From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The cast of the television series MythBusters perform experiments to verify or debunk urban legends, old wives' tales, and the like. This is a list of the various myths tested on the show as well as the results of the experiments (the myth is Busted, Plausible, or Confirmed).
The MythBusters tested these myths for accuracy in season 5:
[edit] Episode 70 — "Hindenburg Mystery, Crocodile Zig Zags"
[edit] Hindenburg Mystery
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| The Hindenburg was destroyed by the highly flammable doping compound used to paint it, not the hydrogen used to give it lift. |
Busted |
Using the same compounds used in the Hindenburg's paint, the MythBusters discovered that they could combine to form highly incendiary thermite. However, the actual proportions of components in the paint burned too slowly to match the film footage of the Hindenburg disaster. A scale model of the Hindenburg using the same paint and placed in a hydrogen-rich environment took about a minute to burn and did look very similar to the original events. In the end, they concluded that the Hindenburg's demise could be attributed to both the hydrogen and the paint, and they agreed that the paint by itself was not responsible for the rapid burning of the airship. They also pointed out that if actual thermite covered the Hindenburg, it would make the airship too heavy to fly. |
[edit] Crocodile Zig Zags
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| A person can outrun a crocodile by running in zig-zags. |
Busted |
The MythBusters used various methods to try to get both crocodiles and alligators to chase them using lures or openly provoking the animals. However, all of the crocodiles and alligators they experimented with either did not react, followed them slowly, or made a single lunge. Through further study, the MythBusters concluded that because crocodiles and alligators rely on ambushing their prey, it is unlikely they would engage in a prolonged chase. In addition, the MythBusters advised viewers that the best way to avoid a crocodile or alligator is to stay away from the water. |
[edit] Episode 71 — "Pirate Special"
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| The splinter fragmentation caused by a cannonball's impact with the wooden hull of a pirate ship can kill more pirates than direct impacts with the cannonball itself. |
Busted |
Using a simple air cannon and four pig corpses, the MythBusters proved that a cannonball could penetrate at least four pigs with a single shot. However, when fired at a wooden wall, the splinters did not have enough power to pierce any of the pigs. In order to fully confirm or bust the myth, the MythBusters used an authentic Civil War era cannon. Through preliminary testing, they proved that the Civil War cannon was significantly more powerful than the air cannon. However, when fired at the wooden wall, none of the splinters managed to penetrate the pigs with enough force to be lethal. Therefore, the MythBusters concluded that getting hit with a cannonball was more deadly than the splinters it creates. |
| Pirates wore eyepatches to preserve night vision in one eye. |
Plausible |
This myth works under the assumption that the eye covered with the eyepatch is already accustomed to low light conditions, while the other eye must take time to accustom. The MythBusters were sent into a pirate-themed obstacle course (which was dark, and Adam and Jamie had not seen the course in light, let alone the layout) with light-accustomed eyes and were told to complete certain objectives. Their movements were hampered by the darkness and it took them five minutes to finish. When they went back in with an eye that was covered for thirty minutes, the MythBusters were able to complete the test in a fraction of the time. As a control test, the MythBusters then went back into the same exact room with light-accustomed eyes and ran into the same difficulty as the first test. The myth was deemed plausible rather than confirmed because there is no recorded historical precedent for this myth. |
| A person can safely slow a fall by using a knife to cut a sail. |
Busted |
Through various small scale tests, the MythBusters found that sails were not made in one piece, but in fact had a number of seams where the sail was folded over into several layers, making them harder to cut. Also, the sharpness of the knife plays a major role in the myth. If the knife is too sharp, the pirate falls too fast. If the knife is too dull, it would be unable to cut through the seams. In the full scale test, Tory attempted the myth himself by using a moderately sharp knife on a full-size sail. However, every time he attempted the myth, his knife would hit the seam and pop out of the sail. In the end, the MythBusters concluded that there is no possible way that a pirate's knife would be able to be at the perfect balance between dullness and sharpness to safely cut through a sail. |
| Pirates used rum as a means of cleaning clothes in addition to drinking it. |
Busted |
Using rum, modern detergent, period soap, and even urine (allowed to become stale and transform into ammonia), the MythBusters tested to see if rum could be used to clean up blood, tar, and orange stains on fabric. However, after the tests, the results were the modern detergent and urine doing fairly well, but almost no effect from the period soap and rum. Also, Jamie jokingly points out that pirates would more likely drink the rum rather than use it to clean their clothes. |
[edit] Episode 72 — "Underwater Car"
[edit] Underwater Car
According to the American Automobile Association, an estimated 11,000 vehicles crashed into bodies of water in one year. The MythBusters tested various methods of escaping a sinking car, in this case a Ford Taurus.
