MythBusters Episode 9: Chicken Gun, Octopus Egg Pregnancy, Killer Washing Machine

A frozen chicken launched in a bird strike simulation can penetrate aircraft or train windshields better than a thawed chicken.

plausible*

Originally, impact time or force transferred was the same for both frozen and thawed chickens, but this test was not conducted using airline-qualified glass, which has a thicker consistency than normal pane glass. This myth was later revisited in season 2.

* The original result was “busted,” but when revisited in episode 14 it was changed to “plausible.”

While over-stuffing his washing machine with laundry, a man accidentally wedged himself into the machine and tripped the spin cycle, flailing him around, spilling laundry detergent and bleach as he was bludgeoned to death against the shelves. Afterwards, the man’s dog urinated on the detergent and bleach, causing an explosion that set the room on fire.

busted

Not one part of this myth was confirmed to be even plausible. A normal washing machine drum can be halted in its spin cycle simply by grabbing on to it. In addition, most machines have a safety feature that prevents the machine from running if the door is open. Finally, dog urine does not react with bleach or detergent in a way that would cause an explosion.

A woman, while swimming, accidentally swallows a fertilized octopus egg, which gestates in her stomach and caused symptoms similar to that of pregnancy.

busted

The human stomach is too inhospitable an environment to sustain an octopus egg through its full gestation.