Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
GamesRadar
GamesRadar
Technology
Hope Bellingham

"Mad scientist streamer" makes Sonic the Hedgehog proud by running Sonic 3 using the electricity generated by chili and hotdogs

Sonic the Hedgehog holding chilidogs.

A streamer has answered the question we've all been wondering - what food is best for generating electricity to run Sonic the Hedgehog 3?

Uwoslab - a streamer and self-proclaimed "mad scientist" who has gained a following for creating contraptions no one has ever thought of before - has managed to find a way to power Hasbro's Sonic the Hedgehog 3 handheld console using eight cups of chili and science. Sonic must be very proud. 

I'd love to tell you exactly how this works scientifically but unfortunately, I have no idea. The full experiment was broadcast over on Uwoslab's Twitch channel but you can see some of the highlights in the tweet below. As you can see, the streamer uses everything from plastic cups to copper rods, and a big bowl of chili and hot dogs to get the little console up and running - which eventually does work. 

In the replies to their tweet, Uwoslab briefly explains the science behind it: "A basic voltaic cell is a copper and zinc electrode in a salt/vinegar mixture, and chili is both salty and acidic, meaning we can use it instead." When you put it like that it is pretty simple, I just can't imagine a time when you'd have a bowl of chili, no electricity, and a Sonic the Hedgehog 3 handheld console that's just run out of battery.

This is just one of the wild experiments Uwoslab has conducted on stream. The mad scientist has also built a contraption to make hot chocolate as fast as possible, created a wall-mounted bacon dispenser, and found a way to make a chat-controlled ukulele bot. We may never find a use for any of these inventions but I'm glad someone is out there finding a way to make them happen. 

Take a look at our best Sonic games list as we sadly don't have a list dedicated to food-powered consoles. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.