macbook air commercial - â Mythbusters, airplane on a conveyor belt

January 31st, 2008 · No Comments

macbook air commercial -

Starting in about 40 minutes, I’ll be liveblogging the Mythbusters episode where they take on the infamous airplane on a conveyor belt problem. Updates will be reverse chronological (newest at the top) so don’t scroll down if you’re DVRing the episode for later viewing or otherwise don’t want anything spoiled.

Fair warning? Ok here we go.

10:32p I’ve turned comments on. Why not!!

10:04p
The plane took off so easily. The laws of physics are proven correct once again. But I’m not sure this is going to settle anything. I’m getting email as we speak that the test was unfair. Plane was too light. Tarp was pulled too slowly. Etc. But the thing is, it doesn’t matter how large the plane is…given enough runway and a strong enough conveyor belt, it will still take off. Ditto for the speed of the treadmill…it doesn’t matter how fast the treadmill is moving. It could be going 300 mph in the opposite direction and as long as the bearings in the plane’s wheels don’t melt, it’s gonna take off. (For an explanation, try this one by my friend Mouser, who has a MIT ~~Ph.D in Physics~~ Sc.D. in Nuclear Science and Engineering.)

9:58p
The Plane Takes Off

9:58p
Heeeeeeeere we go.

9:56p
The pilot flying the ultralight is predicting that he won’t be able to take off.

9:55p
Orville Wright died 60 years ago today.

9:50p
Cockroach mini-myth: cockroaches would survive a nuclear blast longer than humans but there were other kinds of bugs that fared better. Another commercial.

9:47p
Back to the shaving cream in the car prank. Now they’re going to use A-B foam…they’re trying to fill all the space in the car and perhaps explode it. Totally worked.

9:44p
Expedia commercial. Nice synergistic placement. Good work, Discovery Channel’s ad sales team.

9:43p
Ok, to do the large-scale plane test, they’re using a 2000 foot tarp and a 400 pound ultralight. Tarp is pulled in one direction and the plane tries to take off in the other direction. The wind is picking up and blowing the tarp runway all over the place. They’re also having problems with punching holes in the tarp. They’re going to try again after we hear some more about radioactive cockroaches. Aaaand, another commercial.

9:36p
Second mini-myth: i
Source: macbook air commercial - â Mythbusters, airplane on a conveyor belt