The broom challenge: Tweets and myths sweep social media
The latest viral trend sweeping the internet has had everyone from celebrities to parents testing out the basic laws of physics with a simple household tool.
Many people took to social media to try their hand at the #broomchallenge that requires a standard-angled broom to stand upright on its bristles without assistance.
The catch? Most people believed it had something to do with the Earth's gravitational pull after a viral tweet suggested that NASA said as much.
"This is another social media hoax that exemplifies how quickly pseudoscience and false claims can go viral," NASA communications spokeswoman Karen Northon told ABC News.
Brooms have a low center of gravity and the ability to balance on their bristles is not something new.
Hilarious attempts and reactions on Twitter
One teacher even used the moment to explain the science to her class.
This broom hoax has been around for several years, according to ABC News New York WABC and usually reemerges around the vernal equinox or first day of spring.
People incorrectly claim that the spring equinox has to do with the Earth's gravity to allow the broom trick to work.
While NASA called the hoax "harmless," Northon implored people to fact check with the agency's online resources "for real science fun facts -- before jumping into the latest viral craze."
