They're sealed in styrofoam cups, cardboard boxes and plastic-filled cans. "They" are raw eggs, and they will drop from a five-story building, Friday, Feb. 25, during the 14th annual egg drop contest at UC Davis. The popular contest asks UC Davis students to construct a device that will protect an egg when dropped and that will also accurately direct the egg to a target. The devices are also judged on design (creativity and materials) and weight (the lighter the better). The contest is sponsored by a UC Davis student engineering organization called Materials Society. Past entries have included a basketball filled with jello and rocket-shaped devices with a styrofoam nose cone and balsa fins acting as the guidance system. "The contest encourages students to study mechanical design and materials selection," says Jeffery Gibeling, associate professor of chemical engineering and materials science. The contest begins at 11:30 a.m. and takes place during National Engineers Week.