Street Science (2017–…): Season 2, Episode 1 - Human Cannonball - full transcript
Kevin and his team of experts reveal the secrets of human cannonballs. Later, he uses fire and ice to collapse a giant steel drum and sets a $20 bill on fire without burning it.
♪♪
Delaney: IT'S A BIRD. IT'S A PLANE.
I'M FLYING THROUGH THE AIR LIKE SUPERMAN
WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED.
-FIRE IN THE HOLE! -WHOO!
Delaney: YOU'D BE SHOCKED WHAT YOU CAN DO
WITH TWO BUCKETS OF ICE, [ LOUD BANG ]
AND WE TEST OUR OWN SUPER HUMAN LAUNCHER.
...TWO, ONE, FIRE!
[ LAUGHTER ]
IT BASICALLY EXPLODES, LIKE,
AS SOON AS IT HITS THE AIR.
DARREN. DARREN!
MY NAME IS KEVIN DELANEY.
I'VE BEEN SHOWING OFF THE
MAGIC OF SCIENCE FOR YEARS,
FROM MUSEUMS TO TALK SHOWS.
WE'RE TAKING SCIENCE TO THE STREETS
AND COMBINING EVERY DAY ELEMENTS
IN WAYS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND.
I'VE GOT A TALENTED TEAM
OF ENGINEERS AND EXPERTS,
INCLUDING THE BACKYARD SCIENTIST HIMSELF.
WAIT, THAT WAS A TWIST-OFF?
AND OUR CINEMATOGRAPHER,
DARREN, WHO USES HIGH-TECH CAMERAS
TO REVEAL THE SCIENCE THAT SURROUNDS US
IN WAYS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
THAT'S GNARLY.
THIS IS "STREET SCIENCE."
MORE THAN 30 HUMAN CANNONBALLS HAVE DIED
DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS STUNT.
THE STREET SCIENCE TEAM AND
I ARE TAKING IT TO THE STREETS
TO FIND OUT HOW SOME CANNONBALLERS MANAGE
TO PULL THIS OFF SAFELY AGAIN AND AGAIN.
ONE OF THE MASTERS OF THIS
ALMOST 150-YEAR-OLD STUNT
IS ON HIS WAY.
DARREN AND I ARE MEETING BRIAN MISER.
THIS GUY HAS CLOCKED
7,000 CANNONBALL FLIGHTS
IN OVER 18 YEARS.
-HI, EVERYBODY! -All: HEY!
ARE Y'ALL EXCITED TO SEE A HUMAN
BEING SHOT OUT OF A CANNON?
-ABSOLUTELY! -WHOO!
HOW DO YOU THINK THIS MIGHT WORK?
WELL, I DON'T SEE ANY SAFETY
NET OR ANYTHING IN-BETWEEN HERE
AND THERE, SO I HOPE IT WORKS WELL.
HOPEFULLY, IT WILL.
HOW DO YOU THINK BRIAN
IS LEAVING THE CANNON?
I'M AN ATTORNEY. I DON'T
DO MATH OR SCIENCE.
EXCELLENT.
FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT,
DOES IT LOOK LIKE WE'RE COVERED?
SAFETY-WISE, YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD.
NICE TO HAVE YOU ON THE TEAM.
ALL RIGHT. ARE Y'ALL READY?
[ CHEERS ]
ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO!
BRIAN'S CUSTOM CANNON IS 24 FEET LONG,
ABOUT HALF THE LENGTH OF A SEMITRAILER.
HE RAISES IT TO A 45-DEGREE ANGLE.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MATH.
AN AIRBAG WAITS PRECISELY 110 FEET AWAY.
BRIAN PREFERS TO LAUNCH ON A DAY
LIKE TODAY WHEN THERE'S NO WIND.
THE SLIGHTEST CHANGE IN POSITION
COULD MEAN LANDING SEVERAL FEET OFF TARGET.
Announcer: YOU GUYS READY FOR THIS?
ALL RIGHT.
♪♪
♪♪
All: THREE, TWO, ONE.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
♪♪
♪♪
Delaney: FROM INSIDE THE
CANNON, BRIAN'S BODY ACCELERATES
TO 55 MILES PER HOUR IN HALF A SECOND.
HE WAVES HIS ARMS TO STABILIZE HIMSELF
AND CORRECT HIS FLIGHT PATH.
THAT'S BECAUSE LANDING IS CONSIDERED TO BE
THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THIS STUNT.
BRIAN HAS BROKEN 14 BONES IN HIS CAREER,
MOSTLY FROM AWKWARD LANDINGS.
HE SAYS HE DOESN'T USE A HELMET
BECAUSE THE WEIGHT OF IT
CAN THROW HIM OFF-BALANCE.
NICELY DONE, BRIAN. -THANK YOU!
Dyk: THAT'S GOT TO FEEL
A LITTLE BIT FREEING, HUH?
Miser: I'M FLYING THROUGH
THE AIR LIKE SUPERMAN
WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED.
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
I... TRADE SECRET.
I HAD TO ASK.
AND IT'S BEEN A SECRET SINCE THE BEGINNING.
SO ARE THERE A LOT OF DIFFERENT METHODS
THAT DIFFERENT FAMILIES USE,
AND THEY ALL KIND OF PROTECT
EXACTLY WHAT THEY DO?
THERE IS. YEAH.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF WE
CAN TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
TO MAKE OUR OWN VERSION, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
ARE YOU GOING TO SHOOT
OUT OF IT WHEN YOU...
OH, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M USUALLY RELEGATED TO THE STUNT STUFF
IF I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
THANKS AGAIN, MAN. THIS
IS VERY, VERY, VERY COOL.
GOOD LUCK.
Delaney: BRIAN ISN'T THE ONLY
HUMAN CANNONBALL EXPERT IN TOWN.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO
FIGURE OUT THE SECRET.
TAKE A LOOK, GUYS.
FEEL LIKE WE'VE WALKED
INTO A MILITARY BUNKER.
WELL, IT KIND OF LOOKS
THAT WAY, DOESN'T IT?
THESE ARE THE HUMAN CANNONBALLS
FROM THE ZACCHINI FAMILY.
THIS CANNON GOES BACK TO 1941.
THIS FIRES ONE PERSON.
THIS UNIT HERE SHOOTS TWO PEOPLE,
AND THEY LAND ON THEIR BACKS IN A NET.
THAT'S FANTASTIC.
THE ZACCHINIS ARE CIRCUS LEGENDS.
THEY BUILT THEIR FIRST CANNON IN 1922.
FOR 70 YEARS, FAMILY MEMBERS
PERFORMED IN MANY CIRCUSES,
MOST FAMOUSLY WITH THE RINGLING BROS.
AT THEIR PEAK, THEY FLEW THREE TIMES A DAY
AND HELD THE WORLD
RECORD FOR LONGEST FLIGHT
FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
SO DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT THE MECHANISMS INSIDE?
IF I KNEW EVERYTHING, I
WOULDN'T TELL YOU ANYWAYS.
IT'S KIND OF A FAMILY SECRET.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, I
UNDERSTAND IT'S PROBABLY...
YEAH, KEPT PRETTY CLOSE TO THE VEST.
WELL, THANKS AGAIN VERY MUCH.
- I APPRECIATE Y'ALL COMING.
- THIS IS VERY COOL.
WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT, MAN.
GLAD YOU ALL COULD BE HERE.
