Episode 7: The Blindfolded Seal
Tuesday, October 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
German Doctor Guido Denhardt blindfolds seals in the name of science. Using this bizarre technique he has discovered how seals are able to located fish in zero visibility waters: they have amazingly sensitive whiskers.
This discovery has inspired scientists around the world to build robotic whiskers that are just as sensitive as a seal's. Their work could hold the key to preventing leaking oil pipes, saving millions of dollars and putting a stop to environmental disasters they can potentially cause.
Episode 8: The Sound of Vomit
Tuesday, October 21 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
Professor Trevor Cox carried out an experiment to answer this very question. Over two million responses gave a clear answer: the sound of vomit.
Building on this research scientists have used sound to annoy teenagers, whisper in someone's ear from a distance, and disperse crowds with sonic devices. This research could one day break up dangerous riot scenarios without the use of deadly force.
Episode 9: Brain Drunk
Tuesday, October 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
This episode starts with a University Professor tricking his students into getting drunk on alcohol free beer: an illustration of the power of placebo and how the mind can influence the body. Cutting edge technology shows that we can eventually learn to control our own brain activity to benefit us physiologically. This could change our future; Air traffic controllers could use the power of the mind to prevent accidents and save lives.
Episode 10: Trip-Up Your Grandmother
Tuesday, October 28 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
This is a journey that ends in a radical vision of our cities that could saves lives around the world. We start by tripping up grannies. That's right, taking fragile, unsuspecting grannies and making them trip over, so that we can learn how and why they trip. But how can tripping grannies save lives? We follow leading scientists through their revolutionary discoveries about human balance and then meet an architect who is on a mission to link humans with buildings. He wants to create buildings that can think for themselves, move and save lives.
Episode 11: Quack Science
Tuesday, November 4 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Does a duck's quack echo? This may not seem the pressing question in modern science, but that's what acoustics researcher Jonathan Hargreaves decided to find out. The answer may have world changing implications …
This scientific journey starts with a duck and ends with cutting edge technology that could one day save the lives of fighter pilots in the skies.
Episode 12: The Sick Machine
Tuesday, November 4 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
In this episode we meet a scientist who makes people throw up for a living. Psychologist Frederick Bonato puts people into a psychedelic spinning drum. Observing their reactions to an optical illusion, Dr Bonato discovers the power of confusing the senses, and reveals why it makes us vomit.
This strange experiment takes us to sound illusions, bizarre vibrating contraptions, and NASA, where a new cure for space sickness could allow astronauts to travel to Mars.
