Gallery: The Science Behind a Perfectly Dyed Easter Egg

  • Image may contain Food and Egg
    Josh Valcarcel/WIRED
    01

    egg-dye-01

  • Image may contain Drink Milk Beverage and Bottle
    Josh Valcarcel/WIRED
    02

    egg-dye-02

    Test the pH of your solution before you add your dye; the color will interfere with the reading.
  • Image may contain Cone and Bottle
    Josh Valcarcel/WIRED
    03

    egg-dye-07

    Typical food dyes are acid dyes, which need protons from an acid to work correctly.
  • Image may contain Logo Symbol Trademark Furniture and Lamp
    Josh Valcarcel/WIRED
    04

    egg-dye-03

    Once you test your pH, add the dye, and mix well.
  • Image may contain Human and Person
    Josh Valcarcel/WIRED
    05

    egg-dye-08

    Make sure to keep your vinegar spoons and water spoons separate to prevent any promiscuous protons from escaping.
  • 5 minutes to go.
    Josh Valcarcel/WIRED
    06

    egg-dye-05

    5 minutes to go.
  • Image may contain Creme Cream Food Dessert Confectionery Sweets and Glass
    Josh Valcarcel/WIRED
    07

    egg-dye-04

    If your dye bath is too basic, the dye won't stick, leaving you with white splotches and inconsistent color.
  • Image may contain Lighting and Light
    Josh Valcarcel/WIRED
    08

    bubbles-gallery

    Too acidic, and the carbon dioxide bubbles created will interfere with dye bonding.
  • Image may contain Food and Egg
    Josh Valcarcel/WIRED
    09

    egg-dye-10

    Yellow-dyed eggs get more and more saturated as the pH drops from 7 (pure water) to pH 3 (pure vinegar).
Read More
US Special Forces Soldier Arrested for Polymarket Bets on Maduro Raid
The master sergeant allegedly used classified intel to profit on the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, marking the first US arrest for insider trading on a prediction market.
Kate Knibbs
Newly Deciphered Sabotage Malware May Have Targeted Iran’s Nuclear Program—and Predates Stuxnet
Researchers have finally cracked Fast16, mysterious code capable of silently tampering with calculation and simulation software. It was created in 2005—and likely deployed by the US or an ally.
Andy Greenberg
Rednote Draws a Line Between China and the World
As the platform expands abroad, it’s taking steps to separate Chinese users from the international audiences it once brought together.
Zeyi Yang
Apple’s Next Chapter, SpaceX and Cursor Strike a Deal, and Palantir’s Controversial Manifesto
In this week’s episode of Uncanny Valley, we talk about Tim Cook’s legacy as CEO at Apple and what his long-rumored departure means for the future of one of the world's biggest companies.
Brian Barrett
At 'AI Coachella,' Stanford Students Line Up to Learn From Silicon Valley Royalty
CS 153 has gone viral on the Palo Alto campus—and on X. Not everyone is happy about it.
Maxwell Zeff
Palantir Employees Are Starting to Wonder if They're the Bad Guys
Interviews with current and former Palantir employees, along with internal Slack messages obtained by WIRED, suggest a workforce in turmoil.
Makena Kelly
This Is the Only Office Lamp That Does Double Duty on My Nightstand
Portable lamps are rarely, if ever, as powerful, precise, and multipurpose as the Lume Cube Edge Light Go.
Matthew Korfhage
These New Smart Glasses From Ex-OnePlus Engineers Have a Hidden Cost
The Kickstarter-funded glasses from L'Atitude 52°N have AI features bundled for one year, but the company doesn't know yet how much it will charge for access after that.
Boone Ashworth
The Best Pool-Cleaning Robots for a Truly Automated Summer
Send the pool guy packing. One of these robotic buddies can maintain your water quality instead.
Christopher Null
The Best Fitbit Models for Every Lifestyle
The fitness trackers I'd recommend to beginners, athletes, and kids.
Boutayna Chokrane
Robot Vacuums That Don't Suck (Unless It's Dirt)
Tired of vacuuming? Hand the reins to a robot vacuum.
Nena Farrell
They Made D4vd a Star. Now They Want Him Convicted of Murder
A legion of young fans propelled the singer D4vd to viral fame. Now that he’s been charged with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, they say the clues were in their Discord all along.
Jennifer Swann