Delaney: WELL, THE HUMAN
CANNONBALL EXPERTS AREN'T TELLING,
SO WE'RE BACK TO THE DRAWING
BOARD TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
NOW, MILITARY CANNONS ARE USUALLY FIRED
USING AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE LIKE GUNPOWDER,
BUT WE THINK THAT THE SMOKE
COMING FROM BRIAN'S CANNON
IS JUST FOR SHOW.
TO BE SURE, WE NEED TO
TEST A BLACK POWDER CANNON
TO FIGURE OUT OUR NEXT STEPS.
THAT'S THE CANNON?
Dyk: IT'S A TINY LITTLE CANNON THOUGH, HUH?
Householder: HEY, IT'S NOT
THE SIZE, IT'S HOW YOU USE IT.
OUR GOAL TODAY IS TO FIGURE
OUT IF A BLACK POWDER CANNON
IS EVEN A FEASIBLE OPTION
FOR LAUNCHING A HUMAN BEING.
WE'RE GOING TO TEST IT WITH
THESE LITTLE WOODEN PEOPLE.
THAT IS CORRECT.
THE IDEA IS WE NEED SOMETHING
THAT APPROXIMATES A PERSON.
RIGHT.
AND WE'VE LOADED THIS CANNON
WITH THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT
OF BLACK POWDER THAT IT CAN TAKE.
WE JUST GOT TO GO SEE
IF HE SURVIVES THE BLAST.
ALL RIGHT.
Delaney: BLACK POWDER
WAS THE FIRST GUNPOWDER
AND THE EARLIEST-KNOWN CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVE.
DO YOU NEED YOUR DOLL, NICK?
MY DOLL? YES.
HE'S AN ACTION FIGURE, SIR. THANK YOU.
SO I'M ABOUT TO LIGHT IT. -ALL RIGHT.
BUT I'M GOING TO NEED YOU GUYS TO BACK UP.
RANGE IS GOING HOT.
FIRE IN THE HOLE!
WHOO!
♪♪
♪♪
OUR ACTION FIGURE FLEW ABOUT 20 FEET.
THAT ONE DIDN'T LOOK SO GOOD.
NOT GOOD AT ALL.
EVEN ALL THESE LIGAMENTS CAME OUT.
THIS TELLS US THAT THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY
USING BLACK POWDER IN THESE CANNONS.
DARREN'S SLOW-MO CAPTURES THE CARNAGE.
AS THE CANNON FIRES,
THE BLACK POWDER IGNITES,
SCORCHING THE ACTION
FIGURE BEFORE DISCHARGING IT.
I THINK WE'VE PROVEN THAT THE CANNONBALLERS
AREN'T PROPELLED THIS WAY.
THE BLACK POWDER HAPPENS IN AN INSTANT.
I THINK THAT, IF YOU WERE
TO FIND A WAY TO GRADUATE
THE ENERGY RELEASE, THAT
WOULD DO A LOT TO HELP THE BODY
BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT IN.
I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE
A COUPLE OF ADJUSTMENTS
AND THEN TRY AGAIN.
NICK?
YOU DID IT FOR SCIENCE, LITTLE BUDDY.
HE WILL BE REMEMBERED.
♪♪
WHILE NICK GETS BACK TO WORK,
WE'RE TAKING SCIENCE TO THE STREETS.
WE'RE AT A LOCAL BREWERY
TO DECOMPRESS, LITERALLY.
WE ARE SETTING UP A VACUUM CHAMBER
TO SURPRISE SOME PUB CRAWLERS.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY. I
BROUGHT YOU SOME SNACKS.
-ALL RIGHT! -ALL RIGHT.
FOR THIS, WE'RE GETTING
SOME HELP FROM OUR CHEMIST,
ANNE-LISE.
SO DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THIS IS?
-A BOX. -IT IS A BOX.
IT'S ALSO A VACUUM CHAMBER.
I CAN SUCK THE AIR OUT OF HERE TO CREATE
AN EXTREMELY LOW-PRESSURE
ENVIRONMENT LIKE OUTER SPACE.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT STUFF IN THIS BOX,
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO IT.
WHAT SHOULD WE START WITH?
-I'M A FAN OF MARSHMALLOWS. -MARSHMALLOW?
ANNE-LISE'S GOING TO PLACE
ALL THE MARSHMALLOWS.
OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO TURN THIS ON.
YEP.
SOMETHING STRANGE IS HAPPENING
TO OUR MARSHMALLOWS HERE.
ALL RIGHT.
Delaney: YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE
HOW MARSHMALLOWS REACT
TO A LOW-PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT.
WHAT IS IN A MARSHMALLOW?
-SUGAR. -THERE'S SUGAR, THERE'S GELATIN.
Woman: YEAH, GELATIN.
AND THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER
VERY IMPORTANT INGREDIENT.
-AIR. -AIR. -AIR.
-NO! -NO!
I'M GOING TO LET THE AIR BACK IN.
[ LAUGHTER ]
IT'S SO SAD!
NOW THEY JUST LOOK KIND OF SAD.
WHEN I LET AIR BACK INTO THE CHAMBER,
THE MARSHMALLOWS SHRANK
TO A SMALLER SIZE THAN BEFORE.
THAT'S BECAUSE ALL THE AIR
THAT WAS INSIDE THE
MARSHMALLOW HAS BEEN REMOVED.
WHAT NEXT, ANNE-LISE?
LET'S GO WITH THE SOFT CAKES NEXT.
HERE WE GO. THREE, TWO, ONE.
THIS IS VIOLENT.
THEY SAY THEY LAST FOREVER, BUT THEY DON'T.
THEY CLEARLY DON'T LAST FOREVER.
[ SPECTATORS AWW ]
THE AIR POCKETS IN THE FOOD
ARE REACTING TO ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.
THINK OF A BALLOON AS ONE BIG AIR POCKET
INFLATING AS THE SURROUNDING
AIR PRESSURE DECREASES
AND DEFLATING AS IT INCREASES.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO NEXT, THE EGG?
-YEAH, LET'S DO THE EGG. -YEAH, THE EGG!
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T THINK
ABOUT BEING INSIDE OF AN EGG IS WATER.
THIS IS REALLY FASCINATING
BECAUSE IT'S BOILING.
IT IS BOILING.
SO WE'RE BOILING AN EGG,
BUT WE'RE NOT COOKING IT.
IF WE WANTED TO, WE
COULD TAKE THIS EGG OUT OF
THE VACUUM CHAMBER AND FRY IT UP,
SO TECHNICALLY OUR PROMISE
OF SNACKS IS STILL VALID.
Woman #2: EGGS... I JUST THOUGHT
MAYBE THEY WOULD SHRINK TOO,
BUT I DID NOT EXPECT THEM TO BOIL.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU COULD
BOIL LIQUID WITHOUT HEAT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
Delaney: THE EGG IS BOILING WITHOUT HEAT
BECAUSE LIKE THE AIR IN AIR POCKETS,
THE GASES INSIDE THE EGG
ARE EXPANDING AND DISSIPATING.
THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
TO AN UNPROTECTED HUMAN BODY IN SPACE.
WITHOUT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE,
THE BLOOD AND OTHER LIQUIDS IN THE BODY
WOULD EXPAND AND BOIL, NO HEAT NECESSARY.
