Narrator: on this episode
of "mythbusters"...
[ Scottish accent ] this one's
for distance and for glory!
Sergeant hyneman
and private savage
Get into hot water...
Working on these machines
is great for my skin!
...investigating
a civil w*r machine g*n
Supposedly powered by steam.
Unh!
Isn't that awesome?
Then it's liar, liar,
pants on fire...
You're not a thief,right?
No.
...when kari, grant, and tory
Embark on some crime
and punishment
To test mythical ways
of beating the lie detector.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Who are the mythbusters?
It's time to blow some stuff up.
Narrator:
adam savage...
And jamie hyneman.
That was fun.
Between them, more than 30 years
of special-effects experience.
This is the kind of thing I do
on the weekend.
Narrator:
joining them, kari byron...
Come over here.
You smell that?
...grant imahara...
He's alive!
Narrator:
...and tory belleci.
This is starting to feel like
a bad idea.
Narrator:
they don't just tell the myths.
They put them to the test.
Suck your gut in there,
soldier.
I detect a civil w*r myth
on the way.
Sir,
that's correct, sir!
I'd like you to picture
the following in your head.
In the civil w*r,
the main thing they used
For all their cannons
and their g*ns was black powder,
But the confederate army
was running out of black powder
Towards the end
of the civil w*r
And so decided to design a
steam-powered machine g*n, sir.
Hold on a second.
Haven't we already been down
that road with steam cannons?
They didn't work too well.
Sir, that's correct.
We did build
a steam cannon, sir,
But this is not a cannon
powered by pressure.
This is a machine g*n powered
centrifugally by a spinning disk
That flings the projectile
like a slingshot out of the g*n.
It's up to us
to build one, sir.
Gee, that sounds like fun.
Stand easy, private savage.
There's a graphic coming.
Modern machine g*ns work
using expl*sive force
To fire b*ll*ts at a rapid rate.
But incredibly,
this civil w*r g*n
Worked more like a slingshot.
A slingshot uses centrifugal
force to propel a projectile.
Replace the sling with a barrel
and adam with a steam engine,
And you've got yourself
the mythical steam machine g*n.
You know, machine g*ns
are complicated.
This is going to be
a tough build.
Yeah, and right now there are
way too many unknowns.
We don't even know
if this thing existed,
Let alone
if there are any plans,
If it was ever used
in battle,
Or if it was just
some propaganda machine.
We can't just go
inventing something.
We need more information
about it.
More facts
is what I've got for you
Because the researchers have
gotten us a civil w*r expert
Specifically on this g*n.
I'm going to go talk to him,
find out what he knows,
And that should give us a real
leg up to getting started.
Okay.
Down at fort point
In the foggy shadow
of the golden gate bridge,
Adam meets civil w*r weaponry
expert john lamb,
Who hasn't just heard
of the mythical device.
He studied it.
Tell me about this thing.
Tell me everything.
The most important place
to start is,
The winans steam g*n
did exist.
It's a real device.
It did exist.
And he's brought along
the original plans
To prove there's nothing
mythical about this g*n,
Which begs the question...
Can you tell me
how it actually worked?
The best way
to describe it for you
Is a barrel
with an opening at the top
And then it comes down in
a curve and goes out like this.
So, as it turned around,
It would snap one piece of shot
out, keep going, do another.
How lethal was this thing,
and how fast could it fire?
That's the big mystery.
There are accounts
saying it was tested
And it seemed to be
really deadly.
There are others
that say it never worked
And nobody could prove it.
So, that's a big mystery.
So now that adam and jamie
know the g*n existed,
Their task is to build it
And get to the bottom
of the disparate accounts
Of how effective it was.
And back at h.q.,
They begin by brainstorming
To bring the original plans
back to life.
Need some sort of a union
that has the actual --
Like two blocks, basically,
holding everything.
Over an hour of mind-boggling
tech talk later,
One thing's apparent --
this isn't gonna be easy.
I think we need to break this
down into the discrete parts.
They finally get to grips
with their mammoth task
By boiling it down to four key
components -- the g*n barrel...
Okay, so the business end
is a curved barrel there.
Yeah.
...a method of feeding a*mo
into the g*n...
We're gonna use a hollow axle
to feed the a*mo in.
...a motor to spin
the g*n barrel...
The first thing
that comes to mind for me
Is an air tool,
you know, impeller.
...and easiest of all,
steam to power the motor...
Why don't we get
a water heater?
...which leaves
just one question.
What are we gonna use
for a*mo?
I think we should
go with steel ba*ls.
This is gonna be
terrifying.
Good.
We got a plan.
I totally agree.
Let's get to it.
So, after
a category-5 brainstorm,
The guys have a plan,
which looks a lot like this.
Two water heaters will generate
steam, driving two motors.
These, in turn, will spin the
curved g*n barrel at 2,000 rpm.
A clockwork a*mo feeder
will drop the ball,
And the centrifugal force
will fling it out the barrel.
