0:00:02 > 0:00:04This is... BOTH: Absolute Genius.
0:00:04 > 0:00:08'Come with us as we dive into the wonderful world of technology.'
0:00:08 > 0:00:09This is mind-blowing!
0:00:09 > 0:00:11'Each show, we introduce you to geniuses
0:00:11 > 0:00:14'whose inventions have changed the world forever.'
0:00:14 > 0:00:15THEY SHOUT
0:00:15 > 0:00:16'We then take their tech
0:00:16 > 0:00:19'and supersize it in our genius tech challenge.'
0:00:19 > 0:00:21No!
0:00:21 > 0:00:23'The question is, can we pull it off?'
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Is this his brain?
0:00:25 > 0:00:28'If you love gadgets, then strap yourself in.'
0:00:28 > 0:00:30- It's genius.- Absolute Genius.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31THEY GRUNT
0:00:31 > 0:00:34THEY EXCLAIM
0:00:34 > 0:00:36'On this show, we look at the sonic world of speed.'
0:00:36 > 0:00:37Ah, yes!
0:00:37 > 0:00:40'We reveal how technology has changed the way we travel...'
0:00:40 > 0:00:41DOM SCREECHES
0:00:41 > 0:00:44- '..both in the past... - ..and in the future.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46'Plus, we try to make history
0:00:46 > 0:00:49'by making a mini version of a future transport.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52- 'Will we succeed... - ..or will we fail?'
0:00:52 > 0:00:54- It's stopped!- Argh!
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Today we take you to the fast and furious world of...
0:01:31 > 0:01:32transport!
0:01:36 > 0:01:39We're going to show you three geniuses whose ideas
0:01:39 > 0:01:41have revolutionised the world of transport.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45From the man who got us to change horses to trains...
0:01:45 > 0:01:47..to the people whose ideas are so big,
0:01:47 > 0:01:49they might change the world for ever.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52And we are going to go supersonic ourselves.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54This is the genius world of speed.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00We humans have always been trying to find better ways of getting around.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06In the modern world, transport options are plentiful.
0:02:06 > 0:02:07From the normal...
0:02:09 > 0:02:11..to the weird and wonderful...
0:02:13 > 0:02:16..getting from one place to another has never been so easy.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20But it wasn't always like this.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23Just 200 years ago, you wouldn't have much choice
0:02:23 > 0:02:24when it came to transport.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27There were no planes, no trains, and certainly no automobiles.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Taking a long journey would have meant going by horse and carriage
0:02:30 > 0:02:32and goods might have gone by canal barge.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36Until one man had a dream to use technology to transport us
0:02:36 > 0:02:40- as fast as possible. - His name - George Stephenson.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Toot! Toot!
0:02:43 > 0:02:47George Stephenson was a true genius and had loads of ideas.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48From creating a safety lamp
0:02:48 > 0:02:51that prevented causing explosions in mines
0:02:51 > 0:02:54to inventing a device to grow straight cucumbers.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58- Lovely!- But it was his work with railways that really made his name,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02so much so that he's now known as the "Father of the Railways."
0:03:02 > 0:03:08In 1825, he built the world's first ever steam-powered public railway.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12And four years later, he and his son Robert built the Rocket,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14the most advanced train the world had ever seen.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Stephenson's Rocket really was a revolutionary bit of kit.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22- And here at Beamish Museum, they have this!- Ta-da!
0:03:22 > 0:03:25It's a replica of one of Stephenson's steam locomotives.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26- We're going to need some coal... - Yes.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29- ..some oil...- Right.- ..and a man called Paul.- And a... Eh?
0:03:30 > 0:03:35Genius helper Paul Jarman works at the Beamish Museum...
0:03:35 > 0:03:37..and he knows more than a bit about steam engines.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42- Hey, Paul, how are you doing? - How are you doing?- Hi, Paul.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45So this is a replica. What was Stephenson's genius, though?
0:03:45 > 0:03:47Bringing together lots of people's ideas
0:03:47 > 0:03:50and marketing them, getting the finance, bringing the technology
0:03:50 > 0:03:52and making people money.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54He did everything - he was like a celebrity engineer, really.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have a railway
0:03:57 > 0:03:59- that we know today, then?- No, cos the other thing his genius was
0:03:59 > 0:04:02was standardisation and he got everything together
0:04:02 > 0:04:04and he made it all fit and it fitted universally.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Our railway tracks are Stephenson's true legacy.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10He made sure the tracks were all the same width apart,
0:04:10 > 0:04:11whether in Scotland or in London
0:04:11 > 0:04:14so that trains can run the length and breadth of the country,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16as they do today.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19He also brought together existing steam technology
0:04:19 > 0:04:23to create the Rocket, the greatest train of its time.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25The design of the Rocket became the basis
0:04:25 > 0:04:27on which all steam trains were built.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30- 'But how does a stream train work?' - Do you want to have a go?
