When Boston Flooded the Streets with Molasses

In 1919, a large storage unit failed in Boston and this resulted in the Great Boston Molasses Flood.  There were multiple deaths and one section of the city was devastated.  For the best molasses horror and probably the only time molasses has ever been horrifying, there was a wall of the stuff eight feet high which flowed across the area at thirty-five mph.  Visualize that glory.

Twenty one people were killed on Commercial Street in the North End when a tank of molasses ruptured and exploded.  An eight foot wave of the syrupy brown liquid moved down Commercial Street at a speed of 35mph.  Wreckage of the collapsed tank visible in background, center, next to light colored warehouse.  Elevated railway structure visible at far left and the North End Park bathing beach to the far right.

- WIKI:  Great Molasses Flood

Note:  it's a long intro but we're getting closer to the science-y part.

It shouldn't be a huge surprise to see this happened in Boston since the only reason anyone still lives in Boston is these are the ones who couldn't figure out how to ride horses to go West.  They're the same people who gave us 'deflategate' which showed us they can't even manage to inflate a football correctly.  With that lot, disasters are inevitable.

Note:  it's still legal to shoot anyone from Massachusetts if they cross into Rhode Island after dark.  Unknown why this law ever came to exist but it's said the law is still on the books.

Boston gave us the first molasses tsunami in world history and that may trigger various thoughts in your head but researchers saw it as an opportunity to study fluid dynamics.  (Science Daily:  Molasses creates a sticky situation)

Harvard graduate student Jordan Kennedy performed a rheological survey, studying the flow properties, of blackstrap molasses to explore its viscosity and how it is affected by temperature. They conducted experiments on cold, spreading molasses, comparing results with models that include gravity from the literature. " The goal is to take our knowledge and understanding of highly viscous spreading flows and apply that to the Boston Molasses Flood.  Ultimately, we want to use the Molasses Flood as a vehicle for fluid dynamics education and outreach and use it to engage students and the public with physics," said Sharp.

- Science Daily

The point isn't gee whiz, look at those heartless scientists since I can't say I feel, well, much of anything about things which happened a century ago; it's just one exceptionally strange event.

The Rockhouse questions the professor's language since ... damn ... Jordan ... is that a man or a woman.  Damn these cute names.  Why couldn't Dad have named him Joe or Mike or something.

Ed:  gender doesn't matter anymore

Tell me that again on Friday night, boobie.

So Jordan says ultimately the study will do this but we're thinking if you want the ultimate study in fluid dynamics, let's go with the Fukashima tsunami or, best of all, the Flood in the Bible.  

We don't know much about Jordan but he or she has good intentions behind this.

The physics of the Molasses Flood are relevant to other accidents that affect the public, including industrial spills or breaking levees, but the ultimate goal of this work is educational.  "Once I delved into the history of the Boston Molasses Flood, I was surprised by how rich a subject it is, especially for engineering education," said Sharp.  It offers the opportunity to address fluid dynamics, structural mechanics, engineering ethics, history and law all in one topic.  "We hope that, by shedding some light on the physics of a fascinating and surreal historical event, we can inspire a greater appreciation for fluid dynamics among our students and the public."

- Science Daily

Sharp's logic is valid since the idea of fluid dynamics is exactly why I quote the article.  I had been aware of the Great Boston Molasses Flood previously but the idea of studying the fluid dynamics struck me as so twisted it just begged for a comment.  That proves Sharp's point and good luck to you, Jordan, whoever you are.