At least, that's the theory,
Because, as this glimpse
into the future confirms,
This ballistic build will test
The team's engineering skills
to the limit...
I've never heard anything
like that.
...and provide
another frightening example
Of just how dangerous
being a mythbuster can be.
But all that's for later.
First up is the spinning,
flinging heart
Of the steam machine g*n,
The curved barrel.
Unlike the confederates,
jamie has access
To some impressive
But throughout the process,
The guys plan to stick
to the civil w*r specs.
Jamie:
well, so far, so good.
This is actually coming together
quite nicely.
I got to say, while it doesn't
look like a g*n barrel,
It's actually
really quite terrifying
Because this weighs
maybe 20 pounds or so,
And it's gonna be spinning
at thousands of rpm.
It's just horrifying.
Adam, check this out.
Narrator: so, the b*llet goes
in there and comes out here.
It's working.
That is so cool!
Now, imagine that spinning
at 33 times a second,
And you can see
why this ballistic build
Is making everyone nervous.
Yeah, I know it's fun.
Let me get back to work.
So, kari,
have I ever told you
That I sing in adam's band,
the gingertops, twice a month?
No.
And also, he was voted in
germany the sexiest tv star,
Second only
to david hasselhoff.
No.
Have I told you
that I was a small wookiee
In "star wars episode iii"?
No, you didn't,
because I would have seen you,
Because I was
a small wookiee.
Now you get it.
We're lying.
You know why?
No.
Because the fans have asked us
to test out mythical ways
To beat
the polygraph machine.
Once we're done with that,
we're gonna go up against
The latest in lie-detecting
technology, the fmri.
I haven't been this excited
since my last cage match.
Yeah, I want a rematch.
Narrator:
I won't lie to you.
The polygraph has been shrouded
in controversy.
Some say it's infallible,
but the mythbuster fan sites
Are awash with claims it can
be beat first time every time.
Okay, mythical ways
to beat the polygraph.
How are we gonna do this?
It sounds like
there's two different ways
To beat the polygraph machine,
and that's physical and mental.
The physical, you apply pain
while you're telling the truth,
Whether you're biting on your
tongue or stepping on a tack.
That way
when you're telling the lie,
It seems like you're relaxed,
And they think
you're telling the truth.
And the mental way is to think
of very stressful thoughts
While you're telling
the truth,
And when you tell a lie, you
think of very happy thoughts.
Well, we've used
a polygraph before,
But we are not
remotely qualified
To do it
for something this serious.
I think we need to find
an expert,
Somebody who works with the
police or the fbi or something.
Well, while the researchers
are looking for the experts,
We need to come up
with a way to test this
As realistically as possible.
Well, we have a few friends
in law enforcement.
Let's go down to the south
san francisco p.d.
And ask them
for a few tips.
Narrator: so, first up,
it's off to the cop shop,
Because if they're going to
test techniques
To beat the lie detector,
They want to know
the optimum conditions
For a real polygraph test.
Cue the south san francisco
p.d.'S lieutenant roy varney.
So, we are working on mythical
ways to beat the lie detector,
And we need to set up
a realistic scenario
So we get
the best possible results.
Well, if you guys
want to sit down for a second,
I'll go over some of this stuff.
Narrator:
lieutenant varney's recipe
for polygraph success
Has four key ingredients --
Two long hours in a sterile,
distraction-free location
Cover the first two.
The third issue is that of bias.
We really don't want
the examiner
To meet our subject
before the test.
Narrator:
so far, so good.
But it's the final factor
that's the most critical of all.
It needs to be a big lie.
There needs to be a reward-
versus-punishment aspect to it.
If you wanted an accurate test
of this,
You would need
to commit a crime.
Narrator:
it slowly dawns on the guys...
If they want to
test this myth properly,
They'll have to actually
commit a crime.
And that's because
a lie detector works
By measuring the physiological
changes to the human body
Associated with stress,
Including heart rate,
blood pressure, and sweat.
So committing a crime
With consequences
stressful enough to sweat over
Is the only way to really put
the polygraph through its paces.
And as far as lieutenant
varney's concerned,
Under these conditions,
there will be only one result.
Can't beat
a lie-detector test.
Now, there's a challenge.
Back at the shop,
the team begin
By building
the interrogation chamber.
But, remember, if you can't
do the time, don't do the mime.
Despite the clowning around,
Following lieutenant varney's
advice,
They have soon got
the perfect location
For their lie-detector tests,
Including
the obligatory two-way mirror.
You ever get the feeling
people are watching us work?
All the time.
Narrator: during the civil w*r,
the confederates,
Spurred on by dwindling
gunpowder stores,
Designed and built
a steam machine g*n.
But did it actually work,
and what was it capable of?
Questions adam and jamie
intend to answer
By building their very own
steam machine g*n.
That is so cool.
Jamie has completed
the crucial curved g*n barrel,
And he's welded it
into the heavy-duty frame.
Oh, that's lovely.
What they need now is a motor
to drive it.
