Scientists at the University of California at Santa Barbara have just published a study revealing how not to spill your coffee when walking. Apparently the human gait moves at roughly the same frequency as coffee sloshes back and forth in a mug so each step amplifies the coffee’s sloshing. But these scientists have developed a number of recommendations to solve the problem, which include walking slower, looking at your mug instead of your feet, and accelerating gradually.
Allow me to lead everyone in a cheer, “Hooray for science!”
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Make sure and vote in the caption contest. If you don’t vote, you’re part of the problem!
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Read some of my heartwarming Mother’s Day posts from last year:
Mother’s Day Cards from Second-string Children
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I know some husband’s give their wives a gift for Mother’s Day but I’ve always found this odd because your wife is not your mom. The kids are in charge of taking care of mom on Mother’s Day. I’ll be in charge of disappointing her on her birthday and our anniversary.
And it seems a bit mean-spirited to give a Mother’s Day gift to my wife when I didn’t even give one to my mom.
Parents, if your kids don’t have the organizational skills to put together a card and make you breakfast on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day without your help, then maybe this is an ironic testament to your poor parenting.
The Good Greatsby 
Laura
May 11, 2012
I’m not convinced they really thought the “stare at your mug while you walk” recommendation through. Wouldn’t that make you run into people? Sure, you wouldn’t have to worry about a little coffee sloshing out of your cup most of the time — but every so often, you’d have a collision, and coffee would fly everywhere.
Spectra
May 11, 2012
I, for one, am going to follow the scientific reccomendations for not spilling coffee to the tea.
joehoover
May 11, 2012
Be sure to follow previous studies which determined the best biscuit to dunk in the tea too. For the tens of thousands of pounds spent on research, we may as well follow these guidelines to prevent spillage and soggy biscuits.
Spectra
May 11, 2012
Good point, Joe. I do hope they perform a follow-up study which learns me how not to burn my tongue while drinking too-hot coffee. Because I have always been baffled by that. How long do I let it sit there and cool? Should I blow on it? If so, how hard and for how long? And what is the exact temperature I should strive to achieve?
Science – <please don’t let me down on this one.
joehoover
May 11, 2012
They haven’t even scratched the surface have they? I’m figuring about £75,000 Government funds to find out, they’ll sack a couple of nurses to fund it
Spectra
May 12, 2012
– as it should be. damn selfish nurses. They never sponge you properly, anyway.
Michael
May 11, 2012
To quote Monty Python, this new learning amazes me.
Chad Jones
May 11, 2012
I don’t get it.
Meet the Buttrams
May 11, 2012
GOSH. It’s no wonder they haven’t figured out time travel yet.
The Byronic Man
May 11, 2012
At some point I’m excited for these scientists to discover “lids.”
pegoleg
May 11, 2012
ha ha ha!
Life in the Boomer Lane
May 13, 2012
Hilarious.
philosophermouseofthehedge
May 11, 2012
There’s always a problem child…and they get the grant money to study stuff like this?
There used to be an old custom where on Mother’s Day people wore flowers( usually carnations) to church to honor their mothers: white flowers to indicate a mother who was dead – or a red/pink flower if their mother was still alive. And then it was one of the few Sunday lunches people ate out – so the mom for once wouldn’t have to rush home and cook dinner. Not so much on gifts that day – but there were always homemade cards
Nice post!
pegoleg
May 11, 2012
“…maybe this is an ironic testament to your poor parenting.” So my Mother’s Day gift will be the realization that I’m a failure as a parent??? Thanks for that, Paul.
becomingcliche
May 11, 2012
I hope that the scientists were well-funded. Stuff like that is critical to the survival of the human race.
mistyslaws
May 12, 2012
Damn, I could have saved that grant fund a ton of money. They could have just given half of that research money to me, and I would have written a thesis paper with one word on it:
LIDS
The End.
Now where’s my cash?
Oh, and I say that if a woman gave you babies, thus becoming the mother of your children, she deserves props from YOU on mother’s day. Also, The End.