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Everything on the left is hot.
0:04:33 > 0:04:34DICK GRUNTS
0:04:34 > 0:04:38'The fire heats a boiler full of water, which turns into steam.'
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Ah, yes - stoked!
0:04:40 > 0:04:43'The pressure from the steam powers pistons back and forth,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45'which then turns the wheels - genius.'
0:04:53 > 0:04:55I presume it's going to get a little bit faster than this?
0:04:55 > 0:04:56A little bit faster.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59You could probably walk nearly as fast as this.
0:04:59 > 0:05:00Probably, but you couldn't do it
0:05:00 > 0:05:02with tonnes and tonnes of coal on your back.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04'It might seem tame nowadays,
0:05:04 > 0:05:06'but when passengers first started taking trains,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09'people had some odd ideas about what would happen
0:05:09 > 0:05:10'when going at this speed.'
0:05:10 > 0:05:13There were people who said you wouldn't be able to breathe
0:05:13 > 0:05:16- travelling at the speeds trains could.- Travelling at this speed?!
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Scream if you want to go faster!
0:05:18 > 0:05:19And can we breathe all right?
0:05:19 > 0:05:20- DICK INHALES - Fine.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22It's fine, it's fine.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26'Stephenson's Rocket may have been revolutionary,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28'but I reckon I could beat it in a race.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31'Go on, then, little man, let's see how you get on.'
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Mr Dominic Wood versus the train.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Three, two, one, go! BELL RINGS
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Look at him go, he's off.
0:05:40 > 0:05:41Put your back into it, man.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44'Dom may be taking the lead,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48'but he's not carrying a load of coal and passengers on his back.'
0:05:48 > 0:05:50This is not a fair race.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53'And the Rocket could travel up to 18 miles in one go,
0:05:53 > 0:05:54'unlike you, mate.'
0:05:54 > 0:05:56What was that all about?
0:05:56 > 0:05:58All right, you win, you win.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02There you go, Stephenson - you may be an absolute genius, but I won.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Yeah, but you didn't pioneer a mode of transport
0:06:04 > 0:06:06that is still used today.
0:06:06 > 0:06:07You win.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Still to come...
0:06:10 > 0:06:14I put a driverless car to the ultimate test.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16HE YELPS, DOM CHORTLES
0:06:16 > 0:06:19And we learn all about a new hi-tech,
0:06:19 > 0:06:21hyper-sonic mode of transport.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23It'll be as smooth as a magic carpet.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Thanks to Stephenson, the way we travel changed forever.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29But cars are still the number one form of transport
0:06:29 > 0:06:33and 80% of the miles that we travel are done in a car.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36And since they were invented, cars have always needed someone
0:06:36 > 0:06:38in the front seat to make the journey possible.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40But that could all be about to change.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44Yes, our next genius might have just removed the need for the driver.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Oi! I heard that!
0:06:46 > 0:06:49- Sorry! - Introducing to you genius number two,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52Sebastian Thrun.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Brum! Brum-brum-brum-brum!
0:06:55 > 0:07:00Cars have been on our roads for over 100 years thanks to Karl Benz,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04who invented the first petrol-powered vehicle in 1885...
0:07:04 > 0:07:07..but our genius has taken cars to the next level.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Sebastian Thrun is the German mastermind
0:07:10 > 0:07:13who's helped make driverless cars a reality.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17In 2005, Thrun made a car that changed everything
0:07:17 > 0:07:19and it was called...Stanley.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23Stanley was the first driverless car to successfully complete
0:07:23 > 0:07:26a challenge to drive a 160-mile course through the desert.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31No drivers or remote controls, just sensors and artificial intelligence.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35Thrun is a true genius and we're going to get to talk to him.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40Just one problem - he's in America and we're in a taxi in Manchester.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43- Why don't we call him? - You're a genius too.- Yes.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Hi, Sebastian.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Hi, Dick and Dom, it's a great pleasure meeting you.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50What inspired you to make a driverless car?
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Every year, we lose something like a million or so people
0:07:53 > 0:07:55in traffic accidents worldwide.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59I thought, "Look, why not just make cars smart,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02"and make them so smart that they're smarter than people,"
0:08:02 > 0:08:04so they avoid all the stupid mistakes
0:08:04 > 0:08:05that we humans do when we drive cars.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08They'll just be safe, they'll just avoid each other perfectly.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11How long is it going to be before we can expect to see one
0:08:11 > 0:08:12on a public road like this?