Jamie:
this is the air impact wrench,
And because we're making
a steam machine g*n,
I figure a good place to start
Is to use an air impeller,
an air motor.
Narrator: driven by
compressed air, it's perfect,
Because after they incorporate
it into their design,
They can simply replace the air
with steam power.
Before that, they want
to take it for a quick spin,
So jamie g*ns the machine g*n.
[ Laughter ]
That feels great.
It's totally balanced.
And the slingshot g*n barrel
flings into action.
Jamie: what can I say?
It's working perfectly.
This thing is smooth
as it can possibly be.
It's really scary.
To cut down
on the scary factor,
Adam cuts a steel safety collar.
It encircles
the barrel of the g*n,
Ensuring the b*ll*ts can exit
in just one direction.
And that means
the guys are on track.
The barrel is spinning smoothly,
And the motor is firing
at the target speed.
The next component
in this beast of a build
Is adam's a*mo feeder.
This right here is the clockwork
That will pace out the b*ll*ts
being dropped into the barrel.
Narrator: so, this complicated
clockwork design can be dialed
To drop the a*mo
into the rotating barrel
At just the right moment.
If it works...
The b*llet will be flung
with maximum speed
And in the correct direction.
[ French accent ] this -- it may
look like a simple clockwork,
But I think of it as a map
of the most complex clockwork,
Like the planets.
It is not planetary gear, but I
think of it as a planetary gear,
Because each thing,
like a planet,
Moves in its place
and goes where it should.
It is not only a map
of the planets.
It is also a map of the atom.
In this way, the microcosm
is the macrocosm,
And phylogeny
recapitulates ontology.
I call it my horreurie.
Narrator:
after finding his lost marbles,
Adam adds his masterpiece
to the rig...
This is real.
It's working now.
Narrator: ...which means
the guys are ready
To put the steam
into their steam machine g*n.
And for that, they'll need
a household hot-water heater,
A plumbing necessity
the guys recently discovered
Has the expl*sive potential
of a b*mb.
If the pressure is kept below
the failure point of 350 psi,
They should be ideal
to power the g*n.
There's a lot of energy in steam
and in water heaters,
And that's why we're going to
use one for this job.
Narrator: but while plumbing
the heaters into the motor,
Replacing the compressed air,
jamie has soiled himself.
I thought the shirts had
some kind of resistant thing,
Some kind of new technology,
military maybe,
But they're just
normal shirts.
It's like, you know, my world
is crashing down around me.
While waiting for a replacement
shirt from the nsa,
Jamie goes in, g*ns blazing,
to complete the rig.
Perfect.
That ought to do.
Narrator:
and with the last nut, bolt,
And ballistic shield in place,
The guys are finally ready
for a test-fire.
All right, I'm putting in
one of our target b*ll*ts.
So adam feeds the a*mo feeder,
Jamie hits the power,
And the water heaters
are on the boil.
But as the tanks heat up
and the pressure increases,
An eerie hum rings out over m5.
[ Humming ]
What do you think that is?
I don't have a clue.
Seems to be coming out
of this one more, though.
The boys are baffled.
And while they search
for the sound's source,
The pressure and heat slowly,
but surely, rise.
I've never heard anything
like that.
The worried looks
are understandable.
Remember, at 350 psi,
they do this.
That's a rocket,
my friend.
The pressure has a way to go
Before it hits
that catastrophic failure point.
Adam: we've got water
at 260-some-odd degrees.
It's at 167 psi.
It's a huge amount
of energy.
Narrator: but with a whole heap
of homemade plumbing involved,
There's an element of doubt.
That is so creepy.
And adam is feeling
the pressure.
Can we just go away from the
steam and do only air pressure?
At a complete loss
As to the source
of the mysterious sound...
Just stay out of the jet.
...they open up a release valve
to let off some steam.
And to everyone's relief,
The eerie,
end-of-the-world humming stops.
Now it just stopped.
Cue a relieved,
adrenaline-fueled adam...
[ Laughs ]
...waxing lyrical
About his industrial
steam-engineering brethren.
Doing this,
I feel a total kinship
With the guys
who invented this thing.
This was made
during the steam age.
Steam was the power,
and it is an incredible power.
I imagine that doing this
for the first time
Out of hand-forged metal had to
have been not only petrifying
But a much higher probability
of being lethal.
Narrator:
counterintuitively,
After letting off
all that steam,
Their prototype
has maintained its pressure,
And here's our resident
steam lover to explain why.
The moment we release pressure,
all the water that isn't steam
Is being turned to steam
to help keep that pressure up.
It's very exciting.
It's actually --
Yeah, stop talking.
What's the psi?
With adam doing his best
kid-in-a-candy-store impression
And the rig
holding its pressure,
The guys are finally ready
to unleash the steam power
And fire up their g*n.
Jamie:
opening up this one.
So far, so good.
The steam successfully
spins the g*n barrel
At the projected 2,000 rpm...
Adam: it works.
What can I say?
It's running on steam.