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| If a car falls into the water and becomes submerged, the door cannot be opened until the interior is flooded. |
Confirmed |
The pressure differential between outside and inside when the car is submerged is too great for a man to force the door, and the pressure must first be equalized, which means the interior must be flooded first. But it should be noted that Adam was forced to resort to emergency air in his first test. A second test later showed it to be possible to escape the car simply by opening the door, but only by remaining calm and not attempting to open the door until the interior is well and truly flooded, so as to conserve oxygen while holding your breath. |
Having confirmed the myth, Adam and Jamie expanded on the myth to determine in what situations and which methods of escaping the car are feasible.
A person can escape a car that has fallen into the water…
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| …immediately after hitting the water. |
Confirmed |
There is not enough water pressing on the door to keep it shut. Adam escapes easily. |
| …as soon as the water inside the car is up to one's waist. |
Confirmed |
Adam barely manages to force the door open and is even briefly submerged before he emerges from the car. |
| …as soon as water covers the car window from the outside. |
Busted |
At this point, the pressure difference has become too great. Adam is unable to escape. |
They also proved that breaking the window is a viable way to escape a sinking car, if one has a suitable tool. Though breaking the window quickly floods the interior, Adam only has to hold his breath for a few seconds before climbing through the simulated "broken window" and surfacing. A person can open a window in a submerged car by…
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| …using a manual window crank. |
Busted |
Using a test weight of 350 lbs (equivalent to pressure differential from just two feet of immersion), the pressure of the window glass against the frame is so great that no amount of effort can move the gear. It is more likely that the window handle will be broken. |
| …opening power windows. |
Busted |
Though more powerful, power windows still cannot overcome the pressure differential.
Contrary to popular belief, though, power windows can withstand immersion in fresh water for prolonged periods and still function. The electricity does not short out immediately. |
| …attempting to break the window using a set of keys. |
Busted |
Window glass is tempered and resistant to impact from blunt objects. Keys are ineffective. |
| …attempting to break the window using a cell phone. |
Busted |
A cell phone is ineffective. |
| …attempting to break the window using steel-toed boots. |
Busted |
Boots are ineffective. |
| …attempting to break the window using a window-breaking hammer. |
Confirmed |
The device is designed with a pointed tip designed to shatter tempered glass. The hammer broke the window on the first try. |
| …attempting to break the window using a spring-loaded center punch. |
Confirmed |
The point of the punch can work like the tip of the hammer, and punches are sold for the purpose of breaking window glass. The punch broke the window on the first try. |
[edit] Seven Folds
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| A dry piece of paper cannot be folded in perpendicular halves more than seven times, regardless of its size. |
Partly Busted |
It was impossible to fold a piece of letter-sized (8.5" x 11", 216 mm × 279 mm) 20 lb (75 g/m²) copy paper with perpendicular folds more than seven times. The thickness of the paper exponentially grew with each successive fold, and after the seventh fold the paper was just too thick to fold without breaking. Breaking the rules of the challenge, Grant showed that folding a particularly thin sheet of paper in the same direction 4 times then 4 times the other way, it is possible to fold the paper 8 times. The MythBusters then laid out a football field-sized sheet of interconnected paper (170 ft x 220 ft, 51.8 m x 67.1 m), and due to the reduction of its area-to-thickness ratio (and with help from a steam roller and a forklift), were able to perpendicularly fold the paper 11 times. Other methods of folding a piece of paper (such as with alternating folds) proved able to break the fold threshold of 7 for letter-sized paper, and perpendicular folds of more than 7 are theoretically possible with thinner paper. |
[edit] Episode 73 — "Speed Cameras"
[edit] Speed Cameras
The MythBusters tested whether a speed camera…
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| …cannot see through a crystallized plate cover. |
Busted |
The crystals inside the cover did not reflect enough light to cause overexposure and fool the camera. Also, the legality of such a device was questioned. |
| …cannot see through a lenticular lens plate cover. |
Busted |
While designed to distort the plate from an angle, all or most of the letters of the plate were still identifiable in the tests. Also, the legality of such a device was questioned. |
| …cannot see through plastic wrap |
Busted |
