When turned on, a valve opens to feed water from a reservoir one drop at a time onto a heated surface. There each drop breaks up into many smaller mercurial drops, dancing and sizzling as they evaporate.

In one version, the drops dance down miniature stairs, in another, around a parabolic dish. In still another version, the drop is deposited near the surface of a curved channel, so that it doesn't break up. It then slides back and forth for some time on its cushion of steam.

(It has an attractive acrylic shield to keep your cat, entertained by the wee dancers for hours, from coming to grief.)
-- pluterday, Apr 18 2003

Curved parabolic version could also be used for stir-fry. (Simple harmonic bok choy.)
-- AO, Apr 18 2003



random, halfbakery