THE OPPOSITE EXTREME IS A
HIGH-PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT
LIKE THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN.
SO WHAT IF WE REMOVE THE AIR FROM SOMETHING
A WHOLE LOT BIGGER THAN
AN EGG OR A MARSHMALLOW,
LIKE A 150-GALLON DRUM?
SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A GIGANTIC BARREL.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S FILLED WITH WATER
THAT WE'VE BEEN BOILING FOR QUITE A WHILE,
AND SO AS THE WATER'S
BOILING, IT'S EVAPORATING
AND IT'S PUSHING THE AIR OUT OF THE BARREL.
AND SO NOW IT'S JUST REALLY
FILLED WITH MOSTLY STEAM,
SO NICK IS GOING TO CAP
THE BARREL AT THE END
AND LOCK ALL THE STEAM INSIDE.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO COOL IT DOWN,
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BARREL
AND THE WATER INSIDE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY PREDICTIONS
AS TO WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN?
SOMETHING'S GOING TO EXPLODE.
SOMETHING'S GOING TO EXPLODE?
DEFINITELY GOING TO EXPLODE.
OKAY, THAT'S A FAIR GUESS
GIVEN WHAT WE USUALLY DO.
WELL, NICK, ARE WE READY TO FIND OUT?
-READY TO GO, KEVIN. -THAT WAS DRAMATIC.
ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO!
ALL RIGHT. YOU AND I ARE GOING TO ROLL IT.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO
START COOLING THIS DOWN.
♪♪
SO NOW ALL THAT WATER
VAPOR INSIDE IS CONDENSING
AS IT'S COOLING BACK INTO LIQUID,
AND IT'S STILL CAPPED SO
THERE'S NO WAY FOR AIR
TO GET BACK IN THERE.
AND, HOPEFULLY, THE BARREL WILL COOPERATE,
AND, IF IT DOESN'T, NICK, IT'S YOUR FAULT.
[ LOUD BANG ]
- SOMETHING'S GOING TO EXPLODE.
- SOMETHING'S GOING TO EXPLODE?
- DEFINITELY GOING TO EXPLODE.
- OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO START COOLING THIS DOWN.
♪♪
AND HOPEFULLY, THE BARREL WILL COOPERATE,
AND, IF IT DOESN'T, NICK, IT'S YOUR FAULT.
♪♪
YES!
♪♪
Dyk: SO SOME OF THE
WATER THAT WAS RESTING ON
TOP OF THE BARREL KIND OF
JUST SAT THERE AS THE IMPLOSION HAPPENED,
AND IT WENT BACK DOWN WHILE
OTHER PARTS OF THE BARREL
SHOT WATER BACK UP INTO THE AIR,
SO YOU COULD SEE PATTERNS OUTLINING
HOW THE BARREL IMPLODED BY THE WATER
AND THE ICE THAT WAS THROWN OUT.
IT WAS AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF POWER.
- I GUESS IT'S NOT MY FAULT.
- IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.
YOU DID A GOOD JOB. GOOD JOB, GOOD JOB.
THANK YOU.
SO EVERY SQUARE INCH,
LIKE THE TIP OF YOUR THUMB,
OF YOUR BODY RIGHT NOW
HAS ABOUT 14.7 POUNDS
OF ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE,
BUT WHEN THERE'S NO AIR
INSIDE OF THE BARREL HERE,
THAT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
IS ENOUGH TO CRUSH THE BARREL,
AND IT DID.
VERY SURPRISING BECAUSE
IT HAPPENED ALL OF A SUDDEN.
IT WAS LIKE, "POP!"
I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO JUST
COLLAPSE INSIDE OF ITSELF.
THAT IS NOT ONE THAT
CROSSED MY MIND AT ALL.
Delaney: WE HAVEN'T GIVEN UP
ON FIGURING OUT THE SECRET
OF THE HUMAN CANNONBALL.
THE BLACK POWDER PROVED TOO LETHAL,
BUT NICK'S GOT TWO NEW CANNON PROTOTYPES.
THIS IS A BUNGEE CANNON.
THERE'S A BUNGEE UP AT THE FRONT HERE,
AND THIS PLATFORM WILL SLIDE
ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BACK
AND LOCK IN BACK HERE,
SO IT'S GOING TO STORE ALL
OF THAT POTENTIAL ENERGY
INSIDE OF THE BUNGEE THAT'S IN THERE.
AND THEN WHEN I RELEASE THIS SWITCH,
IT'S GOING TO LAUNCH
THE GUY DOWN THE TRACK.
I AM PREPARING TO BE IMPRESSED.
WE'LL SEE IF A BUNGEE-TYPE
CANNON COULD BE SAFE
AND GO THE DISTANCE.
THREE, TWO, ONE.
I AM NOT IMPRESSED, BUT IT DOES SEEM SAFE.
YES, DEFINITELY!
♪♪
SO KEVIN REALLY DIDN'T
LIKE MY SLINGSHOT CANNON,
BUT THE PROBLEM WITH A MECHANICAL SYSTEM
FOR ACCELERATING A BODY
IS THAT YOU ONLY HAVE SO MUCH ACCELERATION
YOU CAN GET OUT OF IT.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, A BUNGEE
CANNON IS ALSO INCONSISTENT,
NOT GOOD IF YOU WANT TO
LAND SAFELY ON AN AIRBAG
INSTEAD OF ON YOUR HEAD.
I THINK WE SHOULD TRY THE AIR CANNON, TOO.
THE WAY THAT THIS WORKS IS
IT STORES UP COMPRESSED AIR,
AND THEN IT RELEASES ALL OF THAT AIR
AS FAST AS IT CAN DIRECTLY
BEHIND OUR TEST PILOT.
LET'S SEE IF THIS AIR CANNON CAN GET US
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MYSTERY.
FIRING IN THREE, TWO, ONE.
HEY! THAT LOOKED PRETTY GOOD.
♪♪
♪♪
THE AIR CANNON PRODUCED
THE HIGHEST EXIT SPEED
AND A DISTANCE OF 60 FEET.
Householder: AIR CANNON PERFORMED BEST,
AND OUR TEST SUBJECTS ARRIVED ALIVE.
ALL RIGHT, I THINK WE NEED
TO SCALE UP A LITTLE BIT.
DARREN, DO YOU VOLUNTEER?
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S GOING
TO BE SOME SERIOUS VOODOO
GOING ON HERE IN THE NEXT LITTLE BIT.
LET'S HOPE SO.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED A
HUMAN-SIZED AIR CANNON
AND A HUMAN-SIZED MANNEQUIN
TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY.
TIME FOR A BREAK.
ALL THAT CANNON FIRE HAS MADE ME THIRSTY.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE $20 I COULD BORROW?
IT'S NOT GOING TO GO UP IN SMOKE, IS IT?
I'LL GIVE IT BACK TO YOU.
THAT'S ALL I CAN PROMISE.
THANK YOU. WATCH THIS.
WE HAVE OUR $20 SOAKED
IN THIS MYSTERIOUS LIQUID.
ARE YOU READY?
WHOA!
THERE IT IS.
THERE'S YOUR $20 BILL BACK AS PROMISED.
♪♪
♪♪
SO WHAT WAS THIS MAGICAL, MYSTERY LIQUID?
RUBBING ALCOHOL AND A LITTLE BIT OF WATER.
WHEN I SATURATED THE BILL,
THE CELLULOSE FIBERS IN
THE PAPER ABSORB WATER.
