Comments on: Episode 137: Boomerang Bullet

By: Logak

Logak — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:45:28 +0000

Guys, the myth was about the tree itself being used as a catapult. Not a slingshot in the trees.

Again, my only quibble with that myth is rigidity in the numerical values. I doubt anyone was making any official measurements of how far away the tree was from the castle – they could be off by five feet too far away and that might be enough to get Buster over the edge. But that’s their decision to make, and if they want to stick to the estimated numbers, then that’s their call.

By: Sammy

Sammy — Tue, 11 May 2010 19:30:19 +0000

Way back in 1965, when I was on the shooting team of my R.O.T.C. unit, we used .22 shorts. The targets were 25 feet away. One day some idiot who had no business on the range, he did not even know how to use the safety, fired off a round that hit in the corner, bouncing off two walls and hit the instructer in the chest. He did not even get a bruise.

By: GWB

GWB — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:28:47 +0000

It is premature to call the tree catapult, “busted”.

In medieval trebuchets, the missile was loaded into a sling attached by a rope to the end of the firing arm. On release, the sling followed a curved trajectory, developing significantly more speed than the end of the rigid firing arm. (Effectively, the sling greatly improves conversion of potential to kinetic energy).

The experiment should be repeated placing Buster in a sling attached by a rope close to the top of the tree. The difficulty will be in designing the sling both to hold buster and to release him at the right moment. It may help to tie Buster into a ball, also improving his aerodynamic efficiency. Alternatively one could fire Buster’s head only, although further investigation would be required as to how effectively a head will transmit disease!

By: john

john — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:53:25 +0000

to Candace it is a myth pure and simple that moms and dads told their kids to keep them from drinking coffee. coffee will not stunt the growth of of a kid but that is the least of the problems that a mom or a dad would be worried abt hello caffeine and kid dont make good bed fellows. watch hoodwinked or over the hedge and you will understand

By: Candace

Candace — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:37:30 +0000

Is it true that if little kids drink alot of coffee everyday will they stop growing???

By: leslie krause

leslie krause — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 03:13:51 +0000

Your catapult for throwing a body over a castle wall lacked range because you were throwing the body parallel to the ground. Restrain the catapult throwing arm to 45 degrees and you double time that gravity must act on the body. This will double the distance the body will travel.

By: James Lambertt

James Lambertt — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:20:34 +0000

that and cut the branches off the tree to prevent wind resistance and adjust the height of buster in the tree. a notch could hold him in a sitting position. there are a lot of ways that some myths would work out that have been busted in the past.

By: James Lambertt

James Lambertt — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:15:37 +0000

why not use the pine tree lumber to make a catapult. or try a more elastic tree in different area and use something to hold the body in place like the leather on the back of a sling shot to hold the projectile.

By: NAVY

NAVY — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:37:40 +0000

To somebody who thinks this is only entertainment: Yes, this is very good entertainment and very good science, too.
Confirmed.

By: navy

navy — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:20:16 +0000

To Randy: Because you were interested in the ship question, you will get the answer.
The military ship was under tow so long, that the screws were running free fast enough. They were running the axles and then the couplings were connected to the main motors. They started without electricity!
Confirmed.