Ep 4. Plane Boarding; Bite the Bullet

In MythBusters season 15 episode 4, titled "Plane Boarding; Bite the Bullet," the team takes on two myths related to travel and ballistics.

Firstly, the team tackles the myth of the most efficient way to board a plane. There are a few strategies out there, but the team explores two of the most popular: zone boarding and random boarding. They set up an experiment in which they have 173 passengers (played by volunteers) board a full-size mock-up of an airplane using each strategy. The team measures the time it takes for each group to board and also assesses how often passengers have to stop and wait for others to take their seats. They analyze the data to determine which is the more efficient method for getting passengers on a plane quickly and safely.

In the second half of the episode, the team moves on to testing the myth of whether or not biting a bullet can help alleviate pain. This myth has been around for centuries and gained some traction during wartime when soldiers were facing surgeries without modern anesthetics. The idea is that biting down on a bullet forces the jaw muscles to tense, which in turn distracts the brain from the pain. The team sets up an experiment in which they have volunteers take part in two pain tests—one while biting a bullet replica and one without. They measure participants’ pain levels throughout the tests and see if there is a difference in pain perception when biting down.

As usual, the MythBusters team uses their signature blend of science, experimentation, and humor to test these age-old myths. Viewers can look forward to lots of explosions, clunky airplane boarding, and some uncomfortable-looking bullet biting.