A Senior Prank of Cosmic Proportions: Kip Thorne’s 85th Birthday Bash

Photos courtesy of Camilla Fezzi.

Contrary to a certain rumor, this year’s Senior Prank did not involve placing a Cybertruck on the roof of Beckman Auditorium. Instead, we celebrated Nobel Laureate Prof. Kip Thorne’s 85th birthday following the transformation of Beckman into the wedding cake it’s often called. Festivities included a music-synchronized light show and Kip-themed treats: Kipcorn (popcorn), Kippy candy (cotton candy), atomic fireballs, starburst, cosmic freeze berry star clusters, star lollipops, Kipper snacks (sardines), and Milky Ways. It was truly an out-of-this-world party that bent the fabric of spacetime!

Happy 85th Birthday to our beloved Kip, and congratulations to our graduating seniors! Y’all worked unbelievably hard to get here and should be incredibly proud of yourselves for conquering the Caltech gauntlet. May your futures be as bright, colorful, and wonderful as this celebration!