WHEN LIT, THE ALCOHOL
BURNS OFF MORE QUICKLY
THAN THE WATER CAN EVAPORATE,
LEAVING ERIC'S $20 BILL DAMP BUT INTACT.
♪♪
IT'S JUST CRAZY HOW MUCH FIRE
YOU SEE AROUND THAT $20 BILL
WITHOUT IT BURNING UP.
WELL, IT WAS BURNING A HOLE IN MY WALLET.
HEY!
SO I HEAR WE HAVE SOME
OTHER TRICKS WITH FIRE.
WE DO!
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT I
CAN BLOW THIS CANDLE OUT
AND THEN LIGHT IT AGAIN
WITHOUT TOUCHING THE WICK?
NO.
HEY!
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO BLOW THIS CANDLE OUT
AND THEN RELIGHT IT
WITHOUT TOUCHING THE FLAME
FROM THIS LIGHTER TO THE CANDLE, OKAY?
♪♪
YEAH! THERE WE GO!
MAGIC.
♪♪
♪♪
WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THE
WAX ON THE WICK, AS IT'S BURNING,
IS GIVING OFF THIS
LITTLE BIT OF WAXY VAPOR,
AND THAT'S JUST UNBURNED FUEL,
SO THE FUEL TRAVELS BACK TO THE CANDLE,
SO, AS SOON AS THE FLAME TOUCHES THAT FUEL,
IT LIGHTS THE WICK.
AWESOME.
BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT THE
TAB, I HAVE ONE MORE BAR TRICK.
I WANT YOU TO GRAB THAT LIGHTER
AND JUST KIND OF HOLD THE FLAME
UP NEAR THE STREAM OF WATER
AS I'M POURING IT.
DON'T TOUCH THE STREAM
OF WATER, JUST NEAR IT.
-HOW'S YOUR INSURANCE BEEN? -PRETTY GOOD.
THEY PAY FOR IT AROUND
HERE, SO IT'S KIND OF NICE.
ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO.
-OH-HO-HO! -DANG!
[ LAUGHS ]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
THIS YELLOW POWDER,
IT'S A SPECIES OF CLUBMOSS
CALLED LYCOPODIUM.
SO INSTEAD OF MOSS THAT GROWS ON A ROCK,
THIS GROWS, LIKE, UP IN STALKS.
LYCOPODIUM POWDER IS ONLY FLAMMABLE
WHEN IT MIXES WITH AIR,
SO WE'RE POURING IT IN WATER TO
KICK UP SOME DUST AND AERATE IT.
I WAS SURPRISED JUST HOW MUCH REACTION
YOU GOT OF THE LYCOPODIUM POWDER.
IT IS A MORE DRAMATIC DUST EXPLOSION
THAN YOU NORMALLY SEE WITH,
LIKE, FLOWER OR A CORN STARCH.
I WAS JUST IMPRESSED AT HOW MUCH FLAME
YOU GOT VERSUS HOW MUCH POWDER WAS USED.
♪♪
Delaney: WE'VE BEEN TRYING
TO UNCOVER THE SECRET
OF THE HUMAN CANNONBALL.
SO FAR, WE'VE RULED OUT BLACK
POWDER CANNONS AS UNSAFE,
AND A BUNGEE CANNON, WHILE SAFE,
DOESN'T PROVIDE ENOUGH POWER AND DISTANCE.
WE'VE TRACKED DOWN A BIGGER AIR CANNON HERE
AT HUNTSETTERS, A LOCAL FARM.
IT'S NOT AS LARGE AS BRIAN
MISER'S CUSTOM CANNON,
BUT IT IS JUST RIGHT FOR OUR
OWN CUSTOM DARREN DUMMY,
I'M SORRY, MANNEQUIN.
THANK Y'ALL VERY, VERY MUCH FOR
LETTING US BORROW THIS MACHINE
TO TRY THIS OUT.
NOW, WE DON'T THINK IT'S QUITE SAFE
TO PUT A HUMAN TEST
SUBJECT IN THERE JUST YET,
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE DARREN.
Dyk: I WAS ABOUT TO BRING
UP THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
I DON'T THINK IT LOOKS LIKE AN ELEPHANT.
I THINK IT'S RATHER TRIM.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. -ALL RIGHT.
WHAT WE FOUND HERE WAS A
CANNON WITH ABOUT A 26-FOOT LENGTH
AND A 10-INCH DIAMETER BARREL,
BUT WE CAN SCALE THE PRESSURE FROM 30 PSI
ALL THE WAY UP TO 120 PSI.
SO NOW WHAT WE HAVE TO
DO IS DIAL IN THE PRESSURE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE ALL GOING
TO BACK UP THIS WAY, RIGHT?
OUR GOAL IS TO SEND OUR STUFFED DARREN
AS FAR AS THE HUMAN CANNONBALL TRAVELS
AND TO DO IT WITHOUT VISIBLE INJURY.
READY? THREE, TWO, ONE, FIRE!
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
I MEAN, I SENT TO THE SHOW.
Woman #3: THAT'S AWESOME.
♪♪
♪♪
OKAY, SO MAYBE THAT WAS TOO MUCH POWER.
Dyk: IT'S WORSE THAN I THOUGHT.
IT BASICALLY EXPLODES, LIKE,
AS SOON AS IT HITS THE AIR.
THERE'S COTTON FLYING EVERYWHERE.
MY PANTS ARE OFF BEFORE I EVEN GET 30 FEET.
SO I JUST HAD TO WATCH MY
FRIEND DARREN GET SHREDDED
FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE
THE PRESSURE WAY TOO
HIGH INSIDE THE CANNON.
WE NEED TO DIAL IT BACK TO 40 PSI
AND FIND THAT SWEET SPOT TO
MAKE SURE THAT HE ARRIVES ALIVE.
READY? THREE, TWO, ONE!
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
♪♪
Delaney: SO OUR DARREN TRAVELED
AT THE SAME ANGLE AS BRIAN MISER
AND WENT THE DISTANCE, MAYBE
NOT WITH THE SAME GRACE AND FLARE.
SO, WHEN WE DIALED THE
CANNON PRESSURE BACK TO 40 PSI,
DARREN MADE IT ALIVE.
HE MAYBE GOT HIS CLOTHES
RUFFED UP A LITTLE BIT,
BUT HE WAS OKAY, AND
ULTIMATELY THE DISTANCE
THAT HE TRAVELED WAS ABOUT 100 FEET,
AND THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT
THE HUMAN CANNONBALL DOES.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A PRETTY
DECENT APPROXIMATION
OF WHAT THEY'RE UP TO.
Delaney: MYSTERY SOLVED, WE THINK.
THIS IS PROBABLY HOW
GENERATIONS OF CANNONBALLERS
TOOK TO THE SKIES, STUNNED THE CROWDS,
AND SURVIVED ANOTHER DAY.
THE HUMAN CANNONBALL MIGHT JUST START
WITH AN AIR-POWERED CANNON,
BUT LANDING SAFELY
REMAINS BRIAN MISER'S SECRET.
DARREN. DARREN!
YOU KNOW, WE GOT THE CANNON PART DOWN.
NOW ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS TUCK
AND ROLL AND LAND ON YOUR FEET.
PARKOUR, MAN. THAT'S HOW I DO IT, RIGHT?
FEW DARREN'S WERE HARMED.
