MythBusters (season 4)

The cast of the television series "MythBusters" perform experiments to verify or debunk urban legends, old wives' tales, and the like. This is a list of the various myths tested on the show as well as the results of the experiments (the myth is Busted, Plausible, or Confirmed).

The MythBusters tested these myths for accuracy in season 4:

Episode 44 — "Paper Crossbow"

*Original airdate: January 11, 2006

Paper Crossbow

This myth was the first entry among those listed as one of the twelve myths that would not be tested in "MythBusters: The Explosive Truth Behind 30 of the Most Perplexing Urban Legends of All Time". In an interview for "Skeptic" magazine, it had appeared that the myth itself was considered too controversial by Discovery Channel, who thought that testing the myth could provoke prisoners to try similar things.

Fire Without Matches

Fire can be started…

Catching a Bullet in Your Teeth

The Build Team takes on the bullet catch magic trick, and see whether it is possible to do the trick for real.

Two additional myths were filmed but not aired as part of the broadcast episode. These have been shown in an outtakes reel at live appearances by the MythBusters.

Episode 50 — "Bullets Fired Up"

*Original airdate: April 19, 2006

Bullets Fired Up

plitting an Arrow

At the insistence of viewers, the team retests the popular arrow-splitting myth seen in the film "The Adventures of Robin Hood".

Mind Control

Remote, non-consensual mind control can be achieved by…

Episode 54 — "Crimes and Myth-Demeanors 1: Great Hollywood Heists"

* Original airdate: July 12, 2006

The MythBusters test the validity of some Hollywood heist scenes, using a purpose-built "assault course" with Grant operating the security system, while two "crack teams" (Adam and Jamie, and Tory and Kari) attempt alternate myths.

Air Duct Climb

This myth comes from the movie "Firetrap".

A person can surreptitiously scale an air duct by using a system of…

Fooling the Pressure Sensor

This myth also comes from the movie "Entrapment".

A person can successfully fool a pressure sensor under a glass case by…

Episode 55 — "Steam Cannon"

* Original airdate: July 19, 2006

Cereal Nutrition

A popular saying states that sugary cereal is less nutritious than the box it comes in.

Episode 56 — "Killer Whirlpool"

* Original airdate: July 26, 2006

Whirlpool of Death

Whirlpools are an ancient maritime fear. According to the myth, a tidal whirlpool can sink…
* The MythBusters also set a new record for the cola geyser at just over 30 feet (9 meters) by using a nozzle, beating the previous record of 18 feet, set by the person who popularized the phenomenon, Steve Spangler. [http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000109] They extended the geyser to 34 feet (10 meters) by using rock salt, which is more porous and hence provides even more nucleation sites per area than Mentos.

* In this episode Adam and Jamie also created homemade pyrotechnics using water, liquid soap and methane; smoke bombs from saltpeter and sugar; demonstrated a way to separate Pringles chips from its container by using hydrogen gas; and assembled a dry ice bomb. Adam also implies that more improvised explosives may be tested for a future episode. Despite the "do not try this at home" disclaimers, the MythBusters concluded that Diet Coke and Mentos geysers are safe enough for people to try, even for children (with the exception of getting in trouble by their parents).

tamp on a Helicopter

Episode 59 — "Crimes and Myth-Demeanors 2"

* Original airdate: August 23, 2006

As opposed to the earlier "Episode 54 - "Crimes and Myth-Demeanors"">Crimes and Myth-Demeanors", which focused on security systems as seen in movies, the MythBusters attempt to break real-world security systems, which were all installed in the original assault course.

Fingerprint Lock

Fingerprint readers take a sample of a fingerprint and match it with an approved-person database. The particular door-mounted scanner tested optically samples the fingerprint, and also had some extra "liveness-sensing" features that supposedly looks for pulse, body heat, and sweat. The optical fingerprint reader the MythBusters installed can be fooled by…

Water Safe

This myth is based on a scene from the movie "The Score".

Episode 61 — "Deadly Straw"

* Original airdate: September 6, 2006

traw Through a Palm Tree

Pottery Record (Archaeoacoustics)

Episode 64 — "More Myths Revisited"

* Original airdate: October 25, 2006

This is the fifth episode where Myths from previous episodes are revisited.

word vs. Gun

Tailgate Up vs. Tailgate Down

Episode 66 — "Concrete Glider"

* Original airdate: November 8, 2006

Concrete Glider

This myth is part of a well-known engineering cliché: "Like a lead balloon, you can't make a concrete glider fly."

Hammer vs. Hammer

This myth was brought up by concerned viewers, who feared that Jamie was in risk of suffering from the myth each time he banged two hammers together as part of a build.

This myth was revisited in "Myths Redux".

Vodka Myths IV

Vodka can…

External links

* [http://dsc.discovery.com/tvlistings/series.jsp?series=25032&gid=0&channel=DSC&clik=fsmain_feat1 Discovery Channel TV Schedule for "MythBusters"]
* [http://forum.mythbustersfanclub.com/index.php/topic,5434.msg71722.html#msg71722 Copy of the press release regarding these episodes in the MBFC Forums]
* [http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/episode/episode.html Official episode guide]