You open up a can of soda, unaware that it has fallen on the ground a few minutes before or was shaken by a mischievous friend, and we all know what happens – the soda explodes, going everywhere. Primarily on you. This classic soda faux pas is well known in our culture; it’s a common gag and just a fact of life we’re all aware of. But little did we know there’s actually a way to stop that shaken soda can from having the expected reaction. Chief Scientist Carl Nelson, of the Imagination Station, is going to show us the scientific way to prevent that soda from exploding.

Your friends won’t know what to say! With this simple tip, you can prevent an embarrassing mess and turn the joke on them.

The baby bottle example he shows us is so cool and it makes a really great point. Tapping on the top of the can does absolutely nothing, as many of us thought it did. Those bubbles that are going to explode all over the place aren’t on the top, they’re on the sides.

So take that shaken can from your smug friends and flick the sides all the way around, rotating the can so you get the entire surface of the soda. This will force the bubbles to the top and stop the soda from exploding.

What a neat trick! Handy to keep in mind for all those summer barbecues fast approaching.