The plastic wrap proved to be ineffective. |
| …cannot see through hair spray. |
Busted |
The hair spray was ineffective. |
| …cannot see through commercial distortion spray. |
Busted |
The commercial spray was ineffective. |
| …cannot take a picture of a car if it is going fast enough. |
Busted |
Neither a Dodge Neon nor a Lamborghini Murciélago were able to travel fast enough (at 138 mph, 222 km/h) to outrun the camera. It should be noted, however, that the British motoring show Top Gear was able to beat the cameras by speed with a TVR Tuscan S at 170 mph[1], albeit with a UK-spec Gatso speed camera. This myth was revisited in season 6, wherein it was explained that while speed cameras in the UK require two consecutive photographs for a conviction, US speed cameras require only one. As part of the revisit, the Mythbusters were able to beat the camera using a jet-powered car traveling at 245 mph. |
| …can take a picture of a passing bird. |
Confirmed |
The speed camera managed to catch a pair of trained peregrine falcons passing it at a speed of 40 miles per hour. |
The unofficial (Jamie Hyneman) test…
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| Switching the license plate while passing the camera. |
Busted (unofficial) |
Rigging the license plate to flip before the camera shot allowed an inaccurate display of the real plate. However, this method is illegal and would most likely net a far greater fine than the speeding ticket itself, rendering the point moot. |
[edit] Exploding Nitro Patches
Nitroglycerin is useful in treating heart and blood conditions, but is also an unstable explosive. The MythBusters test the efficacy of labels warning not to use a defibrillator before removing any nitroglycerin patches.
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| Defibrillators can cause medical nitroglycerin chest patches to explode. |
Busted |
Using a homemade defibrillator, the build team attempted to see whether the electric shock it created was enough to cause the nitroglycerin in the patches to explode. However, the defibrillator failed to detonate the patches, including reproductions of older model aluminum-backed patches, as well pure nitroglycerin dabbed directly to the body. The build team was forced to use custom made, high power explosives in order to blow up the body. |
[edit] Episode 74 — "Dog Myths"
[edit] Old Dogs, New Tricks
Following the old saying, Jamie and Adam see if they can teach an old dog new tricks.
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| You can't teach old dogs new tricks. |
Busted |
With the help of professional dog trainers, Adam and Jamie were both able to teach two old dogs (Bobo & Cece, a pair of 7 year old brother & sister Alaskan Malamute) sitting, heeling, staying, shaking hands, and lying down. However, Cece was the more obedient of the two dogs as Bobo had trouble staying. |
[edit] Beat the Guard Dog
The Build Team tries to distract and get around a guard dog (in this case, a German Shepherd named Eewan) by…
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| …distracting it with a steak |
Plausible |
The guard dog was distracted by smelling and eating the steak long enough for the intruder to reach her goal. However, once the dog was finished, it attacked the intruder. |
| …acting submissive |
Busted |
The intruder crawled on his hands and knees, but the dog attacked without hesitation. |
| …acting aggressive |
Busted |
The intruder yelled and waved his arms, but the dog attacked without hesitation. |
| …using the scent of a lactating bitch |
Busted |
The scent was sprayed on the intruder, but the dog attacked without delay |
| …using the scent of wolf urine |
Plausible |
Initially, the dog did not attack, but instead sniffed the intruder. Eventually, it did attack before the intruder could move very far. Grant theorized that if someone covered themselves in wolf urine, they may survive (if they can tolerate the smell). |
| …using the urine of a bitch in heat |
Confirmed |
The scent was put on a cloth and dragged along the ground of the fence. The dog followed and licked the scent while the intruder sneaked in, reached the goal, and returned safely. |
| Grant Imahara: …driving a cat puppet around the yard |
Busted |
The guard dog was initially distracted; however, because of bad controlling, the decoy and the thief crossed paths and eventually caused the guard dog to turn its attention to the intruder. |
| Tory Belleci: …crawling along inside a barrel with wheels |
Busted |
The dog first tried digging for the intruder, but eventually figured out how to grab one of the wheels for leverage and get at Tory. The experiment was stopped before there was any risk of injury. |
| Kari Byron: …using a human-sized hamster ball covered in plastic wrap |
Plausible |
Kari was able to roll her way to the goal and back, but she wasn't able to get out of the ball without the dog attacking her. |
Overall, while a few methods managed to work, the guard dogs can be specifically trained to ignore certain distractions. Thus, overall, this myth was considered only plausible.
[edit] Foil the Bloodhound
The MythBusters see what it takes to shake a scent hound.
