MythBusters Episode 48: "Franklin’s Kite"
Air Date: March 8, 2006
Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity by flying a kite during a thunderstorm.
busted
The experiment itself worked perfectly as described, but the current produced by artificial lightning (which is a fraction of what a real lightning bolt would contain) was fatal. Based on this observation, the Build Team concluded that Franklin could not possibly have survived a direct hit as the popular story of the experiment states. They also found that the kite need not be directly struck by lightning in order for the experiment to work. Experiment: confirmed; Myth: busted.
(This is not an accurate description of the "Franklin kite story." According to H.W. Brand’s biography The First American, the story is as follows: Franklin flew a silk kite (with a hemp line holding a metal key near the end) underneath a cloud during a thunderstorm. Franklin connected the device to a piece of silk to insulate himself. After some time flying the kite, he noticed the fibers on the hemp line standing up as though charged. He touched the key with his knuckle and felt a charge from the accumulated electricity in the air, not from a lightning strike.)
Flatulence can be induced by consuming beans.
confirmed
While consuming a diet of beans for one day, Adam’s rate of flatulence doubled.
Flatulence can be induced by consuming carbonated soft drinks.
confirmed
While consuming only carbonated drinks for one day, Kari’s rate of flatulence doubled.
Flatulence can be induced by consuming beef.
busted
Jamie’s rate of flatulence did not change after consuming a diet of beef for one day.
It is possible to flatuate so much, you can suffocate from the gas expelled.
busted
The amount of potentially deadly gases found in an average flatus, such as carbon dioxide, is too low to cause its concentration to rise to fatal levels in a few hours, even in a small airtight room. In fact, breathing causes the CO2 levels to rise much faster.
Lighting a match will burn the odorous gases in a flatus.
busted
Lighting a match does not reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan, the odorous gases commonly found in flatulence. The smell of a safety match being ignited instead masks the smell of methyl mercaptan.
Do girls pass gas?
confirmed
Kari was fitted with a special panty equipped with a microphone connected to an amplifier and a hydrogen sulfide meter. The meter malfunctioned, giving false positive readings. However, the microphone did record the sound of a released flatus.
(This was not aired as part of the broadcast episode. It has been shown in an outtakes reel at live appearances by the MythBusters.)
A flatus can be ignited.
confirmed
Adam had some initial performance anxiety, but finally did release a flatus that could be ignited by a butane lighter. The flamable methane within a regular flatus, despite only making up about 7% of the flatus’ gasses, is still enough send it alight upon release (when it first contacts and mixes with the air, but before it can diffuse altogether).
(This was not aired as part of the broadcast episode. It has been shown in an outtakes reel at live appearances by the MythBusters.)
Yes, a good friend of mine used to like to conduct this experiment at social gatherings. I am surprised that he doesn’t listen to Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”.
As for the Benjamin Franklin type experiment, would the lightning follow the path of the string? I want to try an experiment similar to this for other reasons, but I am concerned about making this path from earth to the positive current.
June 26, 2007 at 10:15 AMI was in Montreal in 1995 and read a small story in the paper about someone who had died and it was stated that he presumably overwhelmed by flatulence and died. Of course this was an extreme example–the guy was a hermit and had a very small, unvented apartment. I didn’t follow the story to confirm whether this was the final findings of an autopsy.
June 30, 2007 at 12:15 PMRegarding:
“Flatulence can be induced by consuming beef”
This needs to be revisited. I have found that it is not just beef but Ground Beef that produces the Flatus. Shortly after seeing this episode I was gathered with friends and I brought frozen MEATBALLS and heated them up with BBQ sauce. I ate almost 2 pounds of the meatballs or more over the next 3 hours. I was blessed with very large volumes of flatus. I have repeated this 2 more times (not necessarily on purpose).
It is not so much the beef as it is the ground beef. Of course it could be the additives in the meat balls. My butcher explained that ground meat is more likely to do this as the introduction of air into the beef causes a form of fermentation.
I think this particular piece could use a revisit.
September 13, 2007 at 10:13 AMi heard from somewhere that a guy try to light an cow’s flatulence thinking that he will see flames shooting out of the rear. but resulting the cow blow up and killing the animal and himself included. not
October 18, 2007 at 11:22 PMnot sure if i got the source right. but i think i saw it on mtv or before mythbuster time on discovery.
http://www.darwinawards.com/legends/legends2000-06.html
something like that.
October 18, 2007 at 11:28 PMbut if you ignite a flatus will the burning of the methane also consume the odorants?
October 20, 2007 at 8:10 PMyou know guys passing gas or flatulence, a more better way is drinking mike,cooked veggies i belieave its more better for results,wth the burning match
October 20, 2007 at 11:20 PMthe last time I posted this I didn’t even see this episode. But now I did and I give it two thumbs up.
November 18, 2007 at 5:58 PMActually the H2S is much more toxic than CO2
March 19, 2008 at 10:50 PMlethal dosage is about 300 to 500 ppm (H2S) in comparison to 50,000 ppm (CO2). The calculation was therefore wrong. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_sulfide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide
If a old time heater like a 1880’s one would explode if you shot a gun at it.
May 5, 2008 at 7:14 PMI recently saw an episode where they compared flatulance of men & women, who produces more? Results were basically equal, my question is what is the volume for a 24 hour period?
May 18, 2008 at 4:49 AMMost of the gases (CO2, H2S etc) emitted via “the toothless one” are water soluble”. Collecting the samples in water means the part of the gases will be dissolved in the water in the sample - reducing the air concentration of the gas. If all the tests in the show were based on the GC sample result without reference checks the myth death by flatus may still by plausible!?
May 19, 2008 at 5:38 AMRe Flatus
I shared “digs” ( rooming house with two
meals provided)with a group of law students.
These dudes, the enquiring legal mind no
doubt,had recently discovered that a Flatus
could be ingited.
I as a mere Engineer could have told them
May 20, 2008 at 5:38 AMthat when flame velocity > gas velocity
you get burn back, a very painfull condition.
Re Suffocation in small room
I think there was a TV program about it.
The story was that a group of residents had noticed a rather unpleasant smell
emanating from a room/apartment whatever.
Constable Plod was called in to investigate and on knocking the door down
the place was seen to be empty of human occupation. The occupier who had been missing for a while was nowhere in evidence.
However the walls and ceilings were covered
by an oily sooty mess.
This had happened on a number of previous occasions. The connecting facts being, that the occupier had lived alone,it was winter time,all the places where cold air could enter the room were sealed, there was evidence of a fire being lit.
The conclusion was that the person had fallen unconscious in front of the fire
May 20, 2008 at 6:01 AMand his clothes had acted like a wick.!