I'm just wondering if there are any confirmed examples of suggestions from this forum making it onto the show?

Sometimes, airplane on a treadmill being a good example, as well as almost all of the re-visits of old myths.

"Faked moon landing" appears to be in production too.

There is one example that I forget from one of the early series. All I can remeber is Adam standing over the "blueprint desk" as they call it and saying, "I really wanna thank the fansite for this one, I'm really psyched to do this myth."

I wonder a lot of times too, its many suggestions made on this message board, makes it on the MB show REALLY?
Who makes any decisions about which myth are great enough to be able to make on the MB show ?

Many great myth, still are not being discovered at this website, many are being missed.

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Who makes any decisions about which myth are great enough to be able to make on the MB show ?

The researchers scan the board, and pass ideas up the chain of command.

This is one reason (along with all the clutter of having 10 of the same question on the first page of each section) that the use of "Find" is required. It's easier for the researchers to scan through one thread to see if an idea has merit, rather than search all over the boards for 40 threads about it.

My understanding is that a healthy level of debate will get a topic noticed, although large post counts for a topic don't guarantee it would suit the show.

The more divided a topic is (like POAT and moonfake) the more appealing it is, even if one side greatly overwhelms the other side in terms of numbers.

If an idea is not contrived or obscure, generates some healthy debate (but not necessarily requiring 50+ pages), fits the show's format, and would just "make good TV" it has an excellent chance of making it to the ears that matter.

As a researcher for the show, I can guarantee to you that ideas from the boards do occasionally make it into the show. I know of several that I have proposed to Peter Rees for consideration that I found on these and other Myth Busters boards, and that some of the research he asked me to do, like the Fall from 33,000 feet myth, came from posts here.

However, no one individual ever gets credit for suggesting a show idea, because. And normally, dozens or hundreds of people have suggested it many times before. Even in the few instances where I get screen credit at the end, it is not because I came up with the original idea, or even ANYTHING original in the research brief, only for the effort I put into researching the subject, sifting through the tons or horse manure to find the few gems of wisdom, explaining the physics involved in the myth with links to webpages explaining it further, and suggesting possible tests.

So if your REAL question was "can I get my name on the show for giving them a really good idea?", the answer is no, sorry! But if it was only "does all this matter? Do ANY of these posts ever end up on the show?" then the answer is most definitely YES!

Mike
(P.S. Inside information-> POAT was already being considered before it was first posted HERE, so that one does not actually count )

Short term memory is the first to go.

Examples without trying too hard:

Unlock your car with a tennis ball.

pirate rowboat submarine.

Drafting a semi to save gas.

Acetone to increase gas mileage.

On board electrolysis to power your car.

Is it cheaper to leave the light on?

Some of them are still getting posted even after the show has aired several times.

Al'right, mishabear(if you say who you really are) thanks for the suggestion I appreciated a lot. I came under the impression[recently] that the researchers of the show are really hard to impress.

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However, no one individual ever gets credit for suggesting a show idea, because. And normally, dozens or hundreds of people have suggested it many times before.

I dont mind about the credit( I'm not looking for a two minutes of fame), what really matters is that they tried to test it on the show.

I got several more questions, though.

• Does the number of posting/ answer does it matters when choosing a myth?
- I have seen a lot of myth at this forum, that makes it on the show, its because the number of posting, especially the " POAT " one.
• Only the researchers get the priviledge of selecting myth on this board or the MB cast are also giving the option of what myth they prefer ?
• What kind of information is required before posting a myth in here, so that the researchers of this show takes a interest on the myth?
• Does it really mandatory to actually post links just proving that a myth you're describing is true and do-able?

Sincerely, Mic-Meister_02.

Haha, I want my two minutes of fame!!! Give me fame!

:P Just kidding.

I get more than enough satisfaction being the little guy who is only known about by those people he teaches. :P Maybe one day I will manage to publish a book, as I aspire to.

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• Does the number of posting/ answer does it matters when choosing a myth?
• Only the researchers get the priviledge of selecting myth on this board or the MB cast are also giving the option of what myth they prefer ?
• What kind of information is required before posting a myth in here, so that the researchers of this show takes a interest on the myth?
• Does it really mandatory to actually post links just proving that a myth you're describing is true and do-able?

1) The number of posts doesn't matter. What matters is that the "good" information is on the first page... preferably in the first few posts -- not buried on page 44.
2) Either MM or one of the researchers could answer better, but I think the production staff, and ultimately the producer have the final say
3) The more information you can provide in the first few posts (without overwhelming the board), the better... off-site links (to other than Wikipedia and You-tube) go a long way
4) Depends on "do-able". It must be testable or there's no point considering it. Whether a myth can be shown ahead of time to be true or false appears to be somewhat immaterial. If you think it's true, or if many people think it's true, then that's all that really matters. You don't have to prove it's true or false in your original post.

That seems to be what MM has said at various times along the way.