A bloodhound can be deterred by…
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| …zig-zagging and doubling back. |
Busted |
Within minutes, the dog found Adam's scent. |
| …running through water |
Busted |
The dog found Adam as well, and water can even help the dog find people. |
| …covering the floor with pepper |
Busted |
The dog went to the area covered with pepper for a little while, before going back to Adam. |
| …cleaning your old clothes and changing into new ones |
Busted |
The dog found Adam, but only after being distracted by the concentrated smell where the clothes were cleaned. |
| …covering yourself with cologne/coffee. |
Busted |
Both the cologne and coffee were ineffective. |
| …making an urban maze with many more smells. |
Plausible |
Unlike the other runs, Morgan the Bloodhound was confused by the other smells around him. His trainer had to take him back to the start and try again. The dog only found Adam after 90 minutes of wandering around. They had taken a different path than Adam. The reason is because Morgan had not yet been trained to deal with urban tracking. However, there are bloodhounds that are specifically trained to work in urban environments, and the MythBusters pointed out various recorded instances of scent dogs successfully tracking targets in dense urban areas. |
[edit] Episode 75 — "Myths Redux"
This is the sixth episode in which earlier myths are retested.
[edit] The Mad Trombonist
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| A trombonist had put a firecracker into his mute, and at the final note of the 1812 Overture, launched the mute, striking the conductor and knocking him back into the audience. In addition, the bell of the trombone was blown wide open and the slide was launched (From The Mad Trombonist). |
Re-Busted |
The re-test involved placing simulated lips against the trombone's mouthpiece so as to seal that end. This still failed to cause the slide to fly off the instrument. They only achieved the feat by soldering a plug into the mouthpiece, completely sealing it shut. |
[edit] Sniper Scope
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| A sniper can kill another sniper by shooting straight through the scope. (From Firearms Folklore) |
Plausible |
Using a period-correct Mosin-Nagant PU scope (which has less glass) and a .30-06 armor piercing round, Jamie's shot went completely through the sight and penetrated two inches into the target dummy—deep enough to be a possibly lethal hit. Shots with standard ball ammunition produced less successful results. |
[edit] Finger in a Barrel
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| A shotgun plugged by a human finger will backfire and explode injuring or killing the shooter instead of the intended victim. (From Finger in a Barrel) |
Re-Busted |
The re-test used a 19th-century double-barreled shotgun made through Damascus welding. The first barrel was damaged by a ballistic gelatin finger, though not as seen in cartoons. A steel finger welded to the end of the second barrel simply made the whole tip of the barrel shoot off. |
| A .30-06 rifle fired while having a boresight still in the barrel will backfire and explode, creating a cartoon-like banana peel effect as shown in submitted photographs. (Spinoff from Finger in a Barrel) |
Plausible |
The Build Team's test used a brand new rifle. The barrel split several inches when fired with a laser boresight in the barrel. The Build Team surmises that the banana-peel effect could be achieved if this were to happen in an older rifle that has endured more wear and tear from firings. |
[edit] Hammer vs. Hammer
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| If two hammers strike each other, at least one hammer will completely shatter with lethal force. (From Hammer vs. Hammer) |
Re-Busted |
First, the Build Team properly heated two modern hammers to the transition point and quenched them, making them as brittle as possible. The two hammers simply snapped at the necks when struck. Then they tested older steel hammers (predating World War II). Though the heads began to chip when struck, one of them ultimately snapped at the neck as well. |
| If a hammer strikes hard against an anvil, the hammer will completely shatter with lethal force. (From Hammer vs. Hammer) |
Re-Busted |
For this re-test, they used a genuine steel anvil and used a rig that would make the hammer strike against the top of the anvil. The pre-WW2 steel hammer suffered cracks and chips from first a human-strength then a superhuman strike, but it did not shatter. |
[edit] Episode 76 — "Voice Flame Extinguisher"
[edit] Voice Flame Extinguisher
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| An unamplified human voice can put out a fire. |
Busted |
It proved to be impossible for an unamplified voice to extinguish a candle; however, a singer in a local group was able to put the candle out through amplification. |
| Sound alone can put out a fire. |
Confirmed |
A pure, amplified tone was able to put out a well-sized fire. This can be done because the pressure waves from the sound disrupt the air enough to snuff out the flame. Also, using a high explosive bomb can put out flames since the blast wave pushes away the oxygen that fuels the fire, or the explosives use up so much oxygen so quickly, that the fire cannot sustain itself. Oil well firefighters commonly use explosives to put out oil well fires. |
[edit] Hypnosis
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| Using hypnosis can make one go against their will. |
Busted |
