Dipping Bird Toy

[hiflier]

A toy bird that looks a little like an ostrich, it continually dips its head into a beaker and then out again. Uses the phenomenon of capillary action I think to go on and on, apparently endlessly. I need a name for this so I can look it up on the internet. And if anyone can point me in the direction of a connection with Albert Einstein I shall be most impressed and delighted!

[woofgang]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_bird

[bookbinder]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_bird
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/science-questions/question608.htm

[woofgang]

Many of the millions of websites that mention it say the Einstein couldn't solve the puzzle of it but no links or references. I suspect its an internet falsehood, as there is no puzzle, it must have been known how they worked or people wouldn't have been able to make them!

[trt]

What a coincidence, I ordered one and it arrived this morning.

[jno]

I've also heard that ducks' quacks don't echo, woofgang. It's definitely on the internet.

[woofgang]

I know Jno, how dare I not belive something that is on the Holy Internet

[EDDIE51]

How it works is explained in the links posted, it is basic Physics not magic!

[beso]

The nearest connection to Einstein would be the absorption refrigerator which also uses partial pressures of a gas. Pretty tenuous link though.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstein_refrigerator

[woofgang]

Our first fridge when I was a child was a gas fridge. Was it British Gas then? They had the little blue Mr Therm character and there was an ad campaign about how can a flame keep things cold.