Busting AZ's biggest heat myth: Can you fry an egg on the sidewalk?
We've all seen the internet jokes and the clichés; however, many folks are putting this egg-on-the-sidewalk theory to the test, posting videos on TikTok and YouTube, even Reddit threads full of speculation.
Some take it a step further, traveling to the tucked-away town of Oatman in the Black Mountains of Mohave County for Oatman's annual Fourth of July Sidewalk Egg Fry. This quirky competition challenges participants to use creative engineering and the power of the sun to cook an egg within 15 minutes.
"It is absolutely 100% positive that you can fry an egg on the sidewalk," said Bobby Mursick, Oatman business owner. And if anyone can confirm the myth, it's the folks who take part in the contest.
But as it turns out there is always more to the story and understanding the science behind this experiment is key.
In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we talked with Oatman's Bobby Mursick, Arizona State Climatologist Erinanne Saffell and Heather Miller, office chief in the Office of Food Safety and Environmental Services at the Arizona Department of Health Services, to answer the burning question: Can you really cook an egg on the sidewalk in Arizona?
Listen to the episode:
Listen to Valley 101 on your favorite podcast app or stream the full episode below.
Note: Valley 101 is intended to be heard, but we offer an AI transcript of the episode script. There may be slight deviations from the podcast audio
Submit your questions to us about metro Phoenix and Arizona for a chance to be chosen for the podcast.
Listen to Valley 101
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. Turn on notifications to be alerted when a new episode is released.
Follow Valley 101 and all azcentral podcasts on X, formerly Twitter, and on Instagram.
Reach producer Abby Bessinger at abby.bessinger@gannett.com or follow her on X, formerly Twitter @abby_bessinger
Catch up on past episodes of Valley 101:
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Can you really fry an egg on the sidewalk? Arizona experts explain
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