Posts
Invited to Speak at Apple Computers – They Wanted to See the Mentos Soda Geyser Eruption
I've always been a fan of Apple Computers (now Apple Inc.). From my very first Apple IIe to my current MacBook Pro (and about a dozen in between), these computers and products have helped me and our employees to do some very amazing things over…
Mentos Geyser Hits the Classroom… But Some Teachers Don’t Get It
It has the potential of being the most popular science fair project of all time. The Mentos Geyser is definitely fun to watch, but some teachers are missing the opportunity to use the activity to teach science. Over the last few weeks, I've…
The Mentos Question on Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
I was sworn to secrecy... but now that the show has aired, here's the question we helped write for the show:
In an experiment popularized online, what candy creates an explosive geyser when dropped into a 2-litre Diet Coke bottle?
A) Skittles
B)…
Geysers Galore – 700 Learning Experiences at NAEYC
The Mentos Geyser made history once again as the star attraction at the NAEYC 2006 Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Over the rumble of the crowd in the exhibit hall, you could hear someone from the Spangler Science booth yell, "GEYSER!" followed…
Mentos and Soda Mix – An Erupting Business
In addition to being the Business Columnist for the Denver Post, Al Lewis is now a fan of the Mentos and soda mixture. Al called last week with questions about our recent license agreement with with Italian confectioner Perfetti Van Melle, the…
NAEYC 2006 – Fizz, Pop, Wow!
It was easy to see that this Steve Spangler session at the NAEYC 2006 Conference was going to be a little different. The stage was filled with the usual Spangler stuff... a vacuum cleaner, eggs, a saw, bowling balls, toilet paper rolls, giant…
Nick Anderson’s Mentos Cartoon
Nick Anderson is the Houston Chronicle's editorial cartoonist - his work is great. Nick gave me permission to post his cartoon from August 11, 2006 on the blog... althought I don't resemble his Mentos guy. The cartoon is entitled "Chemical …
Do Bubbles in Guiness Go Down?
... or is it an optical illusion? Richard Zare is a world-renowned chemist at Stanford University, and he has a particular fascination with bubbles. He recently showed why the bubbles actually go down the side of the glass when you first pull…
Coca-Cola Company is “Blase” About the Mentos Experiment
The recent article in the Wall Street Journal reported that the marketing gurus at the Coca-Cola Company are not all that excited about the pop culture phenomenon. "It's an entertaining phenomenon," said Coke spokeswoman Susan McDermott. "We…
The Mentos People Speak Out
In a recent phone interview with a newspaper reporter, I speculated that the makers of Mentos, Perfetti Van Melle, were distancing themselves from the Mentos phenomenon. This was based on our numerous attempts to reach the marketing gurus at…