...which means it's time for
this g*n to fire some a*mo.
All right, so,
this is first test
Of adam and jamie's
steam machine g*n.
With the team safely
behind the ballistics shield,
Adam remotely releases the ball.
Incredibly, 100 years
after it was designed...
Oh, wow.
...this steam-powered g*n works.
What did it do to our --
That worked beautifully.
We're at 155 psi.
I can see where it hit.
Look at that.
Is there a dent
on the outside metal?
Yes.
It may not look like it,
but it's working.
It put a dent
in a quarter inch of steel,
And that means, to me,
that if we get it tuned right
And the ball
doesn't hit the steel --
Instead, it comes out of the g*n
the way it's supposed to --
It'd probably
go through a person.
So, it is, in fact,
lethal as it stands now.
Narrator:
despite a timing issue
Resulting in a slingshot
firing into the safety collar
And not through the gap,
Adam and jamie
have a proof of concept.
Nice!
I'm very pleased.
And terrified.
Narrator:
last time the mythbusters
Played with a polygraph...
All right, grant,
I got our guinea pig.
...they attempted to get in
touch with a plant's feelings.
Ooh-whoo-ooh.
This is weird stuff, man.
But this time, the team
is tackling mythical techniques
To beat the rap
by perplexing the polygraph.
[ Bell dinging ]
But before the interrogation
comes the crime.
And adam, our criminal
mastermind, has all the details.
[ German accent ] in these three
envelopes I have a crime
Which two of you will commit
and one will not.
Narrator: after handing over
the sealed envelopes,
Adam leaves the team
To individually open
their instructions.
Burglar belleci is first.
All right, so,
here are the directions.
"Do not disclose this
information in this message
To anyone until told to do so."
Narrator:
and after opening his letter,
He returns to m5
on a quiet weekend morning.
"Enter jamie's office.
"Next to the computer on the top
shelf of a tall, white bookshelf
"You will find a tan cash box.
"Inside the box
you will find a wallet.
Open the wallet and remove $50."
Narrator: grant is next, and
his task is identical to tory's.
And with the cash
safely stashed,
He slips away to spend
his ill-gotten gains.
Last up, kari.
Kari:
"you are the innocent party.
Do not search the room.
Do not disturb anything."
I get to tell the truth.
I get to be the innocent party.
Narrator: so, kari is
the all-important control.
She didn't steal any cash and,
during the interrogation,
Will answer all questions
truthfully,
Which means it's time to meet
the man with the machine.
Dr. Michael martin has been
a polygraphist for over 15 years
And has conducted over 8,000
lie-detection tests.
Adam: there's a lot of people
out there
That think that polygraphs
are total bunk.
How would you respond
to that?
First of all,
let's look at the research.
The federal government
has done quite a few studies,
And each study,
the test results fall
Anywhere from about 80%
to about 99% in accuracy.
Before the guys test the reality
of those impressive numbers,
Ringmaster adam has one more
trick up his sleeve.
In order to actually get some
real physiological,
Autonomic responses, we're going
to raise the stakes for you.
And so,
if you are able to conceal
Whether or not you did this
crime from our polygraphist,
The next time you fly
for "mythbusters,"
You'll be flying
first-class.
Yes!
However,
if you fail to conceal
Whether or not you did this
crime from the polygraphist,
You will be washing, waxing,
and polishing
Every single crew member's car
on "mythbusters."
Oh, this sucks.
This went from fun to not fun.
Yeah.
Narrator: with the threat
of some real work
Hanging over their heads,
the pressure is on.
Burglar belleci will be
the first to face the music.
But how exactly will he attempt
to outwit the polygraph?
Tory:
my secret weapon.
I'm going to stick the tack
in my pocket like this,
Point it at my leg,
And whenever
I'm telling the truth,
I'm just going to press down
on my leg.
It should hurt.
It hurts.
Narrator: so, tory is trying to
invalidate the test as a whole
By blurring the line between
fact and fiction.
Remember,
the polygraph works
By measuring the stress
of lying.
So, the theory is,
By stressing your body with pain
on the truthful answers
And relaxing on the lies,
The machine
can't tell the difference.
To begin the test,
Dr. Martin asks a bunch
of simple calibration questions.
Is your first name
salvatore?
Yes.
Remember, every time
he answers truthfully,
He presses in the tack.
Calculate
Maths and pain have always
been partners for tory.
Do you intend to answer
my questions truthfully?
Yes.
Recently featured in the movie
"ocean's thirteen,"
This technique of self-harm
is a popular myth.
Did you steal that cash
Discovered missing
from jamie's office today?
No.
But the sensors
on the seat and floor
Catch even the slightest
suspicious movement.
Okay, that's a movement.
Please keep your eyes
straight ahead.
Tory: I tried going for
the tack, and he called me out,
So I had to go straight
to biting my tongue.
Narrator:
so, it's plan "b."
Tory's new painful
countermeasure is tongue biting.
During your entire life,
did you ever steal --
Money stolen from a cash box --
white envelope --
Did you steal
that cash?
