What Is the Broom Challenge?

Publish date: 2024-07-10

By now we're sure you've heard of the viral broom challenge that has taken over the internet.

So, what is the broom challenge?

The mysterious broom challenge phenomenon all began after a Twitter user claimed NASA said February 10 was the "only day" a broom can stand up on its own "because of the gravitational pull." Naturally, people wanted to test out the theory for themselves and — lo and behold! — their brooms could indeed stand upright.

The challenge led to millions of videos and over two million Google searches for "broom standing up."

However, it also prompted some to wonder if the NASA facts were real...

Are the NASA broom standing up claims real?

It turns out, the claims are completely false and you can stand your broom any day of the year if you get the center of gravity right. In fact, two actual astronauts set the record straight.

Even celebrities like Paula Abdul, Ally Brooke and DJ Khaled got in on the fun and released their own videos of their brooms.

Even though this week's social media viral challenge was based on fake information, the internet learned that brooms can stand up on their own because they have a low center of gravity, which allows them to balance on their bristles.

30 Most Decade-Defining Memes