TIME

Science Finally Determines How Many Licks it Takes to Get to the Center of a Tootsie Pop

Hint: it's not three

Scientists have finally answered one of humanities most pressing questions: how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie pop?

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Turns out, it takes an estimated 1,000 licks to get to the center of a lollipop. In a study recently published in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics, researchers from New York University and Florida State University developed a theory for how flowing liquid dissolves and shrinks material which they then used to determine how long it would take to dissolve a lollipop. For Tootsie Rolls specifically, researchers told the New York Post, it’ll take about 2,500 licks. Go home, rest of the science world, there are no more questions left.

Though the lollipop finding is clearly the most pressing, the theory can also be used for important research in geology and pharmaceutical science, according to a report by Science Daily.

h/t NY Post

QUIZ: Should You Eat This or That?

Which is better for you: A 1/2 cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet? Answer: A 1/2 cup of ice cream Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter? Answer: Butter Which is better for you: A sirloin burger or a turkey burger? Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels? Answer: Almonds Which is better for you: Eggs or Special K? Answer: Eggs 84505234 Answer: Regular salad dressing Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate? Answer: Dark chocolate “People tend to believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies may be lower in fat, but higher in other ingredients like sugar. Try a nice piece of dark chocolate for those antioxidants. Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt? Answer: Low fat Greek Yogurt
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