Season 1

2009 · 10 episodes

Episodes

1Vortex CannonJem Stansfield builds a vortex cannon to pick up where the big bad wolf failed to blow over a house of brick; Dallas Campbell takes on the big brother technology that will track every one of us simply by the way we walk; Liz Bonnin confronts the controversial US scientist working to create the first generation of artificial life; and Dr Yan Wong tackles unsuspecting shoppers with a simple question: how do you cook an egg with a piece of newspaper?
2Jet PackIn this second episode of the series, the team take on more scientific challenges. Engineer Jem Stansfield designs, builds and then puts his life in his hands by tying himself to a water jet pack. Zoologist Liz Bonnin finds out if insects are the future of food, science-mad Dallas Campbell investigates NASA's latest attempts to prove there is life beyond Earth, and roving reporter Dr Yan Wong challenges the people of Cambridge to blow up a bin liner.
3Vacuum ClimberIn the latest of the series that puts science to the test, the team takes on more fun experiments and challenges. Dallas Campbell traces the incredible global journey of 30,000 indestructible plastic ducks, while Liz Bonnin goes on manoeuvres at the bottom of the Baltic Sea in the Royal Navy's latest search and rescue sub. Dr Yan Wong challenges the people of Cardiff to take on the might of friction, and Jem Stansfield uses two domestic vacuum cleaners to climb up the side of a building.
4Rockets & SpaceThe team take on more popular science. Liz Bonnin investigates recent research into the magnetic qualities of cows, while Dallas Campbell puts psychological priming to the test. Dr Yan Wong demonstrates why rockets work in space with the help of an underwater firework, and Jem Stansfield tries to put the programme in the space race.
5Adrenaline JunkieJem Stansfield attempts to defeat the US Navy's latest weapon with no more than some foam and a crash helmet. Zoologist Liz Bonnin gets in contact with her frog brain, Dallas Campbell re-programmes his caveman brain to become a thrill-seeker, and Dr Yan Wong gets his thrills from inhaling sulphur hexafluoride.
6HelicoptersJem Stansfield takes to the air with the Royal Navy to explain how helicopters work, while Liz Bonnin puts brain training devices to the test. Dallas Campbell investigates the new space entrepeneurs in California, and Dr Yan Wong shows how to melt glass with a microwave.
7Braking Systems & Origins Of SpeechJem Stansfield tests out new braking systems that won't burn money, Liz Bonnin looks into the origins of speech by trying to wipe out someone's speech cortex, Dallas Campbell takes part in a sea race with Dame Ellen MacArthur to try and explain why British summers are rubbish and Dr Yan Wong explains a common optical illusion.
8Microwave Death Ray & GyroscopesJem Stansfield builds a microwave death ray to prove the existence of invisible and untapped energy, Liz Bonnin takes on the nature versus nurture debate with a troop of monkeys, Dr Yan Wong explains how gyroscopes work with the help of a couple of office chairs, and Dallas Campbell decides to save the world of physics from crisis by trying to find a missing bit of the universe.
9Spider Silk & Flight SchoolJem Stansfield puts spider silk - the strongest material in the natural world - to the test; Liz Bonnin joins the RAF's flight school to find out the truth about multi-tasking; Dr Yan Wong experiments with sodium acetate; and Dallas Campbell dusts off his top hat to reveal the secret science of magic.
10Toffee Powered Rocket & Sense Of SmellThe team take on more scientific challenges. Jem Stansfield decides to build a rocket powered by toffee and then thinks it would be a good idea to ride it. Liz Bonnin investigates our sense of smell and whether it can make us smarter. Dr Yan Wong demonstrates the connection between electricity and magnetism. And Dallas Campbell explains nuclear fusion by going to the circus.