MythBusters

MythBusters is an American television program of scientific Popularization, diffused on Discovery Channel since 2003, and animated by the specialists in the special effects Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, which uses their talents and competences to test the validity of several Rumeurs and urban Légendes of the popular tradition. The narration of the emission is ensured by Robert Lee, whereas the emission in itself is turned in M5 Industries, and in the surroundings of the Baie of San Francisco.

History

The concept was presented to the American chain Discovery Channel under the name of Tall Tales gold True (Fairy tales or truth) by the producer of Beyond Television Productions Peter Rees in 2002. Discovery with then ordered 3 pilot emissions. Hyneman made its appearance in the decoration of Mythbusters via Rees, which had already interviewed it for its apparation in the BattleBots program. Adam Savage, who had worked with Hyneman in some commercials and on BattleBots, was approached by this last to be Co-organizer bus (according to Savage), Jamie Hyneman felt too monotonous to animate the program alone.

In July 2006, 30 minutes a published version, contrary to the 50 usual minutes, of MythBusters started to be diffused on BBC2 in the United Kingdom. The episodes diffused on Discovery Channel Europe include/understand sometimes some scenes not presented in the version of the United States.

Concept

Each episode of MythBusters concentrates on two or three (seldom more) " mythes" : urban Legends, popular beliefs or rumors Internet. For each one, a briefing is made, and it is decided which type of experiment can be installation. Generally the most impressive myth to implement or which can give a spectacular result will be privileged with the different one. At present, only three myths occupied alone a one hour emission whole.

Among the urban Legends tested, one can quote:

the human can Voix not amplified break Verre?
Plonger in does water protect from the balls?
does the cry of a Canard produce an echo?
a can Coin thrown of a Gratte-ciel kill a passer by?
can one climb a building with suction cups?
a can Ventilateur of ceiling decapitate a person?
does a slice of bread and butter run up against the ground often with dimensions one buttered?
can one reinflate a boat with table tennis balls?
do the weapons function under water?
etc

The majority of the methods of test that the team employs are conceived and implemented so as to produce possible effects the most spectacular, which generally implies explosions. Because of the attention related to the visual one and the damage and incidents which rose from it, Adam Savage described the emission like “Jackass meeting Mr. Wizard”.

The majority of the undertaken experiments are it directly in practice and few calculations mathematical known as theoretical are carried out what often gives several consecutive failures but which meets the need for visual for the emission. MythBusters will be able to choose only one myth or rumor for the central theme of the emission if this one is potentially rather spectacular, as the idea that a Cellphone can put fire at the gasoline fumes in a Station-service, or the allegation as what a Requin can insert a boat or damage a Cage of diving.

When a myth relates to the limits of the human body, MythBusters use a Mannequin, “Buster”, or ballistic Gel, which imitates the consistency of the human tissues and which is used by the ballistic engineers to test the Firearms and other projectiles. If the myth does not prove too dangerous, the team can finish the experiment by testing it on itself.

There are myths which MythBusters refuse to test: the paranormaux phenomena, like the Extraterrestrial S or the Phantom, are refused by the production because they cannot be tested by scientific methods. Even those which could the being are not held in high regard by MythBusters because of an obvious lack of spectacular, like had commented on it Adam Savage, after the test of the Pyramide of energy: “More myths oogie-boogy , please”. The team will never undertake experiments which could be dangerous for animals or the human ones or which could not be tested under sure conditions, thus Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman refused to check if a Caniche wet could be dried in a Microwawe oven.

Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman employs their competences in Ingénierie and Construction to produce complex equipment with an aim of carrying out their experiments, as a “Ligne of assembly of slices of bread” to check if a slice of bread and butter really more often falls on the buttered side. They design, produce and use their machines with the factory of special Effets “M5 Industries” of Jamie Hyneman, although they employ them with San Francisco or elsewhere still if the size or the risk of the experiment requires it, like unused military bases of Alameda or Novato, the space base of Mojave or the Désert of Mojave, where MythBusters test the myths in connection with rockets. Other places which the myths required to be tested included the New Jersey (to check the idea according to which Jimmy Hoffa would be buried under the Giants Stadium) and the the Bahamas (to test several myths implying of the Requins).