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Al'right, mishabear(if you say who you really are)

Are you questioning whether he is really a reseacher for the show (He is) or are you wondering if he is actually one of the cast "in cognito"? - He's not, but he HAS been on the show. In fact, you've probably even seen him (before he became a researcher) on the "Mailbag Special" episode. Remember the poor guy who's Archimedes Death Ray was pretty well destroyed while in shipping to San Francisco? That's Mike.

Thanks Killick! Nice to know that some people not only do not doubt who I am, but even remember my small part!

Srmarti, yes to Unlock your car door with a tennis ball, acetone to increase gas mileage both here and on other boards, and they would never have wasted time on pirate row boat if so many people hadn't posted it, some seeming to think it was true. But I know for a fact that lights on/off had nothing to do with people posting on the board, it was my freebie sample piece to the Producer, Peter Rees, to show that I was worth paying for research briefs.

Roofingguy, there are many things that contribute to an idea becoming a myth on the show, and many people who suggest or help decide. Mostly I just work the pieces they give me, but occasionally they ask me to send a dozen or two new ideas, so I go digging on this and other boards for possibilities.

Basically, to be a good candidate, it must be at least somewhat controversial, otherwise it isn't a myth!, must be testable with conclusive proof or busted outcomes, must look good being tested on TV, must be affordable, must fit the 'joe average science' format, and must have a good chance of pleasing the audience. While the Producer, now Dan Tapster, is the main guy for deciding what gets filmed, I am guessing Jamie and Adam have a far say as well, and direction comes occasionally from the production company or from Discovery Network. If they are desperate, they even ask me for advice. Nor not ! And I believe they will consider a suggestion from any member of the cast or crew. Ideas from the Discovery Fan site normally only get on the table for discussion when Dan or one of the researchers in San Francisco pulls it out of the morass. That is a failing of these boards, way too many repeats of the same (often pointless) thing, too many drive by one liners that are not worth looking at let alone following up, too much arguing, etc. The gems are too few and far between, looking for them is definitely not fun.

Hope that helps!

Mike

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Nice to know that some people not only do not doubt who I am, but even remember my small part!

I still don't know which impressed me more: your "death ray" setup, or the fact that the delivery guy walked away in one piece.

I do know that the exploding water heater has been discussed here several times before it was actually tested, but I am not sure that is why it was tested.

I'd still like to see if a copper nail will kill a tree!

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quote:
Al'right, mishabear(if you say who you really are)

Are you questioning whether he is really a reseacher for the show (He is) or are you wondering if he is actually one of the cast "in cognito"?

Killick, I was going for the second option.
Definitely I have to say I appologize, it sounded like if I was doubting his words. But not really, its that I'm kindda new audience of the mythbusters show so I havent seen him around here.

One more question, how many researchers does the MB show has ?

Because if they only have two or one, I could understand how tough it could be, for them to hunt down myth on this message board.

_____________________________________________________

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Basically, to be a good candidate, it must be at least somewhat controversial, otherwise it isn't a myth!,

In terms of controversial, how controversial does the myth have to be ?
What myth are likely candidates for it to be on the show ?

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Originally posted by mishabear:

Srmarti, yes to Unlock your car door with a tennis ball, acetone to increase gas mileage both here and on other boards, and they would never have wasted time on pirate row boat if so many people hadn't posted it, some seeming to think it was true. But I know for a fact that lights on/off had nothing to do with people posting on the board, it was my freebie sample piece to the Producer, Peter Rees, to show that I was worth paying for research briefs.


Mike

Gee, I didn't do too bad. That was without any inside knowledge of the show. Just the SWAG method. Know the origin for the drafting the semi show? I'd guess it's a pretty well known one. It got posted alot on the forum. 50/50 chance on whether the show or the fans suggested it first?

If they get really, really desperate I can think of some musical instrument myths, but I'm not sure it will have enough interest for the non-musicians. Nothing to go Ka-Boom.

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I'm just wondering if there are any confirmed examples of suggestions from this forum making it onto the show?

They do actually, a lot of times. I don't kbow if anyone remembers the episode of the Steam Gun that Adam & Jamie were trying to find prove of it existence. Here in this website some people had suggested a Ouch moment for tory, then later in taht same episode, the MB decided to put like a tiny flick, of tory falling down the bike.

Not true, not all the time suggestion makes it on the show. Many things here on the board are sometimes overlooked.

MicMeister_02:

There's no need to doubt MishaBear is anyone but Michael Bushroe. All you'd need to do is check is previous postings and you'd have confirmation. He's one of those on the board who is who he says he is - degrees and all.

The board is one of the many places that the research team mines for show ideas. There is no "hard and fast" recipe for getting an idea of yours on the show. There are too many variables that go into choosing which ideas go past the suggestion stage.

Not everything could make it on the show because of ability or methodology for testing, funding, or logistics. They have to have SOMETHING that can be tested by the gang in order to be considered to be a show idea.

The research team RARELY overlooks anything that's been posted. Sometimes the idea is just not viable for any number of reasons.

MythMod