While hypnotized, Grant was told to do certain uncharacteristic actions through hypnotic suggestion, and he would perform these actions after a specific trigger. However, the triggers did not work (possibly due to the fact that Grant knew he was being given a trigger, even if he didn't know what it was), so the test was performed again on a producer who believed in hypnosis (this time trying to slip the triggers in during an otherwise clandestine hypnosis session). However, this test also failed. In addition, many experts and hypnotists agree that hypnotic suggestion will never work if the suggestion conflicts with the subject's moral fiber. Note that this verdict is in contrast to an earlier myth on hypnosis as a form of remote mind control. |
| Using hypnosis can make one remember things more clearly. |
Confirmed |
The Build Team was given a short play (involving Jamie and local actors playing deliverymen) and were later quizzed about minor events, in which they failed miserably. Taking the same tests under hypnosis, they remembered tiny facts such as name tags and tattoos and achieved a better score. |
[edit] Episode 77 — "Birds in a Truck"
[edit] Birds in a Truck
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| Birds flying around inside a truck will actually make the truck lighter. |
Busted |
Adam and Jamie constructed a large box and placed it on top of scale and then filled it with captured pigeons. Then, the MythBusters activated a special contraption that would force the pigeons to fly into the air, but they could not detect any discernible difference in the weight of the box. They then placed a model helicopter inside the box and had it hover above the ground, but this method also failed to produce any results. The MythBusters theorized that the air being displaced by the birds' wings and the helicopter rotors was pressing down the box, which is why there was no change in the overall weight. All in compliance with Newton's third law of motion. |
[edit] Bifurcated Boat
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| A boat moving at 25 miles per hour can be split down the middle by hitting a channel marker. |
Busted |
Through small scale tests, the build team noticed that whenever they tried to have their model boat hit the channel marker dead on, the boat would just glance off with minimal damage. Tory then tried having the boat turn into the marker at the last second, which produced more positive results. Moving on to full scale, the build team acquired a used boat (dubbed the Mythity Split) and had it crash into a specially constructed channel marker. The Mythity Split struck the marker, but only suffered minimal damage rather than splitting. The build team then tried moving the boat at faster speeds, but still could not split the boat (The team did acknowledge the split would be possible at a very fast speed, but not the mythical 25 MPH). Wanting the boat to be completely destroyed, the build team opted to drop it from a crane, effectively busting the myth in the process (while slightly damaging the crane at the same time). |
[edit] Episode 78 — "Walking on Water"
The MythBusters test various Ninja-related myths.
[edit] Walking on Water
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| Ninjas had the ability to run across water. |
Busted |
To test this myth, Adam tried various special shoe designs, including Mizu gumo, which were meant to increase his surface area on the water or increase his buoyancy. However, the shoes either failed to keep Adam afloat or were impossible to control as he tried to cross the body of water. Jamie then created a Non-Newtonian fluid from a mixture of water and corn starch, which made the water solid enough for Adam to run across unaided. However, it is unlikely that ninjas had access to large amounts of corn starch (if any at all), so the myth was busted. |
[edit] Catching an Arrow
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| Ninjas can catch arrows in midair. |
Busted |
To start off, Jamie fired arrows blunted with tennis balls while Adam tried to catch them. Though it took several tries, Adam did manage to catch the arrows flying through the air. However, these arrows were only moving at a third of the speed as a normal arrow. In order to test a full speed arrow, Adam and Jamie built an artificial hand that could close with both human and superhuman speed. The artificial hand managed to catch the arrow easily in superhuman speed, but the human strength setting was just not powerful enough to grip the arrow in time. |
[edit] Catching a Sword
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| Ninjas can catch a sword in between their bare palms. |
Busted |
To test this myth, the build team constructed a machine to swing a sword as well as a pair of artificial hands to try and catch it. However, during their tests, the hands were simply not fast enough to catch the sword, plus they suffered damage as they attempted to stop the blade. When they consulted an expert, he pointed out that it would be more prudent to either block or dodge the sword rather than trying to catch it with your bare palms. He did show that with the use of Ninja Shuko Climbing Claws, he could easily block a sword with a single hand. |
[edit] Related Appearance on 'Ask a Ninja' Podcast
An episode of the Ask a Ninja video podcast released on April 27, 2007 features the podcast's host Ninja appearing as a guest on MythBusters, and berating Adam and Jamie for not busting more outlandish Ninja myths, including how to subdue a "dragorgon."
