MythBusters

MythBusters
The opening credits to Mythbusters
Created by	Peter Rees
Starring	Jamie Hyneman Adam Savage Tory Belleci Kari Byron Grant Imahara Buster (The Dummy) Additional cast
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	98 (as of June 20, 2007)
Production
Running time	50 minutes (Discovery Channel) 30 minutes (BBC Two)
Original release
Network	Discovery Channel
Release	January 23, 2003 – present

MythBusters is a U.S. popular science television program on the Discovery Channel starring special effects experts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, who use their skills and expertise to test the validity of various rumors and urban legends in popular culture. The show, narrated by Robert Lee, is filmed primarily at M5 Industries — Hyneman's special effects workshop — and in the surrounding San Francisco Bay Area.

History

The show was originally pitched to the Discovery Channel under the title Tall Tales or True by producer Peter Rees from Beyond Television Productions in 2002. Discovery then commissioned three pilot specials. Hyneman came to the show through Rees, who previously interviewed him for his appearance on BattleBots. Savage, who had worked with Hyneman in commercials and on BattleBots, was approached by Hyneman to help co-host the show because (according to Savage) Hyneman felt himself too uninteresting to host the show on his own.

In July 2006, an edited thirty-minute version (as opposed to the usual 50 minutes) of MythBusters began airing on BBC Two in the UK. The episodes shown in the European Discovery Channel sometimes include extra scenes not shown in the US version (some of these scenes eventually make their way into "specials", such as "MythBusters Outtakes").

In January 2005, author Andrew Knight ("Bowvayne")sued Beyond and the Discovery Channel for passing off for use of the name "Mythbusters". "Bowvayne" is the originator of the Mythbusters team and has used the name continuously since 1988 in relation to investigating myths and mysteries around the world in an off-beat manner including the Beast of Bodmin Moor. Bowvayne is also the author of a series of books under the banner "Mythbusters" that were published in 1991, 1993 and 1996. He also promoted and developed a television series entitled "Mythbusters" and pitched the series to Beyond Productions in 1999 and 2000. It was held that Beyond received Bowvayne's Mythbusters television treatment and this was supported by a letter from Beyond to Bowvayne in 1999 referring to Bowvayne's Mythbusters television series, a year before Beyond commenced using the name "Mythbusters". Prior to the release of the Mythbusters television series Beyond also conducted a business name search and a title search for "Mythbusters" that showed that Bowvayne had a current "Mythbusters" business name in entertainment and that Bowvayne had a "Mythbusters" book in print. The Chancery Division ruled that he held sufficient reputation and goodwill in the name "Mythbusters" in 1993 but rather bizarrely held that the reputation had disappeared soon after despite Bowvayne's Mythbusters on the Internet, appearances on The Big Breakfast, several thousand people borrowing books from libraries and continual use elsewhere. His case was dismissed, but may be appealed.

Episodes

Main article: List of MythBusters episodes

Format

Each hour-long MythBusters episode focuses on two or three urban legends, popular beliefs, Internet rumors or other myths. The featured myth often requires extensive preparation and set building, although the one or two simpler myths usually included in the show require less planning and execution (and are executed by the co-stars other than Jamie and Adam). To date, however, three experiments (35, 40, and 46) were so complex they consumed the entire hour. Three MythBusters specials (Special Episodes 8, 9, and 11) were all two hours long. The show also uses various types of humorous sound effects in place of traditional bleeping to censor occasional profanities or potentially sensitive information (such as the chemical makeup of explosive compounds used in a particular myth).

Some urban legends that have been tested include:

• Can the unaided human voice shatter glass? ("Breaking Glass")
• Can a penny dropped from a tall building kill a person at ground level? ("Penny Drop")
• Could Ben Franklin's kite experiment have really happened? ("Franklin's Kite")
• Does a duck's quack echo? ("Duck Quack")
• Can diving underwater protect a person from gunfire? ("Bulletproof Water")
• Is it possible to break off a lock by shooting it with a gun? ("Mega Movie Myths")

Methods for testing myths and urban legends are usually planned and executed in a manner to produce the most visually dramatic results possible, which generally involves explosions, fires, and/or vehicle crashes. Because the emphasis is on visual spectacle, mishaps and injuries have occurred, leading Savage to describe the show as "Jackass meets Mr. Wizard." In addition, the MythBusters usually select a myth that lends itself to such a spectacle, such as "will using a cell phone at a gas station ignite gas fumes?" ("Cell Phone Destruction") or "can a shark penetrate a boat or compromise a shark proof cage by ramming it?" ("JAWS Special").

