On Dec. 5, a Threads user’s lasagna turned into a literal battery.
The Mishap That Sparked a Science Thread
Tay Tanesha posted a series of photos on Threads after her lasagna baking went wrong. She wrote, “I didn’t know aluminum foil melted in such low heat tf is this 🤔😒🤬,” and showed the foil melted into the pasta. The first photo displayed the foil on top of the pan with burn holes; the second revealed the foil fused to the lasagna; the third highlighted the many holes in the foil when held up to light.
Users quickly chimed in. One asked, “Did you set it to hell,” while another joked, “Lasagna looking like E.T. at the end of the movie.” The comments kept the conversation light, but the science behind the incident soon emerged.
From Kitchen Disaster to “Lasagna Battery” Buzz
A user coined the term “LASAGNA BATTERRY” to describe the phenomenon. The idea is that the aluminum foil and the steel pan form a simple galvanic cell, with the food’s moisture and ions acting as the electrolyte. One commenter explained, “Me when I create a simple galvanic cell where the aluminum and steel act as electrodes and the food’s moisture/ions act as the electrolyte, causing the foil to corrode and the food to taste metallic 😔.”
Another user added, “Put enough of these together and you can light an LED!” and posted an Instagram Reel of someone intentionally building a lasagna battery. The videos and comments turned a kitchen mishap into a viral science discussion.
Curious Questions About the Science
Some users asked for a clearer explanation. One wrote, “Can you explain this is standard American English for me so I can explain it to my boyfriend who doesn’t believe I taste the metal when food is cooked in these types of pans???” The thread then branched into a basic overview of batteries.
Batteries store electrical energy as chemical energy and convert it into electricity. Everyday devices-TV remotes, mobile phones, and even mid-sized sedans-contain different types of batteries. Food-based batteries are also possible, using lemons, potatoes, or in this case, tomato sauce and pasta.
Pop Culture References to Lasagna Batteries
The concept of a lasagna battery has appeared in popular media. A comment noted the idea was mentioned in the sitcom “The Big Bang Theory.” A more recent clip from the Netflix show “A Man on the Inside” depicted a lasagna battery created during a Thanksgiving dinner.
In the show, Charles (played by Ted Danson) explains, “I think what just happened was you accidentally made a lasagna battery.” He continues, “The steel pan acts as the cathode and the aluminum port, and then all the acid and the salt in the lasagna is the electrolyte. So a current just runs all through it.” Danson’s character even suggests scraping off the corrosion to serve, a suggestion the commenter notes is probably a bad idea.
The Chemistry Behind the Melting Foil
Shane C. Street, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Alabama, explains that a galvanic, or spontaneous, electrochemical cell formed between the iron or steel pan and the aluminum foil, all supported by an electrolyte-namely, tomato sauce, which is salty and acidic.
Street says, “The aluminum oxidizes to aluminum oxide (gives up electrons) and iron oxide in the pan is reduced to metallic iron (takes the electrons).” He adds that the overall reaction is exothermic, meaning it gives off heat and could become hot enough to melt aluminum. The melting point of aluminum is 1220 °F, by the way.
Jin Suntivich, an associate professor of materials science and engineering at Cornell University, says the reaction causes holes in the foil due to a few factors. “Tomato sauce contains water and dissolved salts that allow charged atoms (so-called ‘ions’) to move,” Suntivich tells TODAY.com. “Aluminum foil is a material that readily gives up electrons, while oxygen in the air can accept them. Together, they form a battery that slowly eats away the foil.”
Suntivich notes the principle is similar to an aluminum-air battery, which scientists have explored for energy storage in data centers and other large-scale applications. A more dramatic form of this reaction is called the thermite reaction, Street adds. “This forms molten iron and gives off a tremendous amount of heat (energy), so much that it can be used in welding!”
Street says the thermite reaction and the exothermic nature of the lasagna may be making for a faster cooking environment, but the conditions of these two reactions are “totally different.” He calls the accidental power source “Science in action.”
Practical Takeaway for Home Cooks
While chemistry can be fascinating, the incident serves as a cautionary tale. Street and Suntivich both suggest cooking lasagna in a glass or ceramic pan to avoid surprise lessons in electrochemistry. The story first appeared on TODAY.com.
Key Takeaways
- A Threads user’s lasagna turned into a literal battery when aluminum foil melted into the dish.
- The phenomenon is a galvanic cell formed between a steel pan and aluminum foil, with tomato sauce acting as electrolyte.
- The reaction is exothermic and can reach temperatures that melt aluminum; the melting point is 1220 °F.
The viral thread shows how a simple kitchen mishap can spark a lively discussion about basic electrochemistry, pop culture references, and practical cooking tips.
