### Author:  [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/22 "2010-12-22T01:50:41Z")
At point 17.2.
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/23 "2010-12-22T01:52:43Z")
The speed of light is involved in the OP Question, so it depends on where the toast eater is standing.
Also, is the toaster on a space ship?
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### Author:  [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2010, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/24 "2010-12-22T05:06:10Z")
We’ve also forgotten about treadmills.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2010, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/25 "2010-12-22T07:58:12Z")
Observation: If bread isn’t toast yet, one more second in the toaster won’t make it so.
Then:
If bread is not toast after n seconds, it will not be toast after n + 1 seconds.
Bread is not toast after 1 second.
Hence bread is not toast after 2, 3, … n, n + 1, … ∞ seconds.
Hence by induction it is impossible to make toast.
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### Author:  [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/26 "2010-12-23T23:37:30Z")
At conception.
(pushing down the lever)
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/27 "2010-12-24T00:55:30Z")
To me conception means thinking about having toast rather than bread. By that standard, it’s toast before I ever touch the slices.
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### Author:  [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/28 "2010-12-24T21:43:26Z")
> [@Autolycus](#):
>
> Until the toaster goes ding, the bread is simultaneously bread, toast, not bread, and not toast, all at the same time.
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#):
>
> The speed of light is involved in the OP Question, so it depends on where the toast eater is standing.
>
> Also, is the toaster on a space ship?
Say the observer is traveling aboard the Enterprise at maximum warp and the spin of the bread is known. How does that factor into the calculations?
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### Author:  [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/29 "2010-12-24T22:09:46Z")
It’s been almost a week. Surely it’s toast by now!
If not, you’re doing something wrong.
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### Author:  [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/30 "2010-12-24T22:15:43Z")
Missed the edit window…
You could always buy it [pre-made](http://dailybooth.com/ChristopherMast/2733515).
According to [the Bimbo USA web page](http://www.bimbousa.com/), they sell it in regular, wheat,
and double fiber.
-D/a
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### Author:  [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/31 "2010-12-24T22:41:36Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#):
>
> It’s been almost a week. Surely it’s toast by now!
> If not, you’re doing something wrong.
Always check the plug first. D’oh!
Does pre-made toast go from dough to toast or does it have stop at bread on the way?
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/32 "2010-12-24T23:47:00Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#):
>
> It’s been almost a week. Surely it’s toast by now!
> If not, you’re doing something wrong.
If the toaster is traveling near the speed of light, you will be long dead before it pops out the toast.
And if the toaster is approaching the event horizon of a black hole. some of the bread my be toast sooner than other parts.
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### Author:  [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)
#### Post date: [December 27, 2010, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/33 "2010-12-27T09:41:47Z")
Serious Answer:
I see it as a continuum stretching from “raw dough” to “lump of charcoal”. So Your Mileage May Very.
Tongue-In-Cheek Answer:
After it’s been zapped by 1920’s style lasers. In the Mariana trench. (Hi Opal!) For six minutes. To the tune of Rio Rio. And then sprinkled with Bacon Salt.
(Darn, it’s been a while. I don’t remember all of the SMDB memes any more.)
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### Author:  [@Kalea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalea)
#### Post date: [December 27, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/34 "2010-12-27T18:17:21Z")
> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> Observation: If bread isn’t toast yet, one more second in the toaster won’t make it so.
>
> Then:
> If bread is not toast after n seconds, it will not be toast after n + 1 seconds.
> Bread is not toast after 1 second.
> Hence bread is not toast after 2, 3, … n, n + 1, … ∞ seconds.
>
> Hence by induction it is impossible to make toast.
Incorrect. [The induction toaster](http://gizmodo.com/5031176/v+line-toaster-and-induction-cooker-makes-a-high+tech-breakfast) makes toast by induction.
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### Author:  [@Meow\_Max](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meow_Max)
#### Post date: [December 27, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/35 "2010-12-27T23:54:34Z")
> [@dotchan](#):
>
> After it’s been zapped by 1920’s style lasers.
I have actually used a laser and a programmable robot arm to make toast. It was delicious, and you could have any pattern you liked printed on it.
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### Author:  [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)
#### Post date: [December 27, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/36 "2010-12-27T23:56:43Z")
Please! Remember an amateur trying to tell when bread becomes toast is extremely dangerous and should only be attempted by fully qualified experts. As a official member of The Toast Testers of America only I am fully qualified to tell when bread becomes toast. My rates are $50 per hour plus airfare.
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/37 "2010-12-28T00:05:27Z")
> [@Meow\_Max](#):
>
> I have actually used a laser and a programmable robot arm to make toast. It was delicious, and you could have any pattern you liked printed on it.
A toast printer is a billion dollar idea. Give it a USB port to attach to a scanner, and have a default print image of the Virgin Mary.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/38 "2010-12-28T00:47:53Z")
I’ve been watching a lot of Alton Brown. I’m sure there’s some scientifically defined level of moisture that can be used to distinguish between the two.
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### Author:  [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/39 "2010-12-28T01:12:15Z")
Some people are trying to make light of this question but it is a serious matter. In human history, there have been only three events of consequence so far:
1. the discovery of fire
2. the invention of sliced bread
3. the combination of items 1 and 2 – toast
All other inventions and discoveries, no matter how important they seem now, will eventually be forgotten and lumped in with chia pets and mood rings. Please consider this before making a frivolous post.
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-bread-become-toast/564678/40 "2010-12-28T01:20:06Z")
You’re missing some important milestones.
1. The invention of butter.
2. The invention of strawberry jam.
3. The invention of the butter knife.
4. Coming soon: the toaster printer.
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