[edit] Episode 79 - Western Myths
[edit] Shooting a Hat
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| A cowboy can shoot a hat off a person's head, sending the hat flying through the air without harming the wearer. |
Busted |
Using an arsenal of period weapons, cowboy hats, and a dummy head, Adam and Jamie were unable get the hat to fall off the dummy's head, much less fly. The bullets simply could not transfer enough force into the hat to make it fly off. While pistols and rifles were ineffective, the Mythbusters found that shotgun shells could make a hat fly into the air since the birdshot provided greater surface area to transfer the force of the shell. However, the birdshot also peppered the dummy in a fashion that would be fatal to a human being. |
[edit] Lockpick of Death
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| A thief attempted to pick the lock of a car and accidentally tripped the side airbag, launching the lockpick with enough force to skewer his skull. |
Busted |
The Build Team constructed a robotic arm to simulate a person attempting to pick the lock of a car. They then placed a ballistics gel head over the arm to simulate a human head. However, they were unable to trigger the side airbag with the lockpick (the mechanic present explained that the airbag was not inside the door but in the car and attached to the inside of the door). The Build team then built a robotic leg, under the assumption that if the thief was unable to break into the car, he would kick the car in frustration and trigger the side airbag. Neither a human nor superhuman strength kick could trigger the airbag. Plus, the airbag is placed in a way that it would never be pointing towards the lockpick, meaning that it could never be launched. In order to replicate the results, the Build Team encased the lockpick in a sabot and placed it inside an air cannon. The lockpick, fired from the cannon, was able to skewer the skull. However, there was no clear evidence to suggest that the myth was in any way true. |
[edit] Old Western Jailbreak
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| A horse can be used to pull the bars out of a prison window and help free the occupant inside. |
Busted |
After some research, Adam and Jamie built a replica of a period prison cell, complete with a barred window. However, when they tied a horse to the bars and attempted the pull them out, the bars did not budge. Two horses could not pull out the bars and neither could a motorized cart that was twice as strong as both horses combined. As a last ditch attempt, the Mythbusters tried pulling the bars out using a thirty thousand pound crane. However, the steel beams bracing the wall failed before the prison bars did. Since not even a modern vehicle could pull the bars out of the window, it is unlikely that any number of horses could. |
| A prisoner can be freed from an Old West jail cell with a single stick of dynamite. |
Busted |
The Mythbusters placed a single stick of dynamite on the cell window and detonated it, with Buster inside to test whether the occupant would survive. While the dynamite did not cause any significant damage to the wall, it did loosen the bars enough for Adam to pull them out and escape. However, the blast set off all of the shock pads on Buster, indicating that even though a single stick of dynamite exploding would allow him to escape, the shock of the blast would kill him first, busting the myth. Jamie remarked that an axe could achieve the same amount of damage the dynamite caused, with significantly less noise. |
[edit] Lone Ranger's Silver Bullets
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| The silver bullets used by the Lone Ranger are more effective than standard lead bullets. |
Busted |
This myth is seen on Discovery's website, and was part of Adam's own curiosity of why the Lone Ranger used silver bullets instead of normal lead ones. As a test, he hand-crafted a silver bullet, and with a single lead bullet, fired it into layers of ballistic gel. The lead bullet penetrated farther than the silver bullet due to its greater density and mass, and thus is more effective in bringing down an opponent. Also, silver shrinks when cooled, forcing precision accuracy when forging bullets out of it, and was used as a form of currency back in the Wild West, which would make using silver bullets impractical and a waste of good money. |
[edit] Episode 80 - Big Rig Myths
This was the first episode in which all myths shown on television (excluding the special website-only myth) were confirmed.
