Watch this video (44 sec). The illusion is rather stunning IMO, but I’m wondering what the science behind it is. While I go looking for ten toothpicks, can anyone else duplicate this?
There are several comments talking about adhesion/cohesion of water, but they don’t sound very thorough; I think this could spark an interesting discussion…
Adhesion/cohesion of water? I think they’re way off base. How about warping of wood.
Take a single toothpick, break it (but not in two), wet the break, and watch it straighten out. It’s the wood absorbing water and swelling.
Absorption and swelling is also the basis of the Straw-wrapper Snake Trick.
That is awesome and I will now be carrying round toothpicks in my pocket for the remainder of the holiday season.
Viva la science!!!
Here are instructions for doing the trick as well as the explanation (as already given by GaryT above).