Heatwave investigation: Is it hot enough to fry an egg off the ground in the City?

Almost a decade ago, the reflection of the sun off the Walkie Talkie – otherwise known as the Fenchurch Building – was hot enough to melt a Jaguar and fry an egg.

That was due to the reflection off the skyscraper, effectively turning the entire building into a magnifying glass.

The building was soon fixed, with a new coating placed on the outside to prevent any proton death rays / reflective sunlight beaming down onto the pavements.

But, with the UK recording its hottest ever temperature and the tube hitting near 40 degrees underground, City A.M.’s intrepid team of investigative reporters set out to try and replicate the egg cooked al-fresco feat last achieved by the paper some nine years ago.

The first attempt, on some bricks outside the office which had heated up to a pleasant “ow” upon being touched, was alas a failure. After some three minutes of (three) journalists staring at the egg, with barely a slightly congealed mess left over, it was time to try again.

A second spot, however, promised greater potential. A slate cornice abbuting the Thames was surely the spot to try.

Alas, that didn’t work either.

Further attempts – on the top of a black metal mobile coffee shop, assisted by tin foil, also failed.

In short, it’s hot: but it’s not as hot as that time a superstar architect managed to fire a concentrated ray of sunlight down on to the City streets. For shame.