We have all, at some point, put a Peep in the microwave. It’s one of the few science experiments we can do at home, and is completely awesome. But what happens when you put a Peep in a vacuum chamber?
Phil Plait over at Bad Astronomy was at a science fair and found out. The short of it is that it’s not what you’d expect:
Yes, the Peep actually inflates before being crushed into a flat, but still sugary, pancake. So what happens?
Essentially, as the air’s sucked out of the chamber, the air inside the Peep expands to fill the space in question, bloating the Peep with it. Once you let some air back in, it crushes the Peep like a scientific fist. It’s not quite dissolving the little innocent candy in acetone, but it is pretty funny.
Sadly, in order to celebrate the birth of Christ by tormenting marshmallow chicks, you’ll need some expensive gear. But there’s always the microwave. And matches. And potato cannons.