Ep 13. Heroes and Hoaxers

Outrageous Acts of Science, the hit series on Science Channel, has returned with its second season to unveil some of the most extraordinary and bizarre experiments, inventions, and discoveries. The show is based on the idea that science can be entertaining and engaging as it presents the science behind some of the most outrageous acts of human ingenuity.

In Season 2, Episode 13, Outrageous Acts of Science explores the thin line between heroes and hoaxers. The episode looks at the daring stunts and feats that have made some individuals famous and revered, while others have failed and become infamous. The show features a panel of experts who analyze and break down these events to reveal the science behind them.

The episode starts off by chronicling the heroic exploits of Evel Knievel, the iconic American stuntman who thrilled audiences with his daredevil motorcycle jumps. Knievel attempted to jump over the Snake River Canyon in Idaho in 1974, riding a steam-powered rocket. The panel of experts examines the unique challenges of the rocket design and the physics of the jump. They also analyze the risks involved and the science behind what made Knievel such an enduring figure in American culture.

The episode then moves on to a hoax that captivated people’s imaginations in the late 1990s. The “Alien Autopsy” was a purported footage of an autopsy of an extraterrestrial being claimed to have been recovered from a UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. The purported footage was aired in 1995 by a British television presenter, who claimed to have purchased it from a former U.S. military cameraman. The panel scrutinizes the video footage and dissects the flaws in the story and the technology of the time, which points to a hoax.

Moving forward, the experts explore the science behind a real-life hero, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who landed a damaged passenger plane on the Hudson River in 2009, saving all 155 people on board. The panel examines the calculations that Sullenberger and his crew had to make in a matter of minutes to bring the plane down safely and the engineering behind the cockpit controls.

Next up is a hoax that targeted people’s fear and superstition. The infamous “crop circles” phenomenon has been the subject of much debate and speculation for decades, with some people claiming that they are the work of extraterrestrial beings. The episode dives into the science of crop circles, revealing the complex mathematical patterns that make up these designs and the tools that hoaxers may use to create them.

In the final segment of the episode, the experts turn their attention to another real-life hero, expedition leader Ernest Shackleton. Shackleton led an Antarctic expedition in 1914 that turned into a harrowing ordeal after his ship became trapped in ice and was eventually crushed. Shackleton and his men were forced to endure bitter cold, starvation, and the elements for months until they were finally rescued. The panel studies the science behind the human ability to survive extreme environments.

Throughout the episode, the panel of experts breaks down the science behind some of the most outrageous, daring, and often bizarre acts of human ingenuity. From heroes to hoaxers, the actions of these individuals offer an insight into the human spirit and the power of science to explain our world.