[edit] Exploding Tire of Death
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| A tire on a big rig can explode with lethal force. |
Confirmed |
The MythBusters first tested whether a big rig tire could actually explode. They managed to obtain several truck tires and subjected them to actual road conditions, to try to replicate certain circumstances that could cause a tire to explode. Although they could not make a tire fail catastrophically, they managed to cause it to disintegrate violently by running the tire flat at highway speed, though the flying debris failed to hit the dummy set up next to the tire. However, the MythBusters were able to measure the velocity of the debris. Taking an actual piece of the exploded tire, the MythBusters launched it at its measured initial velocity into a pig spine-equipped ballistics gel dummy behind a car window. The piece of debris smashed through the window and literally decapitated the dummy, proving the myth was in fact possible. |
[edit] Drafting For Money
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| Drafting, or slipstreaming, behind a big rig will improve your car's fuel efficiency. |
Confirmed |
To test this myth, the build team procured a car, a big rig, and a device that could measure a car's fuel efficiency. They then drove the car behind a moving big rig at various distances ranging from 100 to 2 feet and measured the amount of fuel the car consumed. The Build Team discovered that the closer the car was to the big rig, the less drag is produced, thus the more fuel saved. At just ten feet, the car managed to increase its fuel efficiency by 40%. Drafting at two feet was slightly lower than the ten foot distance, mainly because Grant had to keep working the car pedal to maintain distance from the truck. However, that did not dispute the fact that drafting actually can increase your car's fuel efficiency. However, the Build Team has warned that drafting is incredibly dangerous because the truck driver may not be able to see you and you may not be able to react in time if the truck were to make a sudden stop. |
Scale wind tunnel test: drag
reduction from baseline at 50 mph:
| seven car lengths |
10 ft |
6 ft |
2 ft |
| 21% |
60% |
80% |
93% |
|
|
Controlled road test: fuel consumption
decrease from baseline at 55 mph:
| 100 ft |
50 ft |
20 ft |
10 ft |
2 ft |
| 11% |
20% |
27% |
39% |
28% |
|
[edit] Knight Rider Ramp
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| As seen in the TV series Knight Rider, a moving car can safely transition from a road into a moving big rig via ramp. |
Confirmed |
To test this myth, the MythBusters first started with a small scale test using a toy car. Simulating the Knight Rider stunt, the MythBusters found that the toy car could enter the big rig safely without a sudden and dangerous acceleration that many people had feared. They then tested the stunt at full scale using a Chevy Camaro, which is similar to a Pontiac Trans Am like the one used in Knight Rider. They tested at both 30 miles per hour and 55 miles per hour with no difficulty. The MythBusters explained that, even when hitting the car's ramp, the car's inertia keeps it going at the exact same speed relative to the ground -- which lets it safely drive into the big rig, with no surprising accelerations. Jamie then reinforced the myth by safely exiting the moving semi truck in reverse. |
[edit] Cyclists Drafting a Big Rig
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| Cyclists can draft behind a big rig and achieve "crazy speeds". |
Plausible |
Seen on the Discovery Channel's website, the Build Team decided to test whether a cyclist would have an easier time riding if he were to draft a big rig. Tory was chosen as the cyclist and performed a control test by cycling up to 20 miles per hour unaided. To ensure accuracy, Grant kept track of Tory's heart rate and Kari measured his speed via radar. By the end of the control run, Tory was exhausted by the effort. During the actual test, however, Tory literally coasted along behind the big rig and rarely had to pedal at all. Due to the obvious difference in performance and the fact that professional cyclists draft (behind each other) during competitions, the myth was plausible. |
[edit] Episode 81 - Grenades and Guts
[edit] Self Hypnosis
The Build Team tested whether self-hypnosis could...
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| ...cure seasickness. |
Busted |
Grant, who is susceptible to seasickness, volunteered to test self-hypnosis to see whether he could overcome his condition. As a control, he was put into a chair that helped induce seasickness while Tory and Kari kept track of how long it would take for him to vomit. Grant then used a self-hypnosis CD to try and cure his sickness. After his self-hypnosis session, Grant went back to the chair, but still succumbed to his sickness, although it took twice as long. |
| ...change eye color. |
Busted |
Kari first went to an eye center to obtain a control photo of her eye color. She then underwent a self-hypnosis session in an attempt to change her physical eye color. However, when she went back to the eye center to have her eyes analyzed, the results showed that there was no change in eye color. |
| ...eliminate a person's fear of bees. |
Busted |
Because Tory had no real issues that could be resolved through self-hypnosis, the Build Team instead brought Adam and tried to cure him of his irrational fear of bees. For the control test, they measured Adam's heart rate and physical stress levels when he was shown a box full of bees and had to put his hand inside of it. After going through his self-hypnosis session, Adam retook the test. During the retest, Adam showed the same amounts of fear and physical stress as the control test (and swearing), showing that he still possessed his fear. |
Even though the Build Team only tested self-hypnosis in several specific cases, because of the results, they deemed that the overall myth of self-hypnosis was busted.
