|
Episode: Ming Dynasty Astronaut Original Air Date: December 5, 2004 Myths: Ming Dynasty Astronaut, Free Energy, Ceiling Fan Decapitation
Myth #1: Ming Dynasty Astronaut
The Myth: Did a Medieval Chinese astronomer actually launch himself into space using a rocket-powered chair?
Expert(s):
Jack Morreco: Helps Adam make the black powder for the test rockets.
Memorable Moments/Quotes:
Adam acting out a cooking show while grinding up the gunpowder for the bamboo rockets.
Adam (with the recently exploded Buster): "We'll just wait until he's done smoldering before we put him out again."
Tests/Results - Attempting to be as accurate as possible for the myth, the guys and the Mythbuilders begin by gathering a bunch of bamboo from a local shop to use for the rockets, then the Mythbuilders start building the chair (done in a classic Medieval Chinese motif) while Adam starts making the gunpowder. After a few tests, Adam calls in their old friend in the gunpowder business to figure out the problem (the rockets weren't generating enough lift). With the rocket problem solved and the chairs built (yes, chairs, plural. One for the bamboo rockets, and one for a set of high-powered modern rockets for the best possible rocket conditions), the gang run into another problem: it's apparently illegal to launch anything (including a Chinese costumed crash-test dummy on a chair) with a bunch of rockets within city limits, so the gang has to drive out into the desert to find their test site.
Once there, the gang hook up with ANOTHER group of pyrotechnicians, to ensure the best Medieval Chinese gunpowder for their bamboo rockets, then load 'em up, strap 'em to chair #1, and place the appropriately attired Buster into position. The rockets are wired, the switch is thrown....and just like the astronomer in the legend, Buster vanishes in a puff of smoke and flash of light. But, instead of rocketing into space, poor Buster ends up blown to bits. It seems that the combined heat of the rockets together caused numerous simultaneous misfires, turning the rocket ship-chair into a very big fireball.
Once he's stopped smoldering and redressed, Buster gets another go-around on chair #2 (the one with the modern stuff), and this time, actually manages to get off the ground...before turning around and diving right back down to earth.
In the end, the guys decide that the rockets didn't have enough lift, the chair enough stabilization, and the astronomer enough brains, to make it into orbit. Decision: BUSTED!
Myth #2 - Can you actually create limitless free energy in the comfort of your own home?
Expert(s) - None.
Memorable Moments/Quotes:
Adam (cackling like a mad scientist): "Free energy! FREE energy!"
Narrator (when describing the first Free Energy device) "Use the Force, guys."
Kari (to the guys during Test #1): "Is there any paint you also want me to watch dry?"
Tests/Results - Jamie and Adam print out a few of the numerous free energy kit blueprints off the net and begin testing them out.
Test #1: Universal Power conduit - First the guys test out a device that, when hooked up to a battery, is supposed to increase its power by drawing energy from the curvature of the universe (no, really). To test, they hook two batteries (one with the Universal Power conduit, the other without) to a motor, and use poor Kari (I believe) to watch them, to see which one will run out first. After hours of boring surveillance, Kari gets the answer: the 'Cosmic Conduit' peters out first. Decision: BUSTED!
Test #2: Radio Antenna collector - Adam receives an accidental double-shipment of a kit that, when assembled and hooked up to an antenna, is supposed to siphon off the radiation from radio signals for use as energy. After botching the assembly of the first kit, Adam nails the second attempt (thanking the mistake in ordering in the process) and wires it up for testing. Result: The kits can only siphon off enough radiation to power a digital watch display each. Decision: BUSTED!
Test #3: Holy Grail Turbine - Adam and Jamie decide to go all-out and test the holy grail of free energy devices: a turbine/battery setup that's part free energy machine, part perpetual motion machine. Once built, they get an expert to test out the amount of energy the battery is getting sucked out and put back in at any given time. Sadly, the 'Holy Grail of Free Energy' isn't much of a holy grail, at all. The turbine apparently took a lot more out of the battery each time than it put back into it, causing it to go the direction of all other perpetual machines: the land of fantasy. Decision: BUSTED!
Test #4: Propane Tank Wheel - Already frustrated that his dreams of dominating the energy industry are slipping down the drain, Adam commits himself to another wacky free energy device: a sort of solar generator using a wheel of half-full propane tanks. In theory, the sun heats up the propane in the lower tanks, causing it to vaporize and head into the upper tanks, where it condenses back into liquid, making the upper tanks heavier, and causing the wheel to turn so the process can happen all over again. After a few rough starts (and a call to Scottie for welding help), Adam finally gets the contraption up and running...or is that up and crawling? Evidently, although the wheel works, it's an incredibly slow process, with the fastest recorded time for the device clocked in at one rotation per minute. Decision: BUSTED!
Myth #3 - Is it possible to chop your own head off with a common ceiling fan?
Expert(s): None
Memorable Moments/Quotes:
Kari: "We're going to need something to make the head more solid and stable."
Adam: "Oh, I got human skull pieces in the back of the shop."
Kari: "You have human skull pieces in the back of the shop?"
Kari (when seeing the pig's spine): "You're going to cut that now? I'm outta here."
Adam: "If we're gonna be using my head for this experiment, lemme make sure I get recognized." *places glasses on head*
Tests/Results - The Build Team first scopes out a local fan shop, to see what type of fan would be best to use in the experiment. After some deliberating and some advice from the shop owner, they decide on a regular ceiling fan/light combo, and a heavy-duty industrial fan. With the fans acquired, they modify an old, empty room in the shop for their testing room and begin the process of making the heads to chop. Tori decides to use an actual spinal column from a pig for the tests, to make the results more accurate, while Adam supplies a few human skull pieces for use in the heads. Artificial 'veins' filled with 'blood' would give an accurate representation of a fatal blow, while ballistics gel and liquid latex substitutes the flesh and skin. And, naturally, they use a mold of Adam's head to make them with. Kari, understandably, leaves the room as soon as the spinal column comes in.
The tests will be conducted in two halves with both fans: one simulating someone jumping UP into the fan (as per the myth of the kid who met his untimely demise by ceiling fan while jumping on the furniture), and one simulating someone jumping FORWARD into the fan (as per the myth of the costumed lover boy who made a fatal leap onto his honey's bed). For the former, Jamie happily lends a pneumatic scissor lift of his to the team, while a track is built for the latter.
First up, the normal home ceiling fan. They test the 'jumping kid' theory first. To their surprise, the head survives with barely a scratch, and stops the fan cold. With the 'jumping husband' theory, it's the same thing, although this time, one of the fan blades break off from the force. Result: Household ceiling fan BUSTED!
Next, the industrial fan. Again, the two theories are tested, and this time, they get some damage going on, but not nearly enough to decapitate someone.
Finally, exhausted and determined that heads WILL roll that day, the team decide to make their OWN fan of death, using a lawnmower motor and a set of VERY sharp steel blades. Once in place, the team sets up the track to make a final run at the fan, with Jamie contributing a pair of his glasses to the cause, for added effect. The fan is turned on, the track is let loose...and the head is torn off its pedestal, it's throat shredded by the blades, but still relatively attached and in tact. As the team looks over the faux carnage, they marvel at the sheer difficulty of beheading a human being. Decision: BUSTED! |
Episode Descriptions 
