Ep 9. Hollywood Explosions

In the explosive ninth episode of season 2 of Street Science, titled "Hollywood Explosions," Kevin and his team dive into the world of pyrotechnics and special effects to recreate some of Hollywood's most iconic movie explosions.

The episode kicks off with Kevin and his team heading to an abandoned quarry in the Nevada desert to build a massive fireball explosion. Using a variety of special effects techniques, including air mortars and propane burners, Kevin sets out to create a realistic, multi-stage explosion that would rival anything seen on the big screen.

Once they have perfected the fireball explosion, the team heads back to the lab to take on a new challenge: creating a car explosion. While many explosions in movies are done with practical effects, like actual explosions and pyrotechnics, they are often augmented with CGI to make them bigger and more impressive. Kevin and his team set out to recreate this process in the lab by using real-life explosions and then adding in digital effects to make the explosion more intense.

To do this, they create a miniature model of a car and then blow it up using a combination of gasoline and oxygen. They then film the explosion and use a computer program to layer on additional flames and smoke to make the explosion appear more powerful.

Next, Kevin turns his attention to a different kind of explosion: a building implosion. To recreate this kind of explosion, Kevin and his team build a large structure out of shipping containers and then set explosives to create a controlled collapse. Using high-speed cameras, they capture the collapse from multiple angles and slow it down to reveal the intricate details of the explosion.

Finally, the episode wraps up with a look at one of the most iconic explosions in movie history: the famous Death Star explosion from Star Wars. Kevin and his team set out to recreate this explosion by building a miniature model of the Death Star and then blowing it up using a combination of propane, gasoline, and black powder.

As they work on each explosion, Kevin takes time to explain the science behind the special effects and how they can be applied in real-life situations. He also talks about the safety precautions that go into creating these explosions to avoid injury or damage to equipment.

Overall, "Hollywood Explosions" is a thrilling and informative episode that takes viewers behind the scenes of some of their favorite movies to explore the science behind the special effects. With plenty of explosions, high-speed cameras, and expert analysis, this episode is sure to appeal to science buffs and movie fans alike.