Kim
May 12, 2012
The best way that I’ve found to not spill my coffee, while walking, is by making someone else carry it. Then the sloshing is THEIR responsibility… not mine. But, being that I don’t actually drink coffee…. the coffee was never really mine to begin with. Truth be told. I like to walk busily next to people carrying coffee to make it seem as though they are carrying it for me.
bearmancartoons
May 12, 2012
Actually I find NOT looking at the mug but looking straight ahead is the best method.
Thomas Stazyk
May 12, 2012
I think that this research is a conspiracy to put carpet cleaners out of business. I’m very suspicious.
laurenrantnrave
May 12, 2012
How about just putting less liquid in the cup…or better yet, just put a book on your head to distract you from spilling the liquid??
Kathryn McCullough
May 12, 2012
Thank God you’ve shared the science behind spillage. Now, if only you could share the science that explains clumsy, I’d be thankful, indeed.
She's a Maineiac
May 12, 2012
Amen to that!
Michelle Gillies
May 12, 2012
I agree completely with your comment about husbands not buying gifts for their wives on Mother’s Day. I don’t think wives should by husbands gifts on Father’s day either. This has alway been one (of many) of those things I could never get anyone to agree with.
She's a Maineiac
May 12, 2012
See, all of this spillage could be avoided if people would just get an IV like I do.
And I think you’re wrong about a wife not being a man’s mom. Eventually, don’t they all become that in the end?
thesinglecell
May 12, 2012
There is an actual kinetic study of the motion of coffee in a mug vis-a-vis the human gait? Why is there no study of How To Pour Coffee And Be Still? I suppose that runs counter to the purpose of coffee…still, I prefer to drink mine while sitting. If only because it removes the need for a lid embossed with the words: “Careful! This beverage is HOT.”
List of X
May 12, 2012
Great news! Next time someone asks me why I am taking so many breaks to get coffee, I could respond that I am doing scientific research.
Dana
May 12, 2012
No wonder nobody takes academics and/or scientists seriously…
amelie
May 12, 2012
When we apply our understanding of the physics of motion in new ways, it’s impossible to predict where else it may become useful.
qwinkly3
May 12, 2012
4 years in Marching Band will teach you a lifelong rolling step suitable for racing your coffee, forward, backward or sideways.
Snoring Dog Studio
May 12, 2012
I find that a child’s sippy cup works the best. Don’t want to lose a single drop of that precious elixir!
amelie
May 12, 2012
Awesome study. Wish there was a link to the actual paper. That would be a hoot.
Still, I don’t get this whole motion thing. Other people can walk before they have their coffee??
amelie
May 12, 2012
Actual study linked below. It’s not “physics for dummies”, that’s for sure!
http://meeting.aps.org/Meeting/DFD11/Event/154769Why
HoaiPhai
May 13, 2012
My solution is just to drink the coffee beside the coffee machine… no travel, no spillage! My boss freaks out saying he’s not paying me to drink coffee and then I point out that he pays me considerably less than the rug cleaning squad he’d have to hire.
I also find that when I really have to walk and drink coffee at the same time, potting a spoon in the cup interferes with the sloshing.
susielindau
May 13, 2012
It is still on you, you know! My husband brought home a calla lily, a flower from our wedding, and will take me out tomorrow with the kids! I want a follow-up post Mr. Greatsby! Send happy Mother’s Day wishes to Mrs. Greatsby!
BTW- somehow I didn’t realize that I was a finalist in the contest. I am pulling out all the stops; probably too little too late. Maybe you could mention my need for votes and put in a good word for me with the Fonz and Optimus Prime!
bluebee
May 13, 2012
Such a suitable use of scientific grant money
Ron Stempkowski
May 14, 2012
Who cares about a cure for the common cold when we are provided with valuable info like this–and not just simple information like “put a lid on it.” Thank, science, indeed!
qwinkly3
May 15, 2012
If the coffee problem is that “the human gait moves at roughly the same frequency as coffee sloshes back and forth in a mug so each step amplifies the coffee’s sloshing”, and we should change our gait, then we can solve two of life’s biggest problems with one switch. Start running with coffee, and walking with scissors !
Bridgesburning Chris King
May 21, 2012
Someone told me once to put a spoon in the cup and that prevents it from spilling. However being exceptional at clumsy I still have not succeeded.