When a myth is potentially dangerous to an individual, the MythBusters use resident crash test dummy, "Buster", or ballistics gel, which replicates human tissue and is used by ballistics engineers to test firearms and other projectiles. If the myth is not too hazardous, the cast may perform the experiment on themselves, although even this involves risks, since injuries and mishaps are quite frequent. For example, to test whether or not getting into the airplane crash position helps save lives, Savage, and co-hosts Kari Byron and Tory Belleci, strapped themselves into the crash rig after testing it on dummies and dropped it from a height of five feet. Although they were able to walk away, all sustained minor injuries.

There are some myths and urban legends the MythBusters refuse to test. Paranormal concepts, such as aliens or ghosts, are not addressed because they cannot be tested by scientific methods, although one exception, pyramid power, prompted Savage to comment, "No more 'oogie-boogie' myths, please." The program avoids experiments harmful to animals and people that cannot be tested safely, such as whether a wet poodle could be dried in a microwave oven. The book MythBusters: The Explosive Truth Behind 30 of the Most Perplexing Urban Legends of All Time (ISBN 1-4169-0929-X) also gives a list of a dozen urban legends that are unlikely to be explored (although three were eventually tested).

Hyneman and Savage use their extensive engineering and construction expertise to construct complex mechanical devices with which to perform experiments, such as an automated toast assembly line to test whether toasted bread slices land butter-side-down more often. They design, build, and operate these machines at Hyneman’s M5 Industries special effects workshop, although they often test them at other locations in and around San Francisco, including such places as the decommissioned Naval Air Station Alameda, Novato's decommissioned Hamilton Air Force Base, Mojave Spaceport, or the Mojave Desert, where the MythBusters performed tests involving rockets and high explosives. Other locations included New Jersey (where they investigated if Jimmy Hoffa is buried under Giants Stadium) and the Bahamas (where they examined shark myths).

The tests are usually a two-step process. Repeatedly dubbed "Replicate the myth, then Duplicate the results" by Adam Savage, the MythBusters first attempt to recreate the myth to determine if the circumstances, as described, achieve the alleged outcome ("Replicate"). If that fails, they attempt to expand the parameters as much as necessary — often to absurd lengths — until the desired results are duplicated ("Duplicate"). In "Raccoon Rocket", the MythBusters recreated the myth of a person who was supposedly launched 200 feet out of a drainage culvert. After pouring gasoline into it, he supposedly then climbed in and lit the fuel in an attempt to kill a raccoon, accidentally launching himself. A mockup culvert was built, Buster was stuffed inside, and the gasoline remotely ignited. When Buster failed to launch, however, he was then packed inside a sabot, the end of the culvert was closed with explosives, and Buster was successfully propelled about 100 feet.

When the exact details of a myth are unclear, the MythBusters will often vie with one another to find and implement the best solution. For one myth, they competed to see if a person falling off a building could safely fly or glide to the ground by holding onto a sheet of plywood. Savage built a wood parachute-device, while Hyneman opted for a glider-shape construct. Both were tested, along with an unmodified standard plywood sheet design. Neither of those methods worked, however, as in both cases, Buster and the plywood (as well as the myth) crashed and busted.

Due to the fact that MythBusters is a television show, and can only bring viewers approximately 50 minutes of footage, many viewers are led to believe that the team is not thorough enough in proving or disproving myths. Adam and Jamie have alluded to this many times on the show, and during the Outtakes Special, they specifically stated that while they in fact are very thorough in testing myths and repeat experiments many times in many different configurations, it is simply impossible to display all of it on the show due to time constraints. Beginning in Season 5 they have prompted viewers to visit the show's website to see full clips of certain events that were heavily edited for the show. Also, in response to criticism over testing myths in the wrong way, the team has produced several "Myths Revisited" episodes.

Busted, Plausible, or Confirmed?

Logo

By the end of each episode, each myth is rated "Busted", "Plausible", or "Confirmed".

Confirmed

The MythBusters are able to recreate or closely recreate the myth’s purported outcome with the described circumstances. A "Confirmed" myth is usually corroborated with documented evidence of actual occurrences. The term "True" was used in the first season.