VERY FEW. ALL RIGHT.
LET'S TAKE OUR DARRENS AND GO HOME.
♪♪
Delaney: IT'S A BIRD. IT'S A PLANE.
I'M FLYING THROUGH THE AIR LIKE SUPERMAN
WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED.
-FIRE IN THE HOLE! -WHOO!
Delaney: YOU'D BE SHOCKED WHAT YOU CAN DO
WITH TWO BUCKETS OF ICE, [ LOUD BANG ]
AND WE TEST OUR OWN SUPER HUMAN LAUNCHER.
...TWO, ONE, FIRE!
[ LAUGHTER ]
IT BASICALLY EXPLODES, LIKE,
AS SOON AS IT HITS THE AIR.
DARREN. DARREN!
MY NAME IS KEVIN DELANEY.
I'VE BEEN SHOWING OFF THE
MAGIC OF SCIENCE FOR YEARS,
FROM MUSEUMS TO TALK SHOWS.
WE'RE TAKING SCIENCE TO THE STREETS
AND COMBINING EVERY DAY ELEMENTS
IN WAYS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND.
I'VE GOT A TALENTED TEAM
OF ENGINEERS AND EXPERTS,
INCLUDING THE BACKYARD SCIENTIST HIMSELF.
WAIT, THAT WAS A TWIST-OFF?
AND OUR CINEMATOGRAPHER,
DARREN, WHO USES HIGH-TECH CAMERAS
TO REVEAL THE SCIENCE THAT SURROUNDS US
IN WAYS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
THAT'S GNARLY.
THIS IS "STREET SCIENCE."
MORE THAN 30 HUMAN CANNONBALLS HAVE DIED
DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS STUNT.
THE STREET SCIENCE TEAM AND
I ARE TAKING IT TO THE STREETS
TO FIND OUT HOW SOME CANNONBALLERS MANAGE
TO PULL THIS OFF SAFELY AGAIN AND AGAIN.
ONE OF THE MASTERS OF THIS
ALMOST 150-YEAR-OLD STUNT
IS ON HIS WAY.
DARREN AND I ARE MEETING BRIAN MISER.
THIS GUY HAS CLOCKED
7,000 CANNONBALL FLIGHTS
IN OVER 18 YEARS.
-HI, EVERYBODY! -All: HEY!
ARE Y'ALL EXCITED TO SEE A HUMAN
BEING SHOT OUT OF A CANNON?
-ABSOLUTELY! -WHOO!
HOW DO YOU THINK THIS MIGHT WORK?
WELL, I DON'T SEE ANY SAFETY
NET OR ANYTHING IN-BETWEEN HERE
AND THERE, SO I HOPE IT WORKS WELL.
HOPEFULLY, IT WILL.
HOW DO YOU THINK BRIAN
IS LEAVING THE CANNON?
I'M AN ATTORNEY. I DON'T
DO MATH OR SCIENCE.
EXCELLENT.
FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT,
DOES IT LOOK LIKE WE'RE COVERED?
SAFETY-WISE, YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD.
NICE TO HAVE YOU ON THE TEAM.
ALL RIGHT. ARE Y'ALL READY?
[ CHEERS ]
ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO!
BRIAN'S CUSTOM CANNON IS 24 FEET LONG,
ABOUT HALF THE LENGTH OF A SEMITRAILER.
HE RAISES IT TO A 45-DEGREE ANGLE.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MATH.
AN AIRBAG WAITS PRECISELY 110 FEET AWAY.
BRIAN PREFERS TO LAUNCH ON A DAY
LIKE TODAY WHEN THERE'S NO WIND.
THE SLIGHTEST CHANGE IN POSITION
COULD MEAN LANDING SEVERAL FEET OFF TARGET.
Announcer: YOU GUYS READY FOR THIS?
ALL RIGHT.
♪♪
♪♪
All: THREE, TWO, ONE.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
♪♪
♪♪
Delaney: FROM INSIDE THE
CANNON, BRIAN'S BODY ACCELERATES
TO 55 MILES PER HOUR IN HALF A SECOND.
HE WAVES HIS ARMS TO STABILIZE HIMSELF
AND CORRECT HIS FLIGHT PATH.
THAT'S BECAUSE LANDING IS CONSIDERED TO BE
THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THIS STUNT.
BRIAN HAS BROKEN 14 BONES IN HIS CAREER,
MOSTLY FROM AWKWARD LANDINGS.
HE SAYS HE DOESN'T USE A HELMET
BECAUSE THE WEIGHT OF IT
CAN THROW HIM OFF-BALANCE.
NICELY DONE, BRIAN. -THANK YOU!
Dyk: THAT'S GOT TO FEEL
A LITTLE BIT FREEING, HUH?
Miser: I'M FLYING THROUGH
THE AIR LIKE SUPERMAN
WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED.
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
I... TRADE SECRET.
I HAD TO ASK.
AND IT'S BEEN A SECRET SINCE THE BEGINNING.
SO ARE THERE A LOT OF DIFFERENT METHODS
THAT DIFFERENT FAMILIES USE,
AND THEY ALL KIND OF PROTECT
EXACTLY WHAT THEY DO?
THERE IS. YEAH.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF WE
CAN TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
TO MAKE OUR OWN VERSION, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
ARE YOU GOING TO SHOOT
OUT OF IT WHEN YOU...
OH, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M USUALLY RELEGATED TO THE STUNT STUFF
IF I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
THANKS AGAIN, MAN. THIS
IS VERY, VERY, VERY COOL.
GOOD LUCK.
Delaney: BRIAN ISN'T THE ONLY
HUMAN CANNONBALL EXPERT IN TOWN.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO
FIGURE OUT THE SECRET.
TAKE A LOOK, GUYS.
FEEL LIKE WE'VE WALKED
INTO A MILITARY BUNKER.
WELL, IT KIND OF LOOKS
THAT WAY, DOESN'T IT?
THESE ARE THE HUMAN CANNONBALLS
FROM THE ZACCHINI FAMILY.
THIS CANNON GOES BACK TO 1941.
THIS FIRES ONE PERSON.
THIS UNIT HERE SHOOTS TWO PEOPLE,
AND THEY LAND ON THEIR BACKS IN A NET.
THAT'S FANTASTIC.
THE ZACCHINIS ARE CIRCUS LEGENDS.
THEY BUILT THEIR FIRST CANNON IN 1922.
FOR 70 YEARS, FAMILY MEMBERS
PERFORMED IN MANY CIRCUSES,
MOST FAMOUSLY WITH THE RINGLING BROS.
AT THEIR PEAK, THEY FLEW THREE TIMES A DAY
AND HELD THE WORLD
RECORD FOR LONGEST FLIGHT
FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
SO DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT THE MECHANISMS INSIDE?
IF I KNEW EVERYTHING, I
WOULDN'T TELL YOU ANYWAYS.
IT'S KIND OF A FAMILY SECRET.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, I
UNDERSTAND IT'S PROBABLY...
YEAH, KEPT PRETTY CLOSE TO THE VEST.
WELL, THANKS AGAIN VERY MUCH.
- I APPRECIATE Y'ALL COMING.
- THIS IS VERY COOL.
WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT, MAN.
GLAD YOU ALL COULD BE HERE.