No.
After a further 80 minutes
of intense scrutiny
And deliberately confusing
questions...
It was nice to meet you.
Yeah, it was nice
meeting you.
...tory and his tongue
finish the interrogation
Close to breaking point.
Got the third degree.
Felt like the screws were
being tightened down on me.
Narrator: grant's next,
and for his technique,
Rather than getting physical,
he's going mental.
Grant:
my happy/erotic thoughts
Are puppies licking my face
and scantily clad women.
Narrator: okay.
So, grant will use the power
of his not-inconsiderable mind.
By thinking stressful thoughts
of getting caught
When being honest
And happy thoughts when lying,
The test results are supposedly
rendered inconclusive.
Regarding that cash
reported missing --
Stolen from a cash box --
Your entire life
did you ever --
Is it you
who stole that cash?
No.
After 90 minutes, the strain
must be taking its toll.
Yes.
Grant's technique
Requires absolute focus
and concentration.
No.
But the intensity
and length of the interview
Are designed to counter
grant's countermeasure.
Okay.
That's going to do it.
Last up is innocent,
little kari.
Kari: I don't like people
throwing unexpected questions
At me like that.
I've seen montel.
I know how they
take people off guard.
Is your first name kari?
Narrator:
remember, she's the control
And didn't steal any cash.
But despite her innocence,
the stressful environment
And questioning takes its toll.
Was that money stolen
from a white envelope?
Jamie's chair --
Cash reported missing
from jamie's --
I will ask --
Kari:
I was waiting for that moment
when I was going to break down.
No.
The hardest part
is just holding still.
I thought I was gonna
have one flinch
And screw the whole thing up.
Narrator: the question is, will
her nerves confuse the polygraph
And lead to a false accusation?
That's the worst.
And to find out exactly who will
be charged with the crime
And who won't,
Dr. Martin gathers the suspects
for the results.
Dr. Martin:
first of all,
The good news is that no one's
test was inconclusive.
We have conclusive results
on everyone.
Really?
Absolutely.
Great!
Ohh!
Narrator: adam and jamie
are involved in a steamy affair.
Working on these machines
is great for my skin!
Using the civil w*r specs
and modern materials,
They've built
a steam-powered machine g*n.
It may not look like it,
but it's working.
Narrator:
with jamie drawing the line
At firing automatic weapons
in the shop,
It's off to the wide-open spaces
of the alameda runway.
Here the team will tackle
the central,
Unresolved question
of this myth --
Did it function effectively
as a weapon of w*r?
That's it.
There are a lot of conflicting
stories about this machine g*n.
Absolutely --
we have reports of it
Firing distances between
We have reports of it firing
And we have corporal
james whittaker's account
That ba*ls the size
of walnuts
Cut a target
completely in twain.
To test
these conflicting reports,
Adam and jamie will use
these three standards --
A range of 300 yards,
A rapid-fire capability
of 400 rounds per minute,
And, of course, lethal force.
Pass these best-case scenarios,
and it's myth confirmed.
With an eye on the range test,
Adam marks out 800 yards
of runway with a series of 2x4s.
And with everything plumbed in,
They put the water heaters on
to boil.
But there's a problem.
The pressure is flatlining.
We noticed that our pressure
wasn't building,
Even though the water
was heating up just fine.
And it looks like
our main valves failed.
So jamie's run off
to the hardware store
To find what valves he can,
and I'm gonna pull this off
And start to inspect these,
but this is a real roadblock.
With the afternoon
slipping away,
Jamie rushes back with the part,
But, unfortunately,
he proves, once again,
You can't beat the speed camera.
I rushed right down
to the local hardware store,
And, thankfully,
they had just what I needed.
It's sort of a gate valve.
There's no visible rubber seals
or anything.
It's rated for the pressures
we need.
It's metal to metal.
I think it's gonna work
just fine.
Unfortunately, since
the water is heating
And we're behind schedule now,
I was rushing,
And I got a speeding ticket.
You didn't say,
"I'm james [bleep] hyneman"?
[ Laughter ]
While jamie works out
if he can claim the ticket
As a business expense,
they fit the new valve.
Ha!
That's it.
And the heat and pressure head
rapidly for the butter zone.
Adam:
we've got a tachometer set up
So we know exactly
when it reaches 2,000 rpm.
We've got the pin -- I'll pull,
drop the ball in,
And we're going to see
this thing actually fire
For the first time
out in the wild.
Let's go.
Narrator: this is it.
The mythbusters are about to
fire a single round
From their steam-powered g*n.
The barrel is up to speed,
And adam is in position
to remotely release the a*mo.
Adam: we should hear a clang
the second I pull this.
Three, two, one.
[ Clang ]
That was it.
It happened
a little bit later.
Narrator:
just like the proof-of-concept
test back at m5,
There seems to be
a timing problem.
[ Clang ]
Can you see the mark?
I can.
There's a new mark.
