Group+6+script

Mythbusters Script

Intro: (videos of cartoon characters using blankets as parachutes) NARRORATOR: Today on Mythbusters, Logan and Jiahua take on that old gag from cartoons, the use of a makeshift parachute to survive a fall. Of course, we know simply holding a blanket over your head will not work, so the boys will put various household fabrics to the test to find which is your best bet in an emergency jump!

Logan and Jia Hua are going to find out the truth about just how big that blanket needs to be -Host discussion Jia Hua (putting down a liquor flask): Alright, pass me the blanket, I’ll bust this myth once and for all. Logan: We can't just start jumping off buildings with blankets, because that would be unsafe! We need to find a way to scale it down to figure out if it's even possible to make a parachute from blankets. Jia Hua: Fine… Then lets start by using an (Army Man, ect.) and equipping him with a scale parachute. Logan: Lets use a bunch of different materials so that we can find the optimal makeshift parachute material. (leaves camera view) Jia Hua: Yea, let's do it (to camera) Get some!!! (leave)

-Materials (different scene) Logan: Okay the key thing to remember about the materials is that they are made of fibres, and that the fibres come in two varieties, synthetic and Natural. (jiahua in background) Natural fibres are made out of Plants or Animals, while Synthetics are made from hydrocarbons. Long ago parachutes were made from silk but nowadays they are typically made from specially treated Nylon. The Natural fibres we're going to try today are Cotton and Silk. (Jiahua falls) Jia Hua(shakes his head to clear mind): ow... I don’t think I want to jump off with a blanket anymore… Logan (sort of annoyed): That’s why we'll test thin sheets instead. And for the synthetic materials, we're testing polyester, rayon, and Nylon for comparison. Jia Hua: Who would ever use a Nylon Sheet on their bed? Logan: I dunno, maybe they had a Tent or something in their closet... Jia Hua: Rich geeks…

(videos of failure experiments)

-Hypothesis Jia Hua: This one is definitely busted before we've even started

Logan: I dunno, I agree that you're average blanket wouldn't support you, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't be able to build one fairly easily with a little cutting and sewing. Also, anything will hold you up if you have enough of it.

-Primary facts (Logan Monologue) So we have to compare these materials in a way that's as fair as possible, so we are going to be using a similar weave for all materials, and of course the parachutes are all going to be the same size. We'll just have to test them out and see which ones are best.

-Minor calculations

(Jia Hua Monologue) Math... (force endured by a human, scale compared to Lt. Buster)

Body: -Prep Logan: So here is our parachutist. Lt. Buster. He came with a parachute, but we won't be testing that. Jia Hua: Toy Parachutes are typically made of plastic, which is much too weak to support the weight of a human, it would just tear. Logan: Also because it's a solid sheet as opposed to individual fibres, it's very difficult, if not impossible for the average person to fasten sheets of it together sucurely enough that they won't fall apart, as stitches would tear out very easily. Jia Hua: It will take more than a garbage bag to keep you alive in a long fall. Logan: So that's out,

Logan: So what we're going to do is take 1 metre square of each material, then attach each of them to our army man in turn, then drop him off here [cut to shot of drop area].

Logan: So? What's your prediction on the material that will perform best? Jia Hua: Nylon. There's a reason why real parachutes are made from it. Logan: True, but real parachutes are specially treated. I have high hopes for silk as well. Jia Hua: Most blankets are made of natural materials, wool and cotton, both of which aren't Ideal for parachutes. And dude, silk is natural fibre too. That is the reason that this is taken for granted as a busted myth. Logan: That's mostly because silk isn't commonly used as blankets nowadays. I think silk will be able to support the Lieutenant over there with respectable drag.

-Commentating on problems encountered

-Testing

Conclusion:

Final Calculations

Additional Evidence

Busted/Plausible/Confirmed