Science experiment of the day (fwd)

Chuck Biehl (cbiehl@online1.magnus1.com)
Wed, 11 Dec 1996 21:52:30 -0500 (EST)


I couldn't resist this when I saw it, and immediately thought of all of
you. Math and Physics- the perfect marriage!

L. Charles (Chuck) Biehl
The Charter School of Wilmington
Wilmington, DE 19807
(v)302.651.2727 (f)302.652.1246
http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/~biehl

I thought you would enjoy this as an example of one person's creativity.
(Personal confession: I have played this M&M game, but I never...oh,
you'd better read on so I don't spoil the ending.)

A story forwarded to me:

Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue
the
strength and robustness of the candy as a species. To this end, I hold
M&M
duels.

Taking two candies between my thumb and forefinger, I apply pressure,
squeezing them together until one of them cracks and splinters. That is
the"loser," and I eat the inferior one immediately. The winner gets to
go
another round.

I have found that, in general, the brown and red M&Ms are tougher, and
the
newer blue ones are genetically inferior. I have hypothesized that the
blue
M&Ms as a race cannot survive long in the intense theatre of competition
that
is the modern candy and snack-food world.

Occasionally I will get a mutation, a candy that is misshapen, or
pointier, or
flatter than the rest. Almost invariably this proves to be a weakness,
but on
very rare occasions it gives the candy extra strength. In this way, the
species continues to adapt to its environment.

When I reach the end of the pack, I am left with one M&M, the strongest
of the
herd. Since it would make no sense to eat this one as well, I pack it
neatly
in an envelope and send it to M&M Mars, A Division of Mars, Inc.,
Hackettstown, NJ 17840-1503 U.S.A., along with a 3x5 card reading,
"Please use
this M&M for breeding purposes."

This week they wrote back to thank me, and sent me a coupon for a free
1/2
pound bag of plain M&Ms. I consider this "grant money." I have set
aside the
weekend for a grand tournament. From a field of hundreds, we will
discover
the True Champion.

There can be only one...