Narrator:
the b*llet is hitting the collar
And not firing through the gap.
I don't know what the heck
we're going to do about that.
I don't know what to do
except line up five ba*ls
And see what happens
when I drop them all.
Maybe they'll all --
woop, woop, woop --
Just let each other go.
What do you think?
Want to try that one?
Let's try that one.
It's a ballsy plan
That has adam bouncing around
Like a cartoon character
on caffeine --
A test-fire
with multiple rounds.
Fire this puppy.
Our fun-loving criminals
have been testing mythical ways
To beat the polygraph,
and the results are in.
The good news is that no one's
test was inconclusive.
Remember,
grant and tory are guilty
And tried to invalidate the test
With two different
countermeasures.
Felt like the screws were
being tightened down on me.
Narrator:
but kari was innocent.
So, did dr. Martin pick it?
Kari, you were found
not to be involved in the theft.
Your test was truthful
and honest.
Unfortunately, the men's tests
didn't go as well.
They both failed clearly
on all issues.
Clearly?
I knew I failed.
Narrator:
the numbers don't lie.
Both our crims scored
a probability of guilt
Greater than 99%.
Dr. Martin had no problem
spotting tory's attempt
To mask his responses with pain.
As for grant...
In your particular case,
It was your skin glands
were the most telling.
You just couldn't
suppress it.
There's no way
you could do that.
You didn't have a chance!
I'm not cut out for crime.
What can I say?
Narrator: quite simply,
the boys didn't have a chance.
Modern polygraphs, when used
by experienced polygraphers,
Are very effective.
The trick questions...
During your entire life,
did you ever break the law?
...the intimidating atmosphere,
and myriad of sensors
Mean they are very,
very difficult to beat...
Yes.
...which means
it's time for the boys
To make like an '80s disco diva
and hit the car wash.
Tory: I didn't bring my bikini.
Did you bring yours?
This is totally ridiculous,
and the producers know it.
So much for beating
the polygraph machine.
We both failed.
At least all the cars
are clean.
[ Laughs ]
that's funny.
There is one other system
of lie detecting
That I think
we need to test.
They actually use
brain mapping
To tell whether or not
you're lying.
And they say
it's 90% accurate.
I've heard of that.
They use an fmri.
And they can actually see
the part of your brain
That's used for lying.
So, this is less
about mythbusting
And more about the science
of lying.
Narrator: and to uncover
the science of lying,
They have to do some flying.
The medical university
of south carolina
Is at the cutting edge of this
new lie-detection technology...
Anybody know where the hell
we're going?
...whereas grant and tory
Are at the cutting edge
of getting lost.
Grant: we are looking for
The medical university
of south carolina.
Finally inside, kari gets to
meet expert dr. Frank cozell.
So, the fmri is new technology
for a lie detector.
Correct, kari. We've been
working on this for a while.
And we're looking
at using functional mri
To measure in the brain
when people are lying.
How does it work?
We think that
when people are lying,
Their brains
are working harder,
And so we can measure the
differences in blood flow
And tell when people are lying
versus telling the truth.
So, the theory is that, when you
lie, your brain works harder,
And it's this increase
in blood flow
That's detected in the fmri.
And to test the theory, the guys
will once again commit a crime.
Dr. Cozell: according to adam,
in order for this test
To have the proper motivation
that it needs,
There's going to be a reward
and a punishment.
If you're able
to successfully beat the test,
You get the reward
of $1,000.
Are you kidding me?
What?
That's pretty good.
However, if you're not able
to successfully beat the test,
You get to take a bus
back to san francisco.
Shut up!
Ohh!
That sucks.
A bus?
That sucks!
Have you ever ridden the bus
long distances?
Are you serious?
This is not funny
anymore.
Narrator: in the course
of "mythbusters,"
Tory has been dragged
along the ground by a horse...
[ Spitting ]
...and face-planted on a bike.
Oh!
But could this be the myth
that breaks tory's back?
I don't want
to take this test.
Can I opt
to not take the test?
Narrator:
adam and jamie are in a spin,
Testing claims that a
civil w*r-era steam machine g*n
Was a lethal weapon...
[ Clang ]
That was it.
...with range
and rapid-fire capability.
But so far,
the only target in danger
Is the steel safety collar.
Jamie: I don't know what
we're going to do about that.
Their solution?
More a*mo.
Want to try that one?
Let's try that one.
So, the guys are hoping
the timing issue resolves itself
Under the weight
of multiple rounds.
Adam: and our victims
are these foam-board figures.
I've placed them about 20 feet
From the barrel
of our steam machine g*n.
And I want to test two things.
One, I want to add some more
b*ll*ts and tests
And see how repeatable
the g*n is, the prrr!
That's what I'm looking for.
And if we get that, I'd like to
see what kind of spread I get.
Narrator: for this test,
the guys will attempt
To fire five b*ll*ts
in quick succession.
Ready when you are.
And if successful, will it match
the mythical reports
Of 400 rounds per minute?
All right, here we go.
Three, two, one!
