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…)

Barrel of Bricks, Third Rail, Eelskin Wallet Demagnetize

This episode is part of Collection 1, disc 1, episode 3. It is ALSO the fourth episode of Season 2.


Myths tested:
The story of a man being hit multiple times by the same barrel of bricks.
Can a person be electrocuted by urinating on the third rail?
Can an eel skin wallet erase a credit card?

The Science behind Barrel of Bricks
The main ideas here gravity and pulleys. The key questions:
• (MORE HERE)

Students can explore using pulleys to lift different objects.

The Science behind Third Rail
The ability of electricity to travel through fluids is the main idea here. The key questions:
• What are the ingredients of urine?
• How likely is “laminar flow”?
• How does electricity travel in solutions?
Students can explore the behavior of electricity in different fluids, and the behavior of fluids as they flow or are poured from different heights. The chemistry of urine is another option. I’m not going to get into the anatomy of men urinating…



The Science behind Electric Eel Wallet
The properties of leather made from the skin of electric eels and the durability of magnetized credit card information strips are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• What is an electric eel anyway?
• How is information stored on credit cards? (You can get a neat science gizmo that indicates magnetic fields…)
Students can explore how animals generate electric fields, how information is stored on magnetic media, and how leather is made.

Cell Phone Destruction, Silicone Implants, CD Shatter

This episode is part of Collection 1, disc 1, episode 3. It is ALSO the third episode of Season 2.


Myths tested:
Will using a cell phone near a gas pump cause an explosion?
Will silicone breast implants explode or expand in low pressure?
Can a standard CD-ROM drive shatter a CD?

The Science behind Cell Phone Destruction
The main ideas here involve cell phone power, static electricity and gasoline combustion. The key questions:
• How much of a spark can a cell phone generate?
• How much of a spark is required to ignite gas fumes?
• Can static electricity sparks ignite gas fumes?
Students can explore creating sparks with static electricity, how cell phones are powered/insulated, and the fire triangle in the context of gasoline combustion. (See Episode 14 for a followup.)

The Science behind Blow Up Boobs
The effects of air pressure on contained fluids are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• What are the ingredients/components of breast implants?
• How does air pressure change in flight?
• How do changes in air pressure affect contained liquids?
Students can explore the behavior of silicone, contained fluids under various air pressures, and learn more about
pressurization on airplanes. (See Episode 14 for a followup.)

The Science behind CD Shatter
The speed of CD-ROM drives and the durability of CD-ROM discs are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• How fast do CD-ROM drives move? What forces are generated?
• What does it take to shatter a CD-ROM disc? What are they made of?

Students can explore how CD-ROM drives work, and what CD-ROM discs are made of. (How are CDs different from DVDs? How is computer data stored?).