Slow as pitch

Queensland Uni’s School of Mathematics and Physics ‘owns’ what is probably one of the oldest continuous science experiments in existence today.

Set up in 1927 it is 85 years old and still going strong.
Here is the webcam of pitch ( a tarlike substance obtained by distilling coal tar) ever so slooooooooooooowly oozing.

Table 1 Record of pitch drops.

      Year               Event

      1930               The stem was cut

      1938(Dec)          1st drop fell

      1947(Feb)          2nd drop fell

      1954(Apr)          3rd drop fell

      1962(May)          4th drop fell

      1970(Aug)          5th drop fell

      1979(Apr)          6th drop fell

      1988(Jul)          7th drop fell

      2000(28 Nov)        8th drop fell