Mr. Wizard's World
Banana Surprise, Snake Tracker and more
S1 E13:
GIANT BUBBLES - At a picnic table Mr. Wizard and Scott are making very large bubbles. Scott writes down the formula: six parts distilled water, one part clear dish washing soap, and one part glycerin to be mixed and allowed to set overnight. WATER STRIDER - You may have seen this small insect skimming over the surface of a pond or a stream. It’s a water strider that can walk on water without even getting its feet wet because, as you can see, it doesn’t break the surface. BANANA SURPRISE - Scott peels a banana only to find that it has been sliced while still inside the skin! Mr. Wizard shows him how to use a needle and thread to pierce the skin and pull the thread through, cutting the banana. HERO FOLLOWS - Heather calls Hero, the robot, to her as if it were a pet. The robot maintains its distance from her as she steps toward and away from it. The robot is sending out a high frequency sound to stay a given distance from her. SNAKE TRACKER -In front of you is one of the deadliest snakes in North America — an eastern diamondback rattlesnake. You can’t spot it because it blends so well with its surroundings. If you had taken a couple of steps forward, you have been bitten because there it is right there. How can you locate a snake if you can’t see it? UPHILL FUNNEL - Funnels taped together appear to roll uphill on a ramp. Paul measures the distance from the center of the funnels when they are at both ends of the ramp and determines that the funnels are actually rolling downhill. As the funnels roll forward, they roll downward through the space between the two sides of the converging ramp. MUSCLE PAIRS - Mr. Wizard points out that his arm muscles are constantly making adjustments when he tries to hold still. WING BEE - During the hunting season, sportsmen all across the country gather the wings of the birds they’ve killed. The scientists record the species, age, and location of each bird. The survey gives wildlife managers a picture of the waterfowl harvest so they can realistically plan for the next hunting season. BOTTLE PICK UP - Mr. Wizard challenges Leila to pick up a glass soda bottle with a drinking straw.