September 4th, 2013
After a lifetime of waiting, custodian of the University of Queensland Pitch Drop Experiment died without witnessing a drop. Professor John Mainstone died in August at the age of 78.
Mainstone served as custodian for the UQ experiment for 52 years. A series of unfortunate timings, including a trip for coffee and a failed webcam, prevented him from witnessing a drop.
The UQ Pitch Drop Experiment is thought to be the longest running experiment in the world. In July, a similar experiment at Trinity College caught a pitch drop on film for the first time. Here’s hoping that Mainstone had a chance to watch the video.