One of the time honored traditions of summer is sitting around campfires. While we all have favorite stories to share, there are other opportunities to amaze an audience. Recently, during such a fire, my friend Chris amazed both children and adults. He calls it the non-burning cup trick, and he says he learned it in the Navy. Here’s what you need to do to try this at home (or camp):
• Get a fire going – make sure the coals are red hot.
• Fill a paper cup 3/4 of the way to the top with water.
• Place the cup on the coals and step back.
The upper portion of the cup without water in it will immediately burst into flames. But the rest of the cup, including the bottom resting on coals, remains in tact. Within two minutes, the water will start to boil. Over the next 10 – 12 minutes, the water will boil out of the cup and the top will get singed until it disappears. It was so incredible that I decided to capture it on video to share with you.
Amaze your family and friends the next time you’re sitting around a campfire.
Peter Geiger is the Editor of the Farmers' Almanac. 
If you notice a hole in the upper left-hand corner of your Farmers' Almanac, don't return it to the store! That hole isn't a defect; it's a part of history. Starting with the first edition of the Farmers' Almanac in 1818, readers used to nail holes into the corners to hang it up in their homes, barns, and outhouses (to provide both reading material and toilet paper). In 1910, the Almanac's publishers began pre-drilling holes in the corners to make it even easier for readers to keep all of that invaluable information (and paper) handy.
2 comments
The next time I go camping with a paper cup from Starbucks I will have to take some of the intent coffee with me. Oh I use Frito’s for the fire start now days.
Thanks for the tip!
SO cool!!!! Fun to watch!!! Great video!!
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