Mythbusters 7x05 "Swimming in Syrup" - Discuss and Grade
- Thread starter Hermiod
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Again with the ridiculous stuff. I wish they'd pick myths where the outcome isn't obvious to anyone with a brain before they even start testing for a change.
There's nothing wrong with proving a negative.
Some people need to see that things are impossible in order to believe that they are.
(Just read their forums sometime.
)
No, but I'd like it if there's at least some doubt about the myth.
Like, what's supposed to be the science behind that "swimming in syrup" myth? Next they'll test whether it really takes more strength to ride a bicycle against headwind than with tailwind or what?
It's bizzare, goofy, messy and sticky. Adam will giggle himself into a hysteria.
I agree, though, these two myths sound like "sleepers" and otherwise uninteresting.
The "impossibility" of the MacGyver astounds me considering how much they've shown time and time again getting bullets to do ANYTHING you want them to while in flight is shown to be pretty impossible. Slicing one in half and getting it to hit two targets? This isn't a cartoon, people.
Brainiac did the syrup thing ages ago...
Not under Rigorous Scientific Conditions, mind you. But they did do it.
Not under Rigorous Scientific Conditions, mind you. But they did do it.
Hm, I don't know. Of course within the context of that myth it will definately be soundly proven "busted", with a modern bullet this certainly seems impossible.
But what about lead bullets (like this Civil War era projectile) or special ammunition like shotgun slugs?
Well, you can be an asshole about it tonight after it's on.
I believe I saw a version of this stunt done successfully on "Extreme Marksmen".
THAT'S where I saw it before. Thanks! I couldn't remember the show...Brainiac did the syrup thing ages ago...
Not under Rigorous Scientific Conditions, mind you. But they did do it.
I guess this requires an "edit."
The split slug on an axe is a Davey Crocket "myth."
And the MacGyver "myth" is whether or not he could blow open a steel door from six bullets' worth of gunpowder and the butt of a gun.
Poor MacGyver -- seems nothing he ever did actually works.
What they concluded is pretty consistant with what I've seen, heard, and experienced with the series -and makes sense in terms of not wanting people to duplicate what he does- that what he does on the show "can work" or is accurate. It just can't happent he way he does it, or in the ammounts.
Like with the sodium bomb. Sodium and water DOES make an explosive. Just not a big enough explosive to blow a hole in a concrete wall with the tiny ammount Mac used in the pilot/first epiosde.
This episode got the same result. It "can work" just not in the ammounts Mac used.
Swimming in syrup: The principle behind the question seemed pretty sound. Yes, the greater viscosity would slow you down, but it would also give you more traction to pull yourself forward, and the question is whether those opposing factors would cancel each other out. Obviously they didn't entirely do so, but they probably did to some extent. It seemed to me that the main difference between the two fluids was that swimming through syrup (or guar gum) required more strength and exertion.
I wonder why it was so much harder for Jamie than Adam. Was it because going slower made it harder for Jamie? Maybe the polymer chains weren't giving way as easily at his speed? Or maybe Adam's just a stronger swimmer, as simple as that.
I think it's interesting that the Olympic swimmer's expertise actually worked against him. It just goes to show that (contrary to what McCain supporters were saying in the election last year) extensive experience isn't always a good thing, since it can make you inflexible if you're set in a certain pattern. Especially with something as specialized as this.
What is guar gum, anyway? I know it's an ingredient in some foods (ice cream?), but just what is it? And why would there need to be a truck custom-made to mix it?
MacGyver bullet: Well, clearly the reason MacGyver didn't just shoot off the lock was that firing a gun just wouldn't have been in character. He only used guns as tools, generally by taking them apart in some way. Also, didn't the Mythbusters prove last year that it's a lot harder and more dangerous to shoot open a lock than TV usually claims? I think they got lucky with that one lock.
And of course, whenever MacGyver did an explosive concoction, they always fudged the recipe or left out a vital ingredient so that nobody would get blown up trying it at home. So we can assume that any errors are deliberate.
Davy Crockett bullet: Aha, so the myth refers specifically to lead balls from a couple of centuries ago. Okay.
Eegh, that guy's animal-skin cap was rather disgusting. I could've done without seeing that.
What was with the black backgrounds in those slo-mo shots of the watermelon, bottle, etc.? It looks like they chose those items to shoot because they already had some high-speed footage of such things being shot from another show, maybe that Time Warp thing preceding it.
I don't quite agree with the result. Yes, you can split an old lead ball projectile on an axe head if your aim is just right, but hitting two targets? No, not unless they're lined up right next to the axe head. Even after being split, the halves of the ball are still subject to conservation of momentum, so they're gonna keep going in roughly the same direction and won't be shooting out to the sides at 45-degree angles or whatever. So I'd call splitting the bullet confirmed, hitting two separate targets busted.
Oh, no, the Mythbusters are doing Volkswagen commercials now. They've totally sold out.
I wonder why it was so much harder for Jamie than Adam. Was it because going slower made it harder for Jamie? Maybe the polymer chains weren't giving way as easily at his speed? Or maybe Adam's just a stronger swimmer, as simple as that.
I think it's interesting that the Olympic swimmer's expertise actually worked against him. It just goes to show that (contrary to what McCain supporters were saying in the election last year) extensive experience isn't always a good thing, since it can make you inflexible if you're set in a certain pattern. Especially with something as specialized as this.
What is guar gum, anyway? I know it's an ingredient in some foods (ice cream?), but just what is it? And why would there need to be a truck custom-made to mix it?