0:08:12 > 0:08:16The technology is ready and we're going to see products very soon,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19but it's going to be a while before everybody in the countryside
0:08:19 > 0:08:21will have one of these self-driving cars,
0:08:21 > 0:08:24but when it happens, it's going to be really amazing.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26- See you, Sebastian! - Thanks for talking to us.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27- OK, take care, bye-bye.- Bye!
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Well, that was very interesting, but I think to get a good idea
0:08:30 > 0:08:33of how they work, we need to go and see one up close.
0:08:33 > 0:08:34Driver, the airport, please.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36So you need me now, do ya?
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Oh, yeah. No, sorry about that. Yes, we do, thank you.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44We're going to fly to Germany and with planes in mind...
0:08:44 > 0:08:48..IT'S THE NOT SO GENIUS IDEA!
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Concorde was a genius, super-fast passenger plane
0:08:51 > 0:08:56- that launched in 1969. - It could fly at 1,350mph,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59which meant it'd take less than three hours
0:08:59 > 0:09:00to get from London to New York.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Unfortunately, it was so expensive
0:09:02 > 0:09:05that tickets cost thousands of pounds!
0:09:05 > 0:09:09By 2003, airlines were losing so much money
0:09:09 > 0:09:12that the decision was taken to take the planes out of service.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16Supersonic passenger air travel was no more.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Concorde - genius invention,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20but not so genius outcome.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Concky-bonk!
0:09:25 > 0:09:28The age of the driverless car is nearly upon us.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31So we've come here to Berlin in our genius's home country of Germany
0:09:31 > 0:09:34to have a little go in one.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36Where better to try out a driverless car than...
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- DRUMROLL - ..at the airport.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Genius helper Daniel Gohring
0:09:42 > 0:09:43creates driverless cars
0:09:43 > 0:09:45at the University of Berlin.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49Don't say it's spotted us.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52- Hey, Daniel, how are you doing? - Nice to meet you to.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54Come on out of the car.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Now, it looks like a bog-standard car.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59What is that spinning round on the roof?
0:09:59 > 0:10:00That's actually a laser scanner.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03It has 64 beams rotating 15 times per second
0:10:03 > 0:10:06and then the car has a kind of perception of what's around it.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11This car has...
0:10:11 > 0:10:13..GPS units, so it knows where in the world it is...
0:10:13 > 0:10:16..laser scanners which allow it to see...
0:10:16 > 0:10:20..and sensors so it can sense if anything is near it.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22This is a serious bit of tech.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25Wow! It's like a little spaceship inside.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27So what's that in there?
0:10:27 > 0:10:29A scientific laboratory on wheels.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31What are you hoping to achieve with all this?
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Are we hoping that one day, we won't need drivers,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36that there'll just be passenger cars?
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Yeah, it should be like an autonomous taxi, you could say.
0:10:39 > 0:10:40Can we have a go?
0:10:40 > 0:10:44- Well, not have a go, but watch the car doing its business?- Yep.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Here we go.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Oh, this is the most unnatural feeling!
0:10:56 > 0:10:58It feels like there's a taxi driver sat there.
0:10:58 > 0:10:59Completely normal, but not.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03It measures how fast it can go for this curve we are doing right now
0:11:03 > 0:11:06and it goes as fast as it can, but still keeping it comfortable.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08- Can we see how fast it can go? - Yeah, totally.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11'The tech in this car is still being developed,
0:11:11 > 0:11:15'so Daniel's getting in the front seat just in case anything goes wrong
0:11:15 > 0:11:18'when we get it to go 100kph!'
0:11:18 > 0:11:21- The car is just accelerating itself. - Argh!
0:11:21 > 0:11:23I just hope it doesn't hit the building!
0:11:23 > 0:11:25DOM SHRIEKS
0:11:25 > 0:11:27THEY WHOOP
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Wow, now, that was so exhilarating,
0:11:29 > 0:11:33but what would happen if there was somebody in front of the car?
0:11:33 > 0:11:36The laser scanners would detect that there's a person
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- and then the car would stop. - Regardless of who it is?
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Oh, I know, now you're going to say,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42"Why don't we put him there to put it to the test?"
0:11:42 > 0:11:43Me, that'd be me.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46What do you think? If we put him in front of the car, would it stop?
0:11:46 > 0:11:48- Yeah, it'll stop.- Go on, then.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50- Come on, get out! - All right!- Let's do this!
0:11:50 > 0:11:51Good luck!
0:11:58 > 0:12:02'I'm about to put my life in the hands of technology.'
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Do not try this at home, obviously.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07DOM SNIGGERS
0:12:08 > 0:12:11No, this