Plausible

The myth's results can only be produced by expanding the parameters within a reasonable margin (that is, if the circumstances needed to make the myth work are impractical, but still possible), or by the practical necessity of setting additional parameters that may or may not have been part of the myth described. This judgment is used if a myth is possible but unlikely, or if documented accounts of the myth exist that the MythBusters were unable to duplicate (for safety or cost reasons). A further case for the plausible rating is if there is no documentation of the myth occurring, yet the MythBusters were still able to duplicate it (such as the myth that states that pirates wore eyepatches for enhanced night vision). The "Plausible" rating was first used in the second season, but seems to have fallen out of favor in later seasons. In later seasons, a myth will often be "Confirmed" even if there are no documented incidents replicating the myth (Such as Exploding Tire of Death, Season 5).

Busted

The myth's results cannot be replicated via either the described parameters nor reasonably exaggerated ones.

Occasionally, the MythBusters give more than one designation to separate aspects of a single myth. In "Bullets Fired Up", they tested whether a bullet fired straight up can fall and kill the shooter or innocent bystanders. They gave the myth all three designations: "Busted", "Plausible", and "Confirmed." It was "Busted", because bullets fired straight up will tumble to the ground at a non-lethal velocity; "Plausible", because a shooter is much more likely to fire at a slight angle, wherein the bullet will maintain its ballistic trajectory and potentially be lethal when it comes back down; and "Confirmed", because there are eyewitness accounts and medical records of falling bullets killing people. In fact, many municipalities have laws explicitly prohibiting firing weapons into the air for that reason.

In "Jet Taxi", which examined the myth that a car passing behind a jet airliner could be overturned by the jet's engine thrust as it goes to full throttle, the investigation was deemed inconclusive (and the myth "Plausible"), because it could not be duplicated due to logistical difficulties. It was documented, however, by television news and later recreated on a much larger scale with the CF6 engine from a Boeing 747 by the UK BBC2 television show, Top Gear. using both a Ford Mondeo and a Citroën 2CV. The Brazilian edition of the show also presented the happening of such event on a Rio de Janeiro airport.

If the MythBusters receive feedback from their fan site discussion forum and other sources asserting that the experiments were improperly conducted or incomplete, the show may revisit past myths and re-test them. As of March 21, 2007 there have been six episodes (14, 38, 46, 51, 64, and 75) dedicated solely to reevaluation. These revisions are conducted with new testing methods or historical information. To date, three previously "Busted" myths have actually been overturned. The "Chicken Gun" myth, which asserted that frozen chickens were better for penetration tests than thawed ones, became "Plausible"; the "Who Gets Wetter?" myth, which asserted that running in the rain gets one less wet than walking in it, became "Confirmed"; and the "Sniper Scope" myth, which asserted that one sniper can kill another sniper by shooting straight through the scope (see Carlos Hathcock), became "Plausible" after their revisits. All other previously "Busted" myths were simply reaffirmed as such.

In The Anti-Gravity Device, Tory mentioned that they couldn't bust Anti-gravity as a whole, just specific "Anti-Gravity" devices, resulting in Kari saying they can revise, and give it a Busted (For Now). "For Now" was also seen under the "Busted" sign, making it the only myth to get, quite literally, "Busted (for now)".

Materials and equipment

While a wide range of myths are tested, the MythBusters regularly use certain items as part of their experiments due to their versatility, property simulation ability, or usefulness in evaluations. These items include:

• Ballistics gel is used by various agencies to test performance of firearms ammunition, as it approximates some of the physical properties of human muscle tissue. The MythBusters also use special mixtures of it to simulate certain properties of flesh, such as conductivity or blunt impact resistance.
• Cars and other vehicles are often obtained from a scrapheap but are sometimes donated by a fan or purchased in running condition.
• Firearms and explosives are used to test myths involving these devices. These myths typically end with "explosive results."
• High speed cameras are often used to record moving objects during a test and (with the help of a scale ruler) measure the objects' speeds.
• Pig carcasses are used as test dummies in place of Buster the dummy and ballistics gel to more accurately simulate responses of human flesh and bone to certain types of trauma, for example, decomposition, shrapnel, and potential dismemberment. Savage euphemistically calls them "human analogues."
• Pneumatic actuators and servos are used to help remotely control vehicles and other potentially dangerous machines during testing.
• Polycarbonate sheets are used extensively as barriers for potentially explosive or dangerous experiments. The integrity of the sheets themselves was the subject of one experiment.
• Shackles or quick-releases are used frequently in experiments involving falls or mechanisms under tension. Theatre shackles designed for quick release are often used.
• Shock sensors and digital accelerometers are used to measure sudden impacts.
• A large iron pipe initially known as the Sharammer was used for the Jaws Special, and the Exploding Hair gel myths, before finally being destroyed in the 22,000 Foot Fall myth.

