Comments on: Episode 93: Confederate Steam Gun

By: Kate

Kate — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:46:22 +0000

I think that for the lie detector test you should have tested someone who is used to thinking on their feet, like a improver. Your results may have been different.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:52:53 +0000

Busted for the steam cannon. Not sure. What was the material of the ball? smaller ball could maybe do better penetration. And to people who think about steam in the cannon. guys… there were no steam in the cannon. It was the centrifugal power that throw the ball.. not steam itself. but I really think that a bit smaller ball. and longer barrel could change everything here. double the barrel length and wow…

By: FB

FB — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:35:37 +0000

Penn and Teller claim that the lie detector can be fooled through tightening and releasing the sphincter muscles. However, their “tests” were not as rigorous as Mythbusters’ tests tend to be. Would be interesting for MB to do that test more scientifically.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:56:27 +0000

HUGE FAN OF YOUR SHOW!
I dont agree with busted for the steam powered machine gun because you used rubber maybe if you used metal and it should oh worked. And i think too much steam escaped the barrel.

By: Mel Goldberg

Mel Goldberg — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:29:21 +0000

Your cannon did not work because there was not enough seal areound the ball letting the presure out.Barreel has to be packed tight.

By: Mel Goldberg

Mel Goldberg — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:27:54 +0000

The reason you Confederate cannon did not work is because the ball was in too loose.You needed to pack the ball tighter so that no steam could escape around the ball which would force the ball out with presure.

By: ed

ed — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:55:09 +0000

Guys,
Read the stuff on the web about control and relevant questions and what to do in each case then let the team practise those principles on a polygraph for a day and then redo the tests.

By: Tiexandrea

Tiexandrea — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 08:58:29 +0000

while everyone was concentrating on the steam gun, i looked more into the polygraph testing myth. i honestly believe that it kinda fell short.

the mythbusters/buildteam/researchers might have forgotten that there might be (truthfully or mythically) certain professions that are trained to lie and beat the polygraph test by necessity, such as undercover police officers, spies or even the marines. or they could throw in some politicians, telemarketers and used car salesmen. i honestly believe that the episode would’ve been more informative if they tested the polygraph with those types of need-to-lie-to-live professions. it would’ve been really interesting.

also, if they were loyal to their drive in “replicating the results” after a supposed bust, they should’ve tried the polygraph test in its absolute worst case scenario. picture this — if a polygraph test was administered to a person in the outdoors, in a relaxing environment, or in the safety and privacy of their own home, would the polygraph still be able to do its job properly? and how properly? and what happens if you do it to a child? ^_^

mythbusters, i love you guys, but you have to understand that a passed/failed polygraph test is often the difference between guilty/innocent, between job/jobless or between life/death. i’d understand if you won’t want to revisit, but it could’ve been better.

and my sympathies for Kari’s bus ride.T_T

By: caleb

caleb — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:25:59 +0000

We have an electronics kit at home and when the fuse went out, my older brother used a paper clip to bypass it.

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 23:51:29 +0000

The problem with this gun was projectile velocity. At 2000 rpms the projectiles only had a velocity of about 250 fps. Most handguns fire at three or more times that. If the barrel was extended a higher velocity would be achieved. The same could be accomplished with higher rpms. Another way to increase lethality would be the use of lead instead of steel shot.