The MythBusters The MythBusters

MythBusters Episode 55: Steam Cannon

Premier Date: July 19, 2006

A cereal box can have more nutritional value than the sugary cereal within.

busted

All tests showed that cereal have superior values of calories, fats, sugars, and proteins compared to cardboard. Furthermore, chemicals within the cardboard may be toxic.

Archimedes was able to build a powerful steam cannon, using technology available at the time.

busted

A flash-boil-powered cannon, built even with modern materials and techniques, was barely able to push a projectile out of the barrel. A more modern pre-boiled, valve-triggered system, like those used in aircraft catapults, was able to project a cannonball a considerable distance, and required far less pressure than the MythBusters had originally predicted.