Cast

Hyneman and Savage are assisted by others, most notably Hyneman's M5 Industries staff, collectively known as "The Build Team". This staff has appeared on screen since the second season and were billed in the opening credits after Hyneman and Savage from the third season onward. Staff members have included M5 alumnus Salvatore "Tory" Belleci, artist Kari Byron, electrical engineer Grant Imahara, metal worker and welder Scottie Chapman, and Discovery Channel contest winner Christine Chamberlain (referred to as the "mythtern"). The program originally featured interviews with folklorist Heather Joseph-Witham, who explained the origins of certain urban legends, and people with first-hand experience of claims being tested. This was phased out by the third season to focus more on the experimentation process (the only experts shown now are consultants who interact directly with the cast during testing). A segment called "Warning: Science Content!" is interspersed with some myths to explain the background of the myth itself. This is usually explained by one of the cast members. Much of the show's appeal comes from the interaction between Savage and Hyneman, which is similar to a double act, wherein Hyneman plays the straight man and Savage is the comic foil/relief.

Buster

Buster is a crash test dummy used in the more dangerous myth tests. As a testament to the danger involved, Buster has been extensively repaired and rebuilt numerous times over the course of the series — to the point that an entire episode was devoted to his being rebuilt and upgraded to "Buster 2.0." The current Buster boasts improved joints with a more realistic range of movement, and he was given easily replaceable wooden "bones", designed to break under the same stress as human ones. In addition, his new flesh is made of "Dragon Skin," a special fire-resistant silicone. Buster has even been fitted with specialized equipment to give him new functionality; for testing the "Hammer Bridge Drop" myth, he was fitted with an accelerometer, and in the "Shark Week" special, he received temporary modifications allowing him to punch sharks. According to the fan site, an episode that has not been aired yet (as of April 25, 2007) involves Buster saying a phrase chosen by fans. Quoted from the website: "Here's the setup: In a future episode involving an exciting car myth, Buster will be the driver of a car speeding down the tarmac at 60 miles an hour towards impending doom. Before impact, however, Buster will have a fleeting moment to express himself. So what should he say?"

Buster has since been supplemented with additional dummies (manufactured by the company Simulaids), nicknamed "Jane", "Simulaide Suzy", and "Rescue Randy". They were introduced in the "Killer Brace Position" myth.

Even more recently "Ted" ("as in bus'ted', exploi'ted', annihila'ted'"), a ballistics gel dummy was made by the Build Team for the "22,000-Foot Fall" myth. The problem with Ted was that he was melting in the sun while they were setting up for the myth. He survived, although was very flat, before being dropped 500 feet.

Injuries and mishaps

File:Mythbusters explode.jpg

Dramatic explosions have become a MythBusters tradition.

Due to the nature and methods of MythBusters, several injuries, mishaps, and close calls have happened over the course of the show. A short list of these mishaps include:

• Savage had some hair burned off during an explosion test in the "Cell Phone Destruction" myth, which invoked one of his more famous quotes: "Am I missing... an eyebrow?", used in subsequent opening scenes for the show.
• Hyneman almost passed out during the "Stinky Car" myth. The car, having spent two months inside a sealed shipping container with two dead pigs inside it, had accumulated high levels of ammonia that almost overwhelmed Hyneman when he went inside to release the brakes.
• Savage and intern Christine Chamberlain both suffered mild burns in the "Exploding Jawbreaker" experiment. Chamberlain was hit the most; the hot liquid core of the jawbreaker splattered on parts of her face and neck. Savage was later quoted as saying that the molten candy, at around 250 degrees Fahrenheit, felt "...like napalm."
• In "Hair Cream Decapitation", a mockup jet being pressurized for the test explosively decompressed seconds after Savage accidentally walked past what would become the point of failure.
• In testing the "Confederate Rocket" myth, Savage and Hyneman underestimated the power of their homemade rocket and decided to test it indoors, resulting in Hyneman almost getting caught in the explosion and setting several objects on fire, including Savage's hovercraft and at least two of the tripod-set cameras recording the event. The rest of the shop was affected by the large volume of (possibly toxic) smoke caused by this incident, forcing a temporary evacuation.
• In "The Hindenburg Mystery", a panel of thermite ignited when both Savage and a cameraman were a few inches away.

Popularity and influence

Hyneman and Savage appeared on Good Morning America on November 8, 2004 and in the movie The Darwin Awards.

