Twitter helps solve 'chimney egg' mystery

LONDON — A woman in London was startled Saturday morning when an object tumbled down her chimney. She could not immediately identify the egg-shaped object, so she took to Twitter to find answers.

Melissa Harrison posted a photo of the mystery object next to a ruler and asked for help in identifying it. She said the object was hard but not stone.

The most common guesses were that it was some type of bird waste or pumice stone. Dried-out putty and bezoar stone were other popular theories. More discussion of the wide range of guesses can be found on Harrison's blog.

Eventually, at the prodding of some following the mystery on Twitter, Harrison took a hammer to the object. The inside proved to be “somewhat soft” and crumbled into several pieces.

The mystery was picked up by Gizmodo, which generated many new replies. A person in Nigeria suggested that it was bitter kola. After researching online, Harrison is convinced that it is indeed bitter kola. She says it makes sense, because her neighborhood is home to a vibrant West African community.

Harrison thanked the Twitter community for helping her solve the “chimney egg” mystery.

Cox Media Group