How to Remove the Cotton from a Bottle of Aspirin by Rube Goldberg

In real life, as in the cartoons, building a Rube Goldberg machine is a lesson in how to use those six simple machines in various methods. One event leads to another until the task is complete.Īt the heart of every Rube Goldberg machine are six simple machines. For example, a ball rolling down a ramp could complete its action by hitting a block, which in turn is knocked over to hit a weight that falls off of a lever and starts a pulley that rings the door bell. The most important aspect to making a Rube Goldberg machine work is that tasks are completed in the correct series.Įach action starts another action in succession until the task is complete (which is often done using the six simple machines). Rube Goldberg was an American cartoonist who was famous for drawing characters that completed simple tasks in obscenely complicated ways.

For the outsider, they’re simply a lot of fun to watch in action. The machines require a high level of skill and patience to create, and they’re the ultimate expression of doing something just because you can. But when it comes to adding a little bit of flair (and internet cred), Rube Goldberg machines rule.Īnd what, exactly, is a Rube Goldberg machine? While it can be many things, at its heart a Rube Goldberg machine is something that completes a simple task in a complicated way. When it comes to getting things done from a pure efficiency standpoint, the simpler the better.

How to Remove the Cotton from a Bottle of Aspirin by Rube Goldberg