The MythBusters The MythBusters

MythBusters Episode 101: Alaska Special

Premier Date: April 30, 2008

If a dog retrieves a stick of dynamite thrown onto a frozen lake and gets underneath an SUV, the dynamite will blow a hole in the ice that will cause the SUV to sink.

busted

To test this myth, Adam and Jamie went to Fischer Pond in Alaska. The dog consistently retrieved and brought back the object thrown onto the frozen lake, at about the same speed each time. However, when a stick of dynamite was detonated under an SUV, it did next to nothing. It took 24 pounds of dynamite packed into high-density directional cones to blow a hole large enough to sink the SUV.

“Cabin fever” is real.

plausible

To test this myth, Adam and Jamie were locked inside separate cabins in Alaska, with no entertainment at all. Both regularly took cognitive tests (to measure mental capacity) and saliva tests (to measure stress.) However, the results of the cognitive tests were too consistent, and the saliva tests were rendered worthless by the fact that Adam and Jamie frequently ate and drank beforehand. However, Adam exhibited all four common symptoms of cabin fever (irritability, forgetfulness, angry eyes, and excessive sleeping) and Jamie exhibited one (excessive sleeping).

If you are going to hit a moose with a vehicle, it is safer to hit it at a higher speed than to try to slow down.

busted

The Build Team ran identical cars into a fake rubber moose at two different speeds. The damage from the high speed impact was located higher up on the vehicle and was more severe. It was speculated that hitting a moose at a high speed would only work with a very low car such as an F1 race car. Such a car would be able to take out the legs and clear the area before the moose fell on top of it.