Lightning Strikes Piercings, Tree Cannon, Beating the Breathalyzer

This episode is part of Collection 1, disc 2, episode 2. It is ALSO the sixth episode of Season 2.

NOTE: One of the myths in this episode is about alcohol.

Myths tested:
Is a person with a tongue piercing more likely to get struck by lightning?
Can a cannon be built out of a tree?
Can the breathalyzer be beaten through various methods?

The Science behind Lightning Strikes Tongue Piercings
The main ideas here are lightning strikes and what attracts them. The key questions:
• What attracts lightning?
• Does wet metal attract lightning more than other things in the area?

Students can learn more about lightning, injuries from lightning strikes, and the relative wisdom of tongue piercing. (My students love this myth, but I’m not sure it’s all that science-y)

The Science behind Tree Cannon
Controlled explosions, medieval woodworking, and the strength of wood are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• How do cannons work? What are the necessary parts?
• What does it take to appropriately mill a log into a cannon barrel?
• How much gunpowder can a tree trunk stand?

Students can explore the construction of cannons, medieval weaponry, and how much explosive force wood can take. I particularly recommend exploring the structural differences that come from using different grain patterns; in the episode, they core the middle out of the trunk, which is very different from using planks to build a tube. What other ways can wood’s grain be helpful/not helpful for different applications?

The Science behind Beating the Breathalyzer
Evading detection is the main idea here. The key questions:
• How do breathalyzers work?
• Is there any way to beat a breathalyzer?

Students can explore the chemistry of exhaled breath, and talk about the lungs as organs of waste removal. Also of interest: calculating BAC based on body mass, and how different people metabolize alcohol differently even at the same body mass (genetic variation, muscle vs. fat, gender…)