Will dropping a phonebook on its spine open it to the last page viewed?

Factual Questions
1

I was watching Law & Order last night, and Briscoe and Green are searching a perp’s apartment when they come across the yellow pages sitting on the table. The conversation happens like this: (paraphrasing):

“Hey Ed - when was the last time you had the yellow pages sitting on your table?”

“When I just used it and didn’t put it back.”

“Exactly. This is an old P.I. trick - the spines on these things are so weak that if you drop it onto its spine, it should open up to the last page that was open.”

Briscoe proceeds to do exactly that, and it magically opens to two pages of hotels, and they track down the perp at one of these hotels.

So, it this really possible? (As usual, I couldn’t find our phone books when I went to try this experiment last night).

2

I remember seeing that on a CSI-esque show several years ago. Based on my nonscientific experiment just a few minutes ago, it is hogswash. I imagine that it may work if the phone book is brand spanking new and has only been opened once.

I just dropped the phone book here about 6 times. 3 times the book landed on the same page and the other 3 times it was on unique pages. The pages that it landed on 3 times were not pages that I had looked up. Miss Cleo could probably offer as much help.

3

I did the same experiment just now. 3 times the book open to a random page that I didn’t select, and 3 times the book didn’t open at all, it just fell over to one side or the other.

4

I saw this on MacGyver once when I was a kid. I tried it a bunch of times before I realized it was all crap!!!

Besides, what if you were looking up business hours of the local Zoo? Would you expect the huge book to open up to the last page if you dropped it??? Not a chance!

5

Gotta love the SDMB. Ask a question, and people will actually perform the experiment! You guys want a grant? :smiley:

6

I tried it, but left the book open for about 10 min first and was shocked :eek: when it worked first try. I haven’t been able to repeat my success though (this board really needs the ‘shrugging shoulders, got-me’ smiley). It usually opens up to the inserts that are made of thicker paper in my local phone book.

7

Yeah… but I bet you opened it for 10 minutes somewhere in the middle, right? There’s got to be a limit to how close to the front or back this will actually work.