Press Release:

College students attempt chain reaction world record at The Tech Interactive

Build begins Aug. 3 at San Jose science center before world-record attempt Saturday, Aug. 10. 

August 3, 2019, San Jose, CA — The Tech Interactive will host the country’s largest chain reaction event, Reactica 2019, where college students will attempt to break the Guiness World Record for the longest chain reaction. On Saturday, Aug. 10, at noon, Reactica organizers will set off more than 412 separate mechanical reactions to try to set a new record. 

“This event will really test our resilience, since a world-record machine has to work in one take,” said Alex Huang, the founder of Reactica, who is also known as the YouTube personality Flash Domino. “You never really know what’s going to happen in the final moments. You’re always crossing your fingers and holding your breath.”

This is Reactica’s fourth year building chain reactions and sharing tips for the public to learn to make their own fun and dynamic creations. They’ve set a new state record every year. This year, they plan to build with a variety of materials, including dominos, wood and ping pong or billiard balls. 

The team will host two workshops at The Tech Interactive as part of the weeklong event: One for members of The Tech on Sunday, Aug.4, is sold out, and another is open to The Tech’s visitors on a first-come, first-served basis on Wednesday, Aug. 7. 

“The Tech is proud to engage visitors in STEM education in new and fun ways,” said Gretchen Walker, Vice President of Learning at The Tech. “We’re excited to see what the Reactica team builds, and we hope they help inspire a new audience of young innovators to see themselves as the builders and makers of the world.” 

The principle of a Rube Goldberg machine or chain reaction is to complete a simple task in the most complicated way possible. Scandiweb, a Latvian company, holds the record for the world’s biggest Rube Goldberg machine after creating one to light up a Christmas tree in 2016. Their chain reaction consisted of 412 individual mechanical steps. To break the record, each of the sixmembers of the Reactica team is hoping to build more than 12 steps a day over the seven-day build in San Jose. 

The public is invited to watch Reactica build and ask questions as the team works during the week leading up to the final topple.  

“We know this is a big challenge and can’t wait to prove to our community that we are up to the task,” Huang said.  

Reactica Final Topple
Saturday, Aug. 10, noon
The Tech Interactive 
201 S. Market St. 
San Jose, CA 95113
Tickets: thetech.org
Information on Reactica: thetech.org/reactica-2019

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About The Tech Interactive

The Tech Interactive is a family-friendly science and technology center in the heart of downtown San Jose. Our hands-on activities, experimental labs and design challenge experiences empower people to innovate with creativity, curiosity and compassion. The Tech is a world leader in the creation of immersive STEAM education resources to develop the next generation of problem-solvers locally, nationally and globally. We believe that everyone is born an innovator who can change the world for the better.


Inspiring the innovator in everyone.