Cola rocket goes Mento (2L soda + mints = instant mess; OF COURSE there's a video)

The Sun (U.K.) ^ | June 18, 2006 | PETE BELL

[Stoat]

Cola rocket goes Mento

Fizzy fountain ... the conventional method
 

 

By PETE BELL

Sun Online

THE latest internet craze to sweep the nation involves a packet of mints, a two-litre bottle of diet cola and a lot of stupidity.

Drop the sweets into the drink and you can create an instant 20ft fizzy fountain.

 

Scientists are divided on the cause of the phenomenon. Some say it is a reaction between the surface of the mints (we found American brand Mentos worked the best) and the carbon dioxide in the drink.

Others say an ingredient in the cola is agitated by something in the sweets.

But we think it's magic.

• WARNING - our trial took place under strictly controlled conditions and we would advise that you do not try this out for yourself.

  However, if you do want to create your own, please be careful - find an open space away from people and cars. And kids, don't even think of doing this without adult supervision.

   

[Stoat]

By the time you've acquired the cola and the mints you may be nearing the $2. mark for about 2-3 seconds' worth of silliness....probably not worth it in my view but perhaps children might enjoy the show although they will of course immediately want to do it themselves.

I think that explosives are a whole lot more fun, but that's just me :-)

[satchmodog9]

This has been on the net for many months. Now after all this time, the media picks it up as something new.

[Panerai]

Do a search on Google Video or Youtube.com and see how many of those videos are out there.

[Swordmaker]

All I can say is don't swallow a Mento and then drink some cola...

[SunkenCiv]

Private enterprise will lead the way into- oh, wait, never mind...

[Stoat]

All I can say is don't swallow a Mento and then drink some cola...

I'm surprised that some drunken hairball hasn't done something like that already and died from an explosive rupture of his GI tract.  If it hasn't happened already, I'm sure it won't be long before that happens and then we can look forward to cigarette pack style warnings on all pop bottles and mint packages.  Geraldo Rivera will be interviewing the grieving family and proclaiming it as the newest "crisis".  Pamphlets illustrating the dangers will be attached to all soda bottles and mints.  I.D. will be required for purchases..."safe mint usage" will be an adjunct to the "safe sex" classes taught in elementary schools...

"sigh"

 

 

[Stoat]

Private enterprise will lead the way into- oh, wait, never mind...

If someone can figure out how to harness that energy and convert it to rotary motion, we've replaced the gasoline engine and Coca Cola will replace Exxon as the dominant worldwide fuel supplier.  Getting that lathery soda mess off the street might be a bit of a bother though   :-)

[Dick Vomer]

I think that explosives are a whole lot more fun, but that's just me....

well just get the mentos, open the bottle, recap the bottle, toss the bottle up as high as you can ..... and run.

you'll get a real neat explosion.

[Stoat]

well just get the mentos, open the bottle, recap the bottle, toss the bottle up as high as you can ..... and run.

you'll get a real neat explosion.

I used to do that with M-80's and old whisky bottles back when I was even more insane than I am now (but not much).

My, the memories...that must have been 25-30 years ago.  I'm amazed that I survived my youth  :-)

well just get the mentos, open the bottle, recap the bottle, toss the bottle up as high as you can ..... and run.

you'll get a real neat explosion.

[martin_fierro]

Mentos/Coke experiment gone horribly wrong.

[SunkenCiv]

:'D

[beltfed308]

Has ATF issued a ruling yet? In their mind this is up there with the full auto shoe lace.

[dfwgator]

All I can say is don't swallow a Mento and then drink some cola...

Isn't that what killed Mikey from those Life Cereal commercials.

[Hatteras]

"By the time you've acquired the cola and the mints you may be nearing the $2. mark for about 2-3 seconds' worth of silliness....probably not worth it in my view..."

2 bucks? Speak for your self! What was that recipe again?

[Swordmaker]

Isn't that what killed Mikey from those Life Cereal commercials.

Only if you believe urban legends...

[Stoat]

Isn't that what killed Mikey from those Life Cereal commercials.

 

"Urban legend rumors asserted falsely that Mikey had died after eating Pop Rocks and Coca-Cola (TV Guide 7/25/1998 p.10)."

TV ACRES Advertising Mascots John Gilchrist as Mikey the Freckly-Faced Kid (Life Cereal)

Advertising Mascots - People
	Mikey the Freckly-Faced Kid -  In 1971, the Doyle, Dane & Bernbach Agency created an ad campaign for Life Cereal starring three young brothers (The Gilchrist brothers), all freckled and all very cute. The now classic TV spots (which ran from 1972 through 1987) showed two of the boys (Michael & Tommy) wrestling with the decision of whether to try a new cereal (Life) that was supposed to be good for you. "I'm not gonna try it. You try it," they argued. Suddenly, the boys slid the bowl of cereal in front of their little four-year-old brother, Mikey (John Gilchrist), who according to the commercial "hates everything." To their surprise, Mikey liked it ("He likes it! Hey, Mikey!") and the commercial message that Life Cereal was good for kids was complete. Quaker Oates moved Life's Cereal's Mikey Campaign to the BBDO ad agency in 1974. In 1986, Mikey returned as a college student to continued this cereal saga for the Quaker Oats Company. In addition to Life Cereal, John Gilchrist (a.k.a. "Mikey") appeared in more than 250 commercials for such products as Pepto Bismol, Skippy Peanut Butter, and Jell-O before quitting in 1988. In later years, the Gilchrist brothers joked about how they did all the talking, yet their brother John got all of the recognition. John's standard answer to this discussion "Well, I was the cute one." The three Gilchrist brothers are now successfully employed: John as an advertising executive; Michael as a labor negotiator, and Tommy as an account executive. TRIVIA NOTE: During his TONIGHT SHOW monologue (02/17/97) Jay Leno informed the audience of a special bred of turtle that breathed through its rear end. Jay joked that the only way to give that turtle resuscitation was to get the Mikey kid from the commercials because "He'll try anything." Urban legend rumors asserted falsely that Mikey had died after eating Pop Rocks and Coca-Cola (TV Guide 7/25/1998 p.10). Also in 1997, the makers of Life Cereal held a contest to find a "new" Mikey to appear on their cereal boxes. The  winner (chosen from 35,000 entrants) was a girl named Marli Brianna Hughes from Tampa, Florida. See also DEATH - MISCELLANEOUS - "Bogus Reports"

[lowbridge]

I dont have a packet of mentos. Will this still work if I substitute them with a couple of hand grenades?

[Stoat]

I dont have a packet of mentos. Will this still work if I substitute them with a couple of hand grenades?

Although the results would most likely be quite impressive (getting a standard-issue hand grenade through the mouth of a soda bottle might be a slight engineering hurdle, however) I wouldn't want to suggest such an activity to a valued, insightful and witty FReeper such as yourself....the loss to our community would be profound.  Instead, I would wish to suggest that your approach be promoted as a leisure pastime to terrorists.....if we can get them to play this game amongst themselves it would make the world a far better place.  :-)

[sean327]

"well just get the mentos, open the bottle, recap the bottle, toss the bottle up as high as you can ..... and run.

you'll get a real neat explosion."

I don't think you have enough time to cap the bottle. When we tried this 6 months ago, it was an almost instantaneous reaction!

[Revelation 911]

thinking that somehow we can modify this to drop into a spud gun to launch like a mortar round