Delaney: WELL, THE HUMAN
CANNONBALL EXPERTS AREN'T TELLING,
SO WE'RE BACK TO THE DRAWING
BOARD TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
NOW, MILITARY CANNONS ARE USUALLY FIRED
USING AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE LIKE GUNPOWDER,
BUT WE THINK THAT THE SMOKE
COMING FROM BRIAN'S CANNON
IS JUST FOR SHOW.
TO BE SURE, WE NEED TO
TEST A BLACK POWDER CANNON
TO FIGURE OUT OUR NEXT STEPS.
THAT'S THE CANNON?
Dyk: IT'S A TINY LITTLE CANNON THOUGH, HUH?
Householder: HEY, IT'S NOT
THE SIZE, IT'S HOW YOU USE IT.
OUR GOAL TODAY IS TO FIGURE
OUT IF A BLACK POWDER CANNON
IS EVEN A FEASIBLE OPTION
FOR LAUNCHING A HUMAN BEING.
WE'RE GOING TO TEST IT WITH
THESE LITTLE WOODEN PEOPLE.
THAT IS CORRECT.
THE IDEA IS WE NEED SOMETHING
THAT APPROXIMATES A PERSON.
RIGHT.
AND WE'VE LOADED THIS CANNON
WITH THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT
OF BLACK POWDER THAT IT CAN TAKE.
WE JUST GOT TO GO SEE
IF HE SURVIVES THE BLAST.
ALL RIGHT.
Delaney: BLACK POWDER
WAS THE FIRST GUNPOWDER
AND THE EARLIEST-KNOWN CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVE.
DO YOU NEED YOUR DOLL, NICK?
MY DOLL? YES.
HE'S AN ACTION FIGURE, SIR. THANK YOU.
SO I'M ABOUT TO LIGHT IT. -ALL RIGHT.
BUT I'M GOING TO NEED YOU GUYS TO BACK UP.
RANGE IS GOING HOT.
FIRE IN THE HOLE!
WHOO!
♪♪
♪♪
OUR ACTION FIGURE FLEW ABOUT 20 FEET.
THAT ONE DIDN'T LOOK SO GOOD.
NOT GOOD AT ALL.
EVEN ALL THESE LIGAMENTS CAME OUT.
THIS TELLS US THAT THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY
USING BLACK POWDER IN THESE CANNONS.
DARREN'S SLOW-MO CAPTURES THE CARNAGE.
AS THE CANNON FIRES,
THE BLACK POWDER IGNITES,
SCORCHING THE ACTION
FIGURE BEFORE DISCHARGING IT.
I THINK WE'VE PROVEN THAT THE CANNONBALLERS
AREN'T PROPELLED THIS WAY.
THE BLACK POWDER HAPPENS IN AN INSTANT.
I THINK THAT, IF YOU WERE
TO FIND A WAY TO GRADUATE
THE ENERGY RELEASE, THAT
WOULD DO A LOT TO HELP THE BODY
BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT IN.
I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE
A COUPLE OF ADJUSTMENTS
AND THEN TRY AGAIN.
NICK?
YOU DID IT FOR SCIENCE, LITTLE BUDDY.
HE WILL BE REMEMBERED.
♪♪
WHILE NICK GETS BACK TO WORK,
WE'RE TAKING SCIENCE TO THE STREETS.
WE'RE AT A LOCAL BREWERY
TO DECOMPRESS, LITERALLY.
WE ARE SETTING UP A VACUUM CHAMBER
TO SURPRISE SOME PUB CRAWLERS.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY. I
BROUGHT YOU SOME SNACKS.
-ALL RIGHT! -ALL RIGHT.
FOR THIS, WE'RE GETTING
SOME HELP FROM OUR CHEMIST,
ANNE-LISE.
SO DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THIS IS?
-A BOX. -IT IS A BOX.
IT'S ALSO A VACUUM CHAMBER.
I CAN SUCK THE AIR OUT OF HERE TO CREATE
AN EXTREMELY LOW-PRESSURE
ENVIRONMENT LIKE OUTER SPACE.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT STUFF IN THIS BOX,
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO IT.
WHAT SHOULD WE START WITH?
-I'M A FAN OF MARSHMALLOWS. -MARSHMALLOW?
ANNE-LISE'S GOING TO PLACE
ALL THE MARSHMALLOWS.
OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO TURN THIS ON.
YEP.
SOMETHING STRANGE IS HAPPENING
TO OUR MARSHMALLOWS HERE.
ALL RIGHT.
Delaney: YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE
HOW MARSHMALLOWS REACT
TO A LOW-PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT.
WHAT IS IN A MARSHMALLOW?
-SUGAR. -THERE'S SUGAR, THERE'S GELATIN.
Woman: YEAH, GELATIN.
AND THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER
VERY IMPORTANT INGREDIENT.
-AIR. -AIR. -AIR.
-NO! -NO!
I'M GOING TO LET THE AIR BACK IN.
[ LAUGHTER ]
IT'S SO SAD!
NOW THEY JUST LOOK KIND OF SAD.
WHEN I LET AIR BACK INTO THE CHAMBER,
THE MARSHMALLOWS SHRANK
TO A SMALLER SIZE THAN BEFORE.
THAT'S BECAUSE ALL THE AIR
THAT WAS INSIDE THE
MARSHMALLOW HAS BEEN REMOVED.
WHAT NEXT, ANNE-LISE?
LET'S GO WITH THE SOFT CAKES NEXT.
HERE WE GO. THREE, TWO, ONE.
THIS IS VIOLENT.
THEY SAY THEY LAST FOREVER, BUT THEY DON'T.
THEY CLEARLY DON'T LAST FOREVER.
[ SPECTATORS AWW ]
THE AIR POCKETS IN THE FOOD
ARE REACTING TO ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.
THINK OF A BALLOON AS ONE BIG AIR POCKET
INFLATING AS THE SURROUNDING
AIR PRESSURE DECREASES
AND DEFLATING AS IT INCREASES.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO NEXT, THE EGG?
-YEAH, LET'S DO THE EGG. -YEAH, THE EGG!
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T THINK
ABOUT BEING INSIDE OF AN EGG IS WATER.
THIS IS REALLY FASCINATING
BECAUSE IT'S BOILING.
IT IS BOILING.
SO WE'RE BOILING AN EGG,
BUT WE'RE NOT COOKING IT.
IF WE WANTED TO, WE
COULD TAKE THIS EGG OUT OF
THE VACUUM CHAMBER AND FRY IT UP,
SO TECHNICALLY OUR PROMISE
OF SNACKS IS STILL VALID.
Woman #2: EGGS... I JUST THOUGHT
MAYBE THEY WOULD SHRINK TOO,
BUT I DID NOT EXPECT THEM TO BOIL.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU COULD
BOIL LIQUID WITHOUT HEAT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
Delaney: THE EGG IS BOILING WITHOUT HEAT
BECAUSE LIKE THE AIR IN AIR POCKETS,
THE GASES INSIDE THE EGG
ARE EXPANDING AND DISSIPATING.
THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
TO AN UNPROTECTED HUMAN BODY IN SPACE.
WITHOUT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE,
THE BLOOD AND OTHER LIQUIDS IN THE BODY
WOULD EXPAND AND BOIL, NO HEAT NECESSARY.
THE OPPOSITE EXTREME IS A
HIGH-PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT
LIKE THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN.
