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The 'Standing Broom' Myth Is Trending Again–But Sorry, It Has Nothing To Do With NASA Or The Planet's Alignment

broom standing on end, standing broom myth pictures

A "standing broom" is a viral myth in that has nothing to do with NASA or the planet's alignment.

@carww5/Twitter, @mikaiylaaaaa/Twitter,
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All logic is being "swept" away as the internet is obsessed with the latest viral trend.

An old favorite trick resurfaced from 2012 in which the "standing broom" phenomena is becoming the latest social media obsession.


Trending with the hashtag—#broomchallenge, people around the world have posted their experiment featuring their independently upright brooms.

According to many internet users, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) allegedly declared that brooms can stand on their own for one day only because the earth was "in perfect balance."

The mythic post is difficult to find—if it even exists—but millions of social media users ran with it anyway, eager to try the experiment at home.

And lo and behold...





Skeptics inquired about NASA's theory of the temporary trickery.


It turns out, the NASA rumor is a hoax.

Giphy

CNN snuffed our childlike sense of wonder with a logical explanation.

"It has nothing to do with the earth's gravitational pull on a certain day. It also has nothing to do with the vernal equinox (another day of the year when this 'magic' supposedly happens)."
"Instead, it has everything to do with balance. The center of gravity is low on a broom, and rests directly over the bristles. Which means, if you can get the bristles positioned like a tripod, your broom will stand upright any day of the year."

You can try the broom trick any day of the year.



WKYC Chief Meteorologist Betsy Kling commented on the global hoodwink.

"It's just balance. People think it's special because at what other point in your life would you stop and try to balance a broom."
Kling even ribbed the gullible internet users with a sarcastic tweet.


Despite getting bamboozled, people remained fascinated by the domestic wizardry and continued posting their broomstick "challenge."


However, not all brooms are created equal.



And maybe, just maybe, autonomous brooms are a thing and we don't know it yet.


So you were duped. Brush away that frown!

Tomorrow is another day, and your brooms WILL continue to stand.

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