[ Laughs ]
We hit the figures!
No wonder adam's happy.
They hit their target.
And the use of multiple rounds
Seems to have solved
that timing problem.
One, two, three,
four, five.
You know what?
What?
That is a machine g*n.
I would say that sounds a lot
like a machine g*n to me.
Yep, with the five rounds
leaving the g*n
In approximately one second,
They're close enough
to the mythical specs
To get a pass mark.
Next, adam and jamie
want to know
If those rapid-fire rounds
can k*ll.
And for that, they'll need
a ye-olde control.
Adam: I just want to do
a comparison shot
With a black-powder r*fle
into the ballistics-gel guy
And then fire our steam machine
g*n and see how the two compare.
You don't have any
ye-olde earmuffs?
These are. I got the replica
jacket, the replica r*fle,
The replica hat, and
the ye-olde replica earmuffs.
Sacrificing authenticity
for safety,
Adam sets his sights on
the ballistics-material bust.
In three, two, one.
Narrator:
he didn't stand a chance.
I think he's dead.
It went right through him
and through the board.
There's no doubt about it --
The period-accurate black-powder
r*fle packs a deadly punch.
So that's what the guys
are expecting
From their machine g*n.
Trying three ba*ls this time.
Bang, bang, and bang.
All right, lethality test
in three, two, one!
[ Laughs ]
that's great!
Narrator:
bang, bang, and bang
Was exactly
what the ballistic bust got.
But was it,
as per the myth, lethal?
It doesn't look like it made it
all the way through.
No, no, no.
I can see them right here.
They're just a couple
of inches in.
I got to say,
I think that's a k*ll, man.
It's not quite all the way
through the man and the plywood.
But it's definitely
into the skin.
I agree.
Yep, and a look
at the high speed
Gives adam and jamie
a visual confirmation
That at point-blank range,
Staring down the spinning barrel
of this g*n is fatal.
Yes!
Unh!
Isn't that awesome?
So far, so good for the myth.
It appears to be lethal
And can fire multiple rounds
at a rapid rate.
That is a machine g*n.
But to be sure, we need a more
realistic flesh-and-bone target.
At the medical university
of south carolina,
Mri technology is being studied
As a potential replacement
for the polygraph,
And kari, grant, and tory
Are about to put this
new generation of lie detector
Through its paces.
But first, they have to steal
one item from this drawer.
The idea here is that I need to
either steal the watch
Or the ring from this drawer,
And I need to take
whichever object I choose,
Put it in my locker
with all of my belongings.
Then I'll go into fmri,
And they're going to ask me
a series of questions
About which item I took
And some baseline
truth-and-lie questions.
I'm going to steal the ring.
Narrator:
with the ring stashed safely
among kari's belongings...
...she heads for the mri,
Where she's prepped
for her futuristic interview.
This is intense.
Unlike the polygraph,
This test takes the human
out of the equation.
The questions appear
on a screen,
And kari answers
with the press of a button.
Just try to keep your head
as still as possible, okay?
Kari's attempt
to beat this lie detector
Involves thinking happy,
relaxing thoughts when lying...
And scary thoughts on the truth.
But can you fool a machine
looking directly at your brain?
Next up is tory,
and he's also taking the ring.
Hey. Dvd.
I'm gonna keep that.
[ Clears throat ]
and he's also taking the ring.
Tory:
I'm going to go with the ring.
Narrator: after safely stowing
his booty in his locker,
He's ready for
the "mythbusters" magnetron.
I'm all clear of metal.
This isn't going to rip
my fillings out, is it?
No.
Tory's attempt
to beat the mind machine
Involves the same mind game
as kari.
And after answering
the question,
He escapes
with his fillings intact.
Last but not least is grant.
Grant: okay, so, I've chosen
to take the watch,
And I don't know why.
Just shiny and looked
like something fun to take.
Narrator: with grant's
shiny secret under wraps,
He, too, heads
into the doughnut of doom.
Grant: my technique
for beating the fmri
Is to put my brain in a state
of constant activity.
And I'm actually going to
Psychologically create
for myself a feeling of fear,
Hoping to stimulate the
blood flow all around my brain
So that they won't know
when I'm lying
Or when I'm telling the truth.
Narrator: so, the sci-fi
cross-examinations are complete,
And the technicians begin
to sift through the scans.
Remember, if our thieves
are successful
In confusing the test,
They get 1,000 bucks
and avoid a long bus ride home.
My hands
are actually sweating.
From our analysis,
We found that all three of you
took the ring.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Narrator: as you can tell by the
reactions, grant beat the mri.
Kari and tory didn't.
Looks like we get to take
that cross-country trip
We've been talking about
for so long.
[ Sighs ]
Oh, well.
What are you going to do?
[Bleep]
[ Laughter ]
Grant's smug.
Kari's cursing and refusing
to even talk to the producer.
I'm not speaking to you.
I can't believe grant
beat that freaking test.
Oh, that's unbelievable.
I'm not speaking to adam.
