[Faceman]

The Russian Rocket/Teabag Joke:

It's a party joke:

You take a common teabag and a pair of scissors and announce to the audience that
"The Russians are building a rocket but because they have not enough funding they can't afford the fuse" - now you cut of the string of the teabag
"they have so little resources that they cant even afford the fuel" - you cut the teabag open and pour the tea out.
"But" - Now you unfold the teabag until you get a narrow tube (it's easier than you think) adjust it and place the tube on the table like a standing rocket
"despite all these setbacks the rocket still works" - now you light the teabag at the bottom and watch the audience as the teabag takes off and flies up to the ceiling (if you do it right - sometimes it just lifts up for one or two feet)

The physics behind that is simple. Once you light it the air inside the teabag heats up and as hot air is lighter than cold air while ascending it lifts the teabag (which is extremely light) up.

The funny thing about that scientist was that he didn't even explain that on TV. He just showed a trick which I've seen first performed by some drunk guy on a party. I was rather disturbed that such people can get a degree and show off their drunk party jokes in TV and call it "science".
He could have as well said: "Hey look I can make my cigarette sparkle."

[ 09-08-2003, 11:54 AM: Message edited by: Faceman ]