[edit] Diet Coke & Mentos III: Exploding Stomach
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| If a person swallowed both Mentos and Diet Coke, his stomach would explode. |
Busted |
This myth is based on an internet video where a man ingested both Diet Coke and Mentos and fell unconscious, reportedly from a ruptured stomach. When tested with a pig's stomach, it was learned that the simple act of drinking the soda released much of the carbon dioxide within it, preventing the expected cascade of foam the Mentos and soda combination would give off. Even pumping the gas from the normal Mentos/cola fountain directly into the stomach didn't make the stomach burst, but like the previous myth of soda and Pop Rocks, the stomach expanded to the point where the victim would be in a lot of pain and induced vomiting. Only by blowing compressed air directly into the stomach did it burst. |
[edit] Hand Grenade Hero
This myth was based on various Hollywood depictions of how heroes would dispose of grenades in order to save their comrades. The MythBusters tested whether a hero could save his buddies by...
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| ...covering the grenade with his own body. |
Confirmed |
During the control test, the MythBusters detonated a grenade with no obstacles with several plywood dummies around it at varying distances. The shrapnel inflicted lethal injuries on most of the dummies. For the actual test, the MythBusters planted a ballistics gel dummy over the grenade before detonating it. While the ballistics gel dummy was completely destroyed, only one of the plywood dummies suffered any severe damage, and what damage was caused was not lethal. While the hero would undoubtedly die in the attempt, he would be able to save his comrades nearby. |
| ...placing the grenade in a bucket full of water. |
Confirmed |
The MythBusters placed a grenade in a bucket full of water, in hopes that the bucket would slow down the shrapnel enough to inflict no harm on the plywood dummies. However, there were fears that the bucket would in fact contribute to the damage by being turned into shrapnel itself. After the test, only one of the dummies suffered lethal damage, but there was still significantly less shrapnel damage than the control test. Though not perfect, one advantage to this method is that the hero does not have to sacrifice himself. |
| ...throwing the grenade inside a refrigerator. This particular myth was based on a scene in the TV series Monk. |
Busted |
The MythBusters obtained a refrigerator and placed it in the middle of a group of the dummies. They then placed a grenade inside it and detonated it. The refrigerator was literally turned into a giant fragmentation grenade (as also happened in the Monk clip), and the flying debris destroyed the dummies immediately in front and behind of the refrigerator, though standing to the sides seemed safe. The MythBusters agreed that putting a grenade in the refrigerator was not a good idea. |
Before the above experiments, Adam tested a mini myth:
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| It is possible to pull the pin out of a grenade with your teeth. |
Busted |
Adam tried it, and failed. |
[edit] Episode 82 - "Snow Special"
The following myths state that an avalanche can be caused by...
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| ...yodeling. |
Busted |
While the small-scale experiments indicated that aimed at the right place, an amplified voice can set off an avalanche, in the final test, no amount of yodeling by a professional yodeler could elicit a response. The yodeler was provided with a megaphone, but again, no avalanche took place. |
| ...a whip crack. |
Busted |
Adam theorized that the miniature sonic boom caused by the cracking of a whip could trigger an avalanche, however, no avalanche took place. |
| ...submachine gun fire. |
Busted |
This myth was started with stories of World War I soldiers setting off avalanches in heavily snowed-in areas with their artillery, thus using them as environmental weapons. Adam and Jamie attempted to test if lower-powered weapons, such as machine guns, could also cause an avalanche. They tested this with a pair of MP5s, though they could not cause an avalanche to start. |
Despite the "busted" designation, Jamie emphasized that avalanches are "finicky beasts" and cases of skiers unintentionally setting them off have been noted. Therefore, it's impossible to tell exactly what will trigger an avalanche.
| Myth statement |
Status |
Notes |
| A person's tongue can instantly stick to a freezing (below 32°F) metal pole when touched, making it difficult to remove. |
Confirmed |
This is the classic "triple dog dare" stunt (from A Christmas Story). Using both Tory's tongue and that of a pig's, it was determined that a standard human tongue can be frozen to a cold metal pole substantially enough to risk pulling some of the skin and muscle off of the tongue. Kari jokingly suggested that a person could free themselves by peeing on the contact point between pole and tongue. |
| Driving backwards on an icy road will give you better traction than driving forwards |
Busted |
While it was determined that drivers get better traction on an icy road while driving in reverse, when put into practice, the increased traction didn't offset the sheer difficulty of driving in reverse. The Build Team theorized that because driving backwards is so difficult by itself, the ice compounded that difficulty, rendering any additional traction useless. |
[edit] External links