SO WHAT IF WE REMOVE THE AIR FROM SOMETHING
A WHOLE LOT BIGGER THAN
AN EGG OR A MARSHMALLOW,
LIKE A 150-GALLON DRUM?
SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A GIGANTIC BARREL.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S FILLED WITH WATER
THAT WE'VE BEEN BOILING FOR QUITE A WHILE,
AND SO AS THE WATER'S
BOILING, IT'S EVAPORATING
AND IT'S PUSHING THE AIR OUT OF THE BARREL.
AND SO NOW IT'S JUST REALLY
FILLED WITH MOSTLY STEAM,
SO NICK IS GOING TO CAP
THE BARREL AT THE END
AND LOCK ALL THE STEAM INSIDE.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO COOL IT DOWN,
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BARREL
AND THE WATER INSIDE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY PREDICTIONS
AS TO WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN?
SOMETHING'S GOING TO EXPLODE.
SOMETHING'S GOING TO EXPLODE?
DEFINITELY GOING TO EXPLODE.
OKAY, THAT'S A FAIR GUESS
GIVEN WHAT WE USUALLY DO.
WELL, NICK, ARE WE READY TO FIND OUT?
-READY TO GO, KEVIN. -THAT WAS DRAMATIC.
ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO!
ALL RIGHT. YOU AND I ARE GOING TO ROLL IT.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO
START COOLING THIS DOWN.
♪♪
SO NOW ALL THAT WATER
VAPOR INSIDE IS CONDENSING
AS IT'S COOLING BACK INTO LIQUID,
AND IT'S STILL CAPPED SO
THERE'S NO WAY FOR AIR
TO GET BACK IN THERE.
AND, HOPEFULLY, THE BARREL WILL COOPERATE,
AND, IF IT DOESN'T, NICK, IT'S YOUR FAULT.
[ LOUD BANG ]
- SOMETHING'S GOING TO EXPLODE.
- SOMETHING'S GOING TO EXPLODE?
- DEFINITELY GOING TO EXPLODE.
- OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO START COOLING THIS DOWN.
♪♪
AND HOPEFULLY, THE BARREL WILL COOPERATE,
AND, IF IT DOESN'T, NICK, IT'S YOUR FAULT.
♪♪
YES!
♪♪
Dyk: SO SOME OF THE
WATER THAT WAS RESTING ON
TOP OF THE BARREL KIND OF
JUST SAT THERE AS THE IMPLOSION HAPPENED,
AND IT WENT BACK DOWN WHILE
OTHER PARTS OF THE BARREL
SHOT WATER BACK UP INTO THE AIR,
SO YOU COULD SEE PATTERNS OUTLINING
HOW THE BARREL IMPLODED BY THE WATER
AND THE ICE THAT WAS THROWN OUT.
IT WAS AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF POWER.
- I GUESS IT'S NOT MY FAULT.
- IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.
YOU DID A GOOD JOB. GOOD JOB, GOOD JOB.
THANK YOU.
SO EVERY SQUARE INCH,
LIKE THE TIP OF YOUR THUMB,
OF YOUR BODY RIGHT NOW
HAS ABOUT 14.7 POUNDS
OF ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE,
BUT WHEN THERE'S NO AIR
INSIDE OF THE BARREL HERE,
THAT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
IS ENOUGH TO CRUSH THE BARREL,
AND IT DID.
VERY SURPRISING BECAUSE
IT HAPPENED ALL OF A SUDDEN.
IT WAS LIKE, "POP!"
I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO JUST
COLLAPSE INSIDE OF ITSELF.
THAT IS NOT ONE THAT
CROSSED MY MIND AT ALL.
Delaney: WE HAVEN'T GIVEN UP
ON FIGURING OUT THE SECRET
OF THE HUMAN CANNONBALL.
THE BLACK POWDER PROVED TOO LETHAL,
BUT NICK'S GOT TWO NEW CANNON PROTOTYPES.
THIS IS A BUNGEE CANNON.
THERE'S A BUNGEE UP AT THE FRONT HERE,
AND THIS PLATFORM WILL SLIDE
ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BACK
AND LOCK IN BACK HERE,
SO IT'S GOING TO STORE ALL
OF THAT POTENTIAL ENERGY
INSIDE OF THE BUNGEE THAT'S IN THERE.
AND THEN WHEN I RELEASE THIS SWITCH,
IT'S GOING TO LAUNCH
THE GUY DOWN THE TRACK.
I AM PREPARING TO BE IMPRESSED.
WE'LL SEE IF A BUNGEE-TYPE
CANNON COULD BE SAFE
AND GO THE DISTANCE.
THREE, TWO, ONE.
I AM NOT IMPRESSED, BUT IT DOES SEEM SAFE.
YES, DEFINITELY!
♪♪
SO KEVIN REALLY DIDN'T
LIKE MY SLINGSHOT CANNON,
BUT THE PROBLEM WITH A MECHANICAL SYSTEM
FOR ACCELERATING A BODY
IS THAT YOU ONLY HAVE SO MUCH ACCELERATION
YOU CAN GET OUT OF IT.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, A BUNGEE
CANNON IS ALSO INCONSISTENT,
NOT GOOD IF YOU WANT TO
LAND SAFELY ON AN AIRBAG
INSTEAD OF ON YOUR HEAD.
I THINK WE SHOULD TRY THE AIR CANNON, TOO.
THE WAY THAT THIS WORKS IS
IT STORES UP COMPRESSED AIR,
AND THEN IT RELEASES ALL OF THAT AIR
AS FAST AS IT CAN DIRECTLY
BEHIND OUR TEST PILOT.
LET'S SEE IF THIS AIR CANNON CAN GET US
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MYSTERY.
FIRING IN THREE, TWO, ONE.
HEY! THAT LOOKED PRETTY GOOD.
♪♪
♪♪
THE AIR CANNON PRODUCED
THE HIGHEST EXIT SPEED
AND A DISTANCE OF 60 FEET.
Householder: AIR CANNON PERFORMED BEST,
AND OUR TEST SUBJECTS ARRIVED ALIVE.
ALL RIGHT, I THINK WE NEED
TO SCALE UP A LITTLE BIT.
DARREN, DO YOU VOLUNTEER?
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S GOING
TO BE SOME SERIOUS VOODOO
GOING ON HERE IN THE NEXT LITTLE BIT.
LET'S HOPE SO.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED A
HUMAN-SIZED AIR CANNON
AND A HUMAN-SIZED MANNEQUIN
TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY.
TIME FOR A BREAK.
ALL THAT CANNON FIRE HAS MADE ME THIRSTY.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE $20 I COULD BORROW?
IT'S NOT GOING TO GO UP IN SMOKE, IS IT?
I'LL GIVE IT BACK TO YOU.
THAT'S ALL I CAN PROMISE.
THANK YOU. WATCH THIS.
WE HAVE OUR $20 SOAKED
IN THIS MYSTERIOUS LIQUID.
ARE YOU READY?
WHOA!
THERE IT IS.
THERE'S YOUR $20 BILL BACK AS PROMISED.
♪♪
♪♪
SO WHAT WAS THIS MAGICAL, MYSTERY LIQUID?
RUBBING ALCOHOL AND A LITTLE BIT OF WATER.
WHEN I SATURATED THE BILL,
THE CELLULOSE FIBERS IN
THE PAPER ABSORB WATER.
