50th annual Watermelon Drop: A splatter not far enough

Watermelon downward

UC San Diego's oldest campus rite was revived yet again on Friday, June 6 with the 50th annual "Watermelon Drop."

In accordance with tradition, a large watermelon was dropped from the seventh floor of UC San Diego's Urey Hall, in anticipation of a splatter factor to rival the all-time record of 167 feet, 4 inches, set in 1974.

As several hundred curious students, staff and alumni looked on, the melon descended to its ultimate fate.

The record remained unscathed, as the messy pulp measured only 49 1/2 feet at the farthest point.

The event dates back to 1965 when a physics professor wondered aloud about the terminal velocity of a watermelon dropped from nearly atop Revelle College's highest building and how far away the most distant scrap would land.

According to the laws of physics, terminal velocity is the constant speed of a falling object when gravity and drag cancel each other out. The rate is 112 mph.

As for the splatter, wait till next year.