# Can you melt an egg? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Tags:** ai\ **Created:** [September 26, 2023, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739 "2023-09-26T16:18:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/1 "2023-09-26T16:18:24Z")
For clarification I’m asking about unfertilized chicken eggs. This in reference to a recent Ars Technica where AI is copying a (conventionally incorrect) YES > **[Can you melt eggs? Quora’s AI says “yes,” and Google is sharing the result](https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/09/can-you-melt-eggs-quoras-ai-says-yes-and-google-is-sharing-the-result/)** > > Incorrect AI-generated answers are forming a feedback loop of misinformation online. Obviously when you first apply heat, the egg will solidify, but if one keeps going, will the egg eventually melt? I mean it will eventually vaporize, but I’m not sure it will melt. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/2 "2023-09-26T16:57:58Z")
Egg whites are formed of protein chains that naturally coil up into microscopic balls that slide over each other, forming a liquid substance. Heating the egg causes the protein chains to unfold, a process called “denaturing”. The proteins unfold and become long chains, which means they no longer flow. This is the solidification of the egg. If you keep heating the egg, the chemicals forming the protein chains will eventually combust through chemical reactions with the oxygen in the air. Theoretically you could probably keep the egg in a vacuum to prevent combustion. If you did this, all the water mollecules in the egg would evaporate away as you heat up the egg, as will other impurities; eventually you’ll just be left with the carbon chains that form the egg (and calcium if you left the shell). The shell will melt at 1,548 degrees while the carbon won’t melt until 3,550, so if you can keep the egg in a vacuum chamber while heating it up to 3,600 degrees or so, you may have a chance? ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/3 "2023-09-26T17:52:57Z")
It’s pointed out that one can melt an (uncooked) egg by freezing it first… Brian in the “best kind of correct” way ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/4 "2023-09-26T18:46:02Z")
Presumably even without a vacuum you could burn the egg and then melt the ashes. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/5 "2023-09-26T18:48:01Z")
Oh, yummy! 🤢 ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/6 "2023-09-26T18:49:41Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > It’s pointed out that one can melt an (uncooked) egg by freezing it first… > > Brian > in the “best kind of correct” way well done ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/7 "2023-09-26T20:32:39Z")
Eggs over Dali. [![](https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/pictured-chickens-eggs-scene-takeoff-salvador-dali-s-surrealistic-painting-persistence-memory-177402812.jpg?w=768) ](https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/pictured-chickens-eggs-scene-takeoff-salvador-dali-s-surrealistic-painting-persistence-memory-177402812.jpg?w=768) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/8 "2023-09-27T00:38:17Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > well done No, very rare. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/9 "2023-09-27T02:18:18Z")
Some eggs are made of chocolate and melt more easily. Others require tremendous amounts of heat to turn proteins into amino acids into something not solid. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/10 "2023-09-27T03:01:55Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > It’s pointed out that one can melt an (uncooked) egg by freezing it first… So this got me wondering about egg yolks, compared to cheese. Googling gets me these figures - Egg yolk 50% water 37% fat, 17% protein Hard cheese 37% water 33% fat, 23% protein So they are fairly similar in gross composition, but egg yolk doesn’t solidify into cheese-like texture even if you chill it. Presumably that’s by evolutionary design. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/11 "2023-09-27T04:30:13Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Egg yolk 50% water 37% fat, 17% protein 104% yolky goodness! ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-melt-an-egg/990739/12 "2023-09-27T14:08:19Z")
I think “melt” means converting the physical phase from solid to liquid, implying that the substance remains the same and it is only the phase that changes, not the chemistry. Lots of substances won’t melt. They pyrolize, they change chemicals. Everything reduces to isolated elements eventually, and those can all melt (if they’re not already liquid or gas). But I don’t think that counts as the original thing melting. So, my vote is “no”.