Although no MythBusters appeared on the program, a 2005 episode of Good Eats titled "Myth Smashers" tested cooking-related myths in a MythBusters-like fashion. As portrayed tongue-in-cheek on the episode, host Alton Brown wanted to use the term "Culinary Myth Busters" — but his lawyer would not allow it because of "copyright infringement". (Later in the episode, he called a myth "busted" anyway before quickly 'correcting" himself.)

Hyneman and Savage appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman on May 23, 2005. The team tested whether a cluster of helium party balloons could lift an adult person (a repeat of the "Carried Away" myth). Actor Paul Newman was lifted up by more than 6,000 balloons. However, Dave's promised interview with them did not occur on that show. Kari Byron was interviewed on The Late Show, on January 16, 2006. In addition, both Hyneman and Savage were interviewed on NPR's radio show "All Things Considered" on May 18, 2007.

G4's X-Play produced a spoof of the MythBusters, dubbed "MythCrackers", first airing on August 22, 2005. In the skit two men attempt to solve various video game myths, such as putting large arrows on the ground for a car to drive over to make it go faster, eating mushrooms to make you giant sized, barrels that explode when they are shot, and removing the memory card while the game is saving.

The cover feature of the winter 2005 issue of Skeptic spotlighted Hyneman and Savage.

Hyneman and Savage spoke at the annual convention of the National Science Teachers Association in March 2006, and the California Science Teachers Association named them honorary lifetime members in October 2006. In Australia, they appeared in a segment at the 2006 TV Week Logie Awards, where they attempted to solve the myth of whether or not the atmospheric pressure at the Logies caused guests' breasts to increase in size. This segment used footage from the "Exploding Implants" myth, with a new voice-over, intro, and ending.

Jamie and Adam occasionally appear at colleges around the country to talk about what it's like to be a MythBuster; the show consists of an interview and discussion to give the audience the opportunity to ask the MythBusters questions. To date they've done about 30 appearances, both collegiate and corporate, and are always well received, though the technical colleges tend to be the most enthusiastic. They've spoken at RPI, Georgia Tech, Michigan Tech, MIT, IBM Almaden Research center and many others.

Jamie and Adam appeared un-credited in an issue of Marvel Comics "X-23 Target X #2". Jamie was a French teacher while Adam was a Science teacher, and both sent X-23 to the principal's office.

Lego minifigure representations of Hyneman and Savage frequently appear in strips of the online comic strip, Irregular Webcomic!, where they test strange myths. For example, they confirmed that "Death waits for no man".

MythBusters is broadcast in several countries, primarily on each country's edition of the Discovery Channel. In some countries, the English speech is either subtitled in the relevant language and the United States customary units, still used throughout, are converted to metric, or the narrator is dubbed. In the UK, Rufus Hound narrates the BBC Two version of MythBusters, while Robin Banks or Daisy Beaumont narrates the Discovery Channel's version. Excerpts of the show are also shown as part of the Beyond Television-produced Beyond Tomorrow.

Twenty-three year old Theresa Booth of St. Martin, MN credits a Mythbusters episode for her and her infant child's survival on April 3, 2007 after plunging into a drainage ditch which had filled with flood water from the Sauk River. (KARE11-TV newscast http://www.kare11.com/video/player.aspx?aid=45360&bw=). In the video, she is described as opening the car door as soon as it entered the water, and credits her watching of the show (specifically, the episode of the Underwater Car myth) for her knowledge of how to survive the accident. A passing motorist took them to the hospital, where they were examined and released.

The Chaser's War on Everything produced a spoof of the MythBusters, on May 30 2007, dubbed MyfBusters, whereby Adam and Jamie took on "their biggest challenge yet"; Triple J radio announcer Myf Warhurst. In the skit Myf is tied to her chair, strapped with explosives and blown to bits.

See also

• Brainiac: Science Abuse, a British program which also tests popular myths, but with more emphasis on entertainment rather than science.
• Hollywood Science, a show predating MythBusters with a similar aim that was produced by the Open University for the BBC and was presented by actor Robert Llewellyn and scientist Jonathan Hare.
• Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, another program based on scientific skepticism, but with a larger focus on popular controversy.
• Snopes, the Urban Legends Reference Pages

External links

• Official Site
• MythBusters at IMDb
• Interview on Slashdot
• An interview on PoopReport
• Adam Savage interviewed on the Penn Jillette Radio Show
• Interview on NPR
• Mythbuster page from drivl.com with one myth on one page
• Results from every episode of Mythbusters