I might forgive you,
but not for the next two days.
That smug face.
He's just so happy
with himself right now.
I think that makes me more sick
than the bus ride home.
Narrator: well, like it or not,
Grant's mind really did
triumph over matter.
This whole time, I've been
psychologically preparing myself
To ride the bus
across the country.
I really hadn't actually
truly believed
That I was going to get $1,000.
Narrator: so, it seems
that crime does pay.
Grant gets his 1,000 bucks
While the others get a ride
to the bus station.
Okay, guys,
here's your tickets.
Holy crap!
Myths about lie detectors.
Where do we stand?
As far as
the polygraph goes,
The physical
and mental techniques
The two of you guys utilized
failed pretty miserably.
But just because
you guys didn't do it
Doesn't mean
somebody else can't.
So, we're going to have to
call this one plausible.
How was that bus ride,
by the way?
Shut up!
Narrator:
adam and jamie are attempting
to resolve the controversy
That a civil w*r
steam machine g*n
Was an effective weapon of w*r.
It's already been proved lethal
at close range.
Unh!
Isn't that awesome?
But how will it fare at 20 yards
with a more realistic target?
Cue the human analogue.
The steam machine g*n's about to
claim its next victim.
The ballistics gel is nice,
But I want to see what happens
in real flesh.
That's what this is.
Don't worry.
As soon as we're done with this,
jamie's gonna take it home
And cook it and eat it
this weekend.
I'm not kidding.
He's gonna eat the whole thing.
Not by myself.
[ Laughs ]
Narrator:
but before the barbecue,
The boys
intend to tenderize the meat.
Surrounded by the foam regiment,
Porky is in adam's sights.
All right, sh**t the pig
in three, two, one.
[ Laughs ]
brrrow!
The g*n again performed, but did
our porcine test target survive?
I think we hit it.
I think so.
The question is,
did they go in?
It doesn't
look like they did.
It looks like one glanced off
of him and went through here.
We got a hit right there.
That probably
broke some bones, though.
Yeah, but that's
not a lethal hit.
No penetration.
So porky was pummeled, but with
not so much as a flesh wound,
The claim that the steam machine
g*n was a lethal weapon of w*r
Is looking busted.
Adam:
I don't think it can k*ll.
It never pierced our pig,
And I think that's really where
the rubber meets the road
With a weapon of w*r.
You don't want to
just dent the enemy.
You want to k*ll them.
Narrator:
so, unless you're standing
Right at the end of the barrel,
it's not a deadly weapon.
But adam and jamie
want to try all the angles
Before consigning the
steam machine to the busted bin.
They're going to test the
full extent of the g*n's range.
Adam: we're now going
for real distance,
So we've angled our cannon
at the steepest angle
We're comfortable with,
about 20 degrees,
Which tells me it ought to fire
around 500 yards.
And we're going to actually
test this out and see.
Narrator: it's full steam ahead
for the range test,
And adam amps up the a*mo.
[ Laughs ]
The g*n's locked and loaded.
Everybody,
we're going hot!
And adam, keeping his hollywood
action-hero dream alive,
Gets into character.
[ Scottish accent ] this one's
for distance and for glory!
With the g*n at full speed,
adam releases his ba*ls.
But the rig ain't happy,
and chaos reigns.
Jamie kills the steam
on his side
And frantically signals
for adam to do the same.
But with a machine g*n spiraling
out of control at 2,000 rpm,
Adam's taking no chances.
He reaches around
the ballistics shield
And finally shuts it down.
Oh, I think that might be
the last thing our cannon does.
Yep, it came to a grinding,
shuddering, fatal stop,
But as this high speed shows,
it wasn't in vain.
My god,
what a beautiful shot.
So, at least one b*llet left
the barrel before the shutdown.
But where'd it go?
Apparently jamie found one
way out there.
You got one!
No!
Dude, that's just under
half a mile.
That is
really nice work, man!
Yep, unexpectedly, the g*n fired
A full 300 yards further
than the civil w*r specs,
Which leaves the myth scorecard
looking like this.
But if you add a crucial
fourth category,
It's not nearly as impressive.
Atten-hut!
Soldier!
Sir, yes, sir!
What do you think of the
steam machine g*n as a machine?
Sir, it functions effectively as
both a machine and a g*n, sir!
Soldier!
Sir, yes, sir!
What do you think
of the steam machine g*n
As a weapon of w*r?
Sir, it's not
very effective, sir!
Okay,
let's get out of here.
Permission
to speak freely, sir!
Permission granted.
Sir, we are about to embark
on a viewer special, sir!
And?
Fans who want to
contribute their ideas
Should log on to
discovery.com/mythbusters, sir!
Nice work, soldier.
Now drop and give me 20.
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05x24 - Confederate Steam g*n
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A weekly documentary in which two Hollywood special effects experts attempt to debunk urban legends by directly testing them.
A weekly documentary in which two Hollywood special effects experts attempt to debunk urban legends by directly testing them.