WHEN LIT, THE ALCOHOL
BURNS OFF MORE QUICKLY
THAN THE WATER CAN EVAPORATE,
LEAVING ERIC'S $20 BILL DAMP BUT INTACT.
♪♪
IT'S JUST CRAZY HOW MUCH FIRE
YOU SEE AROUND THAT $20 BILL
WITHOUT IT BURNING UP.
WELL, IT WAS BURNING A HOLE IN MY WALLET.
HEY!
SO I HEAR WE HAVE SOME
OTHER TRICKS WITH FIRE.
WE DO!
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT I
CAN BLOW THIS CANDLE OUT
AND THEN LIGHT IT AGAIN
WITHOUT TOUCHING THE WICK?
NO.
HEY!
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO BLOW THIS CANDLE OUT
AND THEN RELIGHT IT
WITHOUT TOUCHING THE FLAME
FROM THIS LIGHTER TO THE CANDLE, OKAY?
♪♪
YEAH! THERE WE GO!
MAGIC.
♪♪
♪♪
WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THE
WAX ON THE WICK, AS IT'S BURNING,
IS GIVING OFF THIS
LITTLE BIT OF WAXY VAPOR,
AND THAT'S JUST UNBURNED FUEL,
SO THE FUEL TRAVELS BACK TO THE CANDLE,
SO, AS SOON AS THE FLAME TOUCHES THAT FUEL,
IT LIGHTS THE WICK.
AWESOME.
BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT THE
TAB, I HAVE ONE MORE BAR TRICK.
I WANT YOU TO GRAB THAT LIGHTER
AND JUST KIND OF HOLD THE FLAME
UP NEAR THE STREAM OF WATER
AS I'M POURING IT.
DON'T TOUCH THE STREAM
OF WATER, JUST NEAR IT.
-HOW'S YOUR INSURANCE BEEN? -PRETTY GOOD.
THEY PAY FOR IT AROUND
HERE, SO IT'S KIND OF NICE.
ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO.
-OH-HO-HO! -DANG!
[ LAUGHS ]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
THIS YELLOW POWDER,
IT'S A SPECIES OF CLUBMOSS
CALLED LYCOPODIUM.
SO INSTEAD OF MOSS THAT GROWS ON A ROCK,
THIS GROWS, LIKE, UP IN STALKS.
LYCOPODIUM POWDER IS ONLY FLAMMABLE
WHEN IT MIXES WITH AIR,
SO WE'RE POURING IT IN WATER TO
KICK UP SOME DUST AND AERATE IT.
I WAS SURPRISED JUST HOW MUCH REACTION
YOU GOT OF THE LYCOPODIUM POWDER.
IT IS A MORE DRAMATIC DUST EXPLOSION
THAN YOU NORMALLY SEE WITH,
LIKE, FLOWER OR A CORN STARCH.
I WAS JUST IMPRESSED AT HOW MUCH FLAME
YOU GOT VERSUS HOW MUCH POWDER WAS USED.
♪♪
Delaney: WE'VE BEEN TRYING
TO UNCOVER THE SECRET
OF THE HUMAN CANNONBALL.
SO FAR, WE'VE RULED OUT BLACK
POWDER CANNONS AS UNSAFE,
AND A BUNGEE CANNON, WHILE SAFE,
DOESN'T PROVIDE ENOUGH POWER AND DISTANCE.
WE'VE TRACKED DOWN A BIGGER AIR CANNON HERE
AT HUNTSETTERS, A LOCAL FARM.
IT'S NOT AS LARGE AS BRIAN
MISER'S CUSTOM CANNON,
BUT IT IS JUST RIGHT FOR OUR
OWN CUSTOM DARREN DUMMY,
I'M SORRY, MANNEQUIN.
THANK Y'ALL VERY, VERY MUCH FOR
LETTING US BORROW THIS MACHINE
TO TRY THIS OUT.
NOW, WE DON'T THINK IT'S QUITE SAFE
TO PUT A HUMAN TEST
SUBJECT IN THERE JUST YET,
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE DARREN.
Dyk: I WAS ABOUT TO BRING
UP THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
I DON'T THINK IT LOOKS LIKE AN ELEPHANT.
I THINK IT'S RATHER TRIM.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. -ALL RIGHT.
WHAT WE FOUND HERE WAS A
CANNON WITH ABOUT A 26-FOOT LENGTH
AND A 10-INCH DIAMETER BARREL,
BUT WE CAN SCALE THE PRESSURE FROM 30 PSI
ALL THE WAY UP TO 120 PSI.
SO NOW WHAT WE HAVE TO
DO IS DIAL IN THE PRESSURE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE ALL GOING
TO BACK UP THIS WAY, RIGHT?
OUR GOAL IS TO SEND OUR STUFFED DARREN
AS FAR AS THE HUMAN CANNONBALL TRAVELS
AND TO DO IT WITHOUT VISIBLE INJURY.
READY? THREE, TWO, ONE, FIRE!
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
I MEAN, I SENT TO THE SHOW.
Woman #3: THAT'S AWESOME.
♪♪
♪♪
OKAY, SO MAYBE THAT WAS TOO MUCH POWER.
Dyk: IT'S WORSE THAN I THOUGHT.
IT BASICALLY EXPLODES, LIKE,
AS SOON AS IT HITS THE AIR.
THERE'S COTTON FLYING EVERYWHERE.
MY PANTS ARE OFF BEFORE I EVEN GET 30 FEET.
SO I JUST HAD TO WATCH MY
FRIEND DARREN GET SHREDDED
FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE
THE PRESSURE WAY TOO
HIGH INSIDE THE CANNON.
WE NEED TO DIAL IT BACK TO 40 PSI
AND FIND THAT SWEET SPOT TO
MAKE SURE THAT HE ARRIVES ALIVE.
READY? THREE, TWO, ONE!
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
♪♪
Delaney: SO OUR DARREN TRAVELED
AT THE SAME ANGLE AS BRIAN MISER
AND WENT THE DISTANCE, MAYBE
NOT WITH THE SAME GRACE AND FLARE.
SO, WHEN WE DIALED THE
CANNON PRESSURE BACK TO 40 PSI,
DARREN MADE IT ALIVE.
HE MAYBE GOT HIS CLOTHES
RUFFED UP A LITTLE BIT,
BUT HE WAS OKAY, AND
ULTIMATELY THE DISTANCE
THAT HE TRAVELED WAS ABOUT 100 FEET,
AND THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT
THE HUMAN CANNONBALL DOES.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A PRETTY
DECENT APPROXIMATION
OF WHAT THEY'RE UP TO.
Delaney: MYSTERY SOLVED, WE THINK.
THIS IS PROBABLY HOW
GENERATIONS OF CANNONBALLERS
TOOK TO THE SKIES, STUNNED THE CROWDS,
AND SURVIVED ANOTHER DAY.
THE HUMAN CANNONBALL MIGHT JUST START
WITH AN AIR-POWERED CANNON,
BUT LANDING SAFELY
REMAINS BRIAN MISER'S SECRET.
DARREN. DARREN!
YOU KNOW, WE GOT THE CANNON PART DOWN.
NOW ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS TUCK
AND ROLL AND LAND ON YOUR FEET.
PARKOUR, MAN. THAT'S HOW I DO IT, RIGHT?
FEW DARREN'S WERE HARMED.
VERY FEW. ALL RIGHT.
LET'S TAKE OUR DARRENS AND GO HOME.
♪♪