Generally a myth is tested in two stages. The team initially will try to recreate the myth to determine if the circumstances, such as she are known, give the supposed consequences. If it succeeded in reproducing the same causes for the same effects the myth will then be confirmed but if it fails it will conclude that the myth is can, and the team will modify the parameters of the history as much as necessary - often in absurd proportions - until they obtain the anticipated result. This stage is presented in the emission like the Méthode MythBusters. For example a myth indicated that one day a man had penetrated in a sewer and lighting his lighter, it would have ignited the gasoline fumes being there and the person would have been ejected with 200 feet (60m). After having tried to reproduce the myth by increasing liberally the quantity of gasoline " buster" forever ejected pipe, they decided after this failure to stop the pipe of with dimensions, to create a shoe around " buster" and to use gunpowder, the result was the ejection of the mannequin to more 30m.

When the details of a myth are vague, MythBusters are divided in groups and try to have the best idea to carry out the best solution with the problem. Thus, when they tested the myth according to which a chart to be played launched sufficiently quickly could kill, Adam Savage built an elastic mechanism reproducing a human gesture whereas Jamie Hyneman chose the use of two superimposed wheels turning at full speed between which it makes pass the chart. As often, Jamie Hyneman more often obtains from success, because of its greater experiment and its technical expertise, like thanks to its more patient approach of the situations.

Cancelled, Plausible or Confirmed?

At the end of each episode, MythBusters conclude that each myth “Is cancelled”, “Is confirmed” or “Is plausible” (in VO: “Busted”, “Confirmed” or “Plausible”). MythBusters affirm that a myth is “True” if they are able to recreate the effects starting from the known circumstances. They often check a myth recreated correctly starting from the circumstances such as arrivals really. The conclusions “Plausible” (used for the first time in the second season) are given if the team reaches the result only by exaggerating the parameters in a reasonable measurement (for example if the necessary circumstances to carry out the myth are not very obvious but realizable) or by integrating new parameters into the experiment which are not described in the original myth. This conclusion is given if a myth is possible but not very probable, or so of the circumstances described could not be reproduced by MythBusters. A myth is “Can” if the myth cannot be recreated starting from the known parameters or by those reasonably exaggerated, or if the myth required extreme and unrealizable circumstances in nature to function.

Buster

Buster is a Mannequin of Crash test used in the majority of the experiments of the most dangerous myths. As a proof of the dangerosity of the tests for which it is used, Buster had to be largely repaired and Re-manufactured throughout the series - so much so that a whole episode was reserved for its repair and its improvement in “Buster 2.0”. Current Buster has improved articulations, with a more realistic operating range, and has “Os” in easily replaceable Bois, thought to break at the same point as a human bone. Moreover, its new flesh is made of “Dragon Skin”, a Silicone special resistant to fire. MythBusters little by little adapted Buster to add equipment or new functionalities to him: to test the myth of the throw of hammer, it was equipped with a Accéléromètre, and for the special week sharks, it received temporary modifications which enables him to knock sharks.

Buster has since receipt a family of at least four mannequins: “Randy” (the father), “Jane” (the mother), “Suzy” “” (the girl) and of an anonymous son. They were presented at the time of the myth of the position of crash landing.

Casting

Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage is assisted by other people, generally employees of the factory of M5 Industries, collectively known under the name of the “team of construction”. This team appears on the screen since the second season and has a role equivalent to that of MythBusters as from the third season. The members of the team counted the old ones of M5 Industries Tory Belleci and Kari Byron, the metallurgist and welder Scottie Chapman, the electrician Grant Imahara and it victorious of the contest Discovery Channel Christine Chamberlain (often called “Mythern”, concerned of words with “intern”). MythBusters also often consulted experts, like the Folkloriste Heather Joseph-Witham, which explains the origin of certain urban legends studied in the first season. A good portion of the interest of the emission comes from the interaction between Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage. This relation is close to the Duo, where Jamie Hyneman plays the serious man and Adam Savage plays the comic one.

Incidents

Quotations

"I reject your reality and substitutes my own" - Adam Savage
" Quack, damn you! " - Jamie Hyneman

Popularity and influence

Some think that the Méthode Mythbusters is not " scientifique" strictly speaking, but which simply tends to show if a myth is true or not under spectacular airs.

See too

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