Sydney Cove (02:48)

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Remnants of a shipwreck salvaged 20 years ago are housed at the Queen Victoria Museum. Included in the wreckage are bottles that still contain liquid.

Preservation Island (03:41)

In 1796, a small trader company attempted to sail from Calcutta to the European colony of Sydney. They wrecked 800 kilometers from the colony and the healthiest men attempted to inform the governor at Sydney, though many perished on the journey.

Growing Yeast (04:04)

David Thurrowgood wanted to see if there was still live yeast in the bottles salvaged from the shipwreck, though scientists were skeptical. Anthony Borneman found that two yeast samples grew.

Open Barrel Brewing (03:56)

Brewer's yeasts were found in the salvaged bottles. Simon Dillon of the Australian Wine Research Institute used the yeast in a home brewery experiment.

Many Coincidences (03:22)

Alan Cooper is skeptical that the yeast is not a result of contamination. The samples were decanted 20 years ago and there is no evidence of how they were stored.

Creating Chemical Reactions (03:23)

Colin Raston details how to unboil an egg and why it is scientifically relevant. He created the Vortex Fluidic Device, which speeds up liquid and proteins at high speeds, a unique step in the science of microfluidics.

Production of Biodiesel (05:20)

Raston was awarded a comical Ig Nobel Prize for his work. Student researchers found that the unboiling of an egg has a role in renewable energy. Carbon nanotubes are untangled and separated using a high powered laser.

Credits: Oldest Beer / Unboiling an Egg: Catalyst (00:22)

Credits: Oldest Beer / Unboiling an Egg: Catalyst