MacGyver bullet: Well, clearly the reason MacGyver didn't just shoot off the lock was that firing a gun just wouldn't have been in character. He only used guns as tools, generally by taking them apart in some way. Also, didn't the Mythbusters prove last year that it's a lot harder and more dangerous to shoot open a lock than TV usually claims? I think they got lucky with that one lock.
And of course, whenever MacGyver did an explosive concoction, they always fudged the recipe or left out a vital ingredient so that nobody would get blown up trying it at home. So we can assume that any errors are deliberate.
Davy Crockett bullet: Aha, so the myth refers specifically to lead balls from a couple of centuries ago. Okay.
Eegh, that guy's animal-skin cap was rather disgusting. I could've done without seeing that.
What was with the black backgrounds in those slo-mo shots of the watermelon, bottle, etc.? It looks like they chose those items to shoot because they already had some high-speed footage of such things being shot from another show, maybe that Time Warp thing preceding it.
I don't quite agree with the result. Yes, you can split an old lead ball projectile on an axe head if your aim is just right, but hitting two targets? No, not unless they're lined up right next to the axe head. Even after being split, the halves of the ball are still subject to conservation of momentum, so they're gonna keep going in roughly the same direction and won't be shooting out to the sides at 45-degree angles or whatever. So I'd call splitting the bullet confirmed, hitting two separate targets busted.
Oh, no, the Mythbusters are doing Volkswagen commercials now. They've totally sold out.
Meh episode. None of the "myths" were paticuarly interesting or fascinating. I hope they've got something "bigger" planned in the coming weeks.
Swimming Through Syrup: PLAUSIBLE
As I understand it the "idea is" that in swiming through syrup it's just as "fast" as water because in swimming through syrup the resistance of the thicker material is negated by having more mass to toss behind you in your strokes. This strikes me as a "law of diminishing returns" sort of situation.
Mostly that being you're not getting as much back as you're giving up.
Also, it strikes me as the opposite situation as the the myths they tested with corked bats and helium-filled footballs. In both cases the reduced mass of the object (bat, football) had more of a drawback than a benefit.
I was surprised, though, that Adam's results through water and the "medium" or "light" syrup was so consistant (the light syrup being within a margin of error). I do wonder though how different "warm" syrup would be than room-temperature or cold syrup.
MacGyver Myth/improvised doorlock explosive: Busted
As I said above. While it "works" in the right conditions it doesn't work in the way MacGyver did it. Which wasn't surprising. This show has shown us time and time again that small ammounts of explosives don't equal much boom.
Davy Crocket/Split Bullet: Confirmed.
I think calling this "confirmed" is a stretch. Given the odds of it happening and the legths and "help" they had to give it (stabilizing the gun, reducing the distance of the shot) and the number of tries it took for it to happen.
I'd of gone with "Plausible" because while it seems it "can happen" it seems to require an extraordinary set of circumstances for it to occur. If their expert could've done it without the rifle being stabilized at the Myth's stated yardage I'd of called it Confirmed. But as-tested? Confirmed is generous.
Again, so-so episode with no real "big myths."
Swimming Through Syrup: PLAUSIBLE
As I understand it the "idea is" that in swiming through syrup it's just as "fast" as water because in swimming through syrup the resistance of the thicker material is negated by having more mass to toss behind you in your strokes. This strikes me as a "law of diminishing returns" sort of situation.
Mostly that being you're not getting as much back as you're giving up.
Also, it strikes me as the opposite situation as the the myths they tested with corked bats and helium-filled footballs. In both cases the reduced mass of the object (bat, football) had more of a drawback than a benefit.
I was surprised, though, that Adam's results through water and the "medium" or "light" syrup was so consistant (the light syrup being within a margin of error). I do wonder though how different "warm" syrup would be than room-temperature or cold syrup.
MacGyver Myth/improvised doorlock explosive: Busted
As I said above. While it "works" in the right conditions it doesn't work in the way MacGyver did it. Which wasn't surprising. This show has shown us time and time again that small ammounts of explosives don't equal much boom.
Davy Crocket/Split Bullet: Confirmed.
I think calling this "confirmed" is a stretch. Given the odds of it happening and the legths and "help" they had to give it (stabilizing the gun, reducing the distance of the shot) and the number of tries it took for it to happen.
I'd of gone with "Plausible" because while it seems it "can happen" it seems to require an extraordinary set of circumstances for it to occur. If their expert could've done it without the rifle being stabilized at the Myth's stated yardage I'd of called it Confirmed. But as-tested? Confirmed is generous.
Again, so-so episode with no real "big myths."
But that's not really the myth. Keep in mind that these guys aren't professional sharpshooters, which is why they needed that help to get on target. They never claimed they were as good as Davy Crockett. There's no need to test the assertion that it's possible for a sharpshooter to hit a target precisely and consistently, because we know that to be true. If they'd brought in an expert marksman, as they've done in various earlier myths, I'm sure he could've hit the axe blade fairly consistently once he got the range. Indeed, I get the impression that's what the guy in the creepy animal-skin cap was supposed to be there for, but Tory got in a lucky shot so the expert wasn't needed.
So the myth isn't about whether it's possible to hit the target dead center, it's about what happens when you do, namely that the lead ball splits in two. And that was confirmed. Although as I said above, I think the part about hitting two targets is busted on conservation-of-momentum grounds.
It's the ground endosperm of guar beans.
Yeah, I see what you're saying and I agree.
But it still doesn't "sit right" with me to have this confirmed.
Two words: Mustache drag.
I just post the blurb from the Discovery Channel's publicity materials. Obviously, this doesn't always get things right.
