So this morning, I had a little extra time before I had to leave so I made myself some toast. I buttered it, and even put on some apricot jam. But when I pulled the plate off the counter, I pulled it just a little quickly and the toast went flying down the ground. I cried out, but then noticed that THEY HAD LANDED BUTTERED SIDE UP! Surely this was divine intervention!

Now I just need to find a cat and see if miracles strike in the same place twice.

Heheh, I can't remember the last time my toast landed butter side up.

Same here. It's always landed side down for me

Always. Every, single, time.

The trick is to whip the plate out from under the toast if you feel it slipping to try and get it spin faster. I can't be arsed to post the derivation but effectively the typical period (of rotation) of a slice of toast is such that a typical slice manages about half a rotation before hitting the ground when dropped from average table height.

/geek

They tested this theory on Mythbusters. It's completely random :p

I guess no one remembers anyway.

The reason it always lands butter side down is because there is, generally, not enough time for a full revolution during fall. Toast typically falls from a table top or counter. Were it to fall from a higher plane, it would have time to perform additional half-revolutions and luand on a different side. And, as Martyn said, if the speed of the revolutions are increased, the toast may actually land on the desired side, because it has the speed to perform additional half-revolutions during the same falling time.

Either that, or an angel comes and helps it spin.

I've seen it tested on another TV-show and there it always worked. The effect was countered through either eating at a higher table or taking smaller toast.

I dove in the pool head first and landed in feet first o.O! Wtf!

this reminds me of THIS:

Eat More Toast!

Martyn and Helle are indeed correct.

I saw it on the Big Bang years back. Or maybe it was HOW2....

Ah, memories.

Didn't Bill Nye do this on his show once? No wait, that was the other science show.. the one with the guy in the rat suit. Crap, what the hell was that show called?

Beakman's World

Aha, that's it.

I remember watching that show all the time when I was younger. I miss it...

Yuck, butter.

My cat never lands on her feet (no grace what so ever with this feline.) So, if we tied together a piece of toast that lands butterside up with a cat doesn't land on it's feet... :em321:

Yuck, saturated fats on carbohydrates.

Maybe it was that kid who stalked 14 year olds and performed anti-demon rituals who guided your bread?

What? I remember them testing it on some show. Cant remember what it was. But it was to do with the size/weight of the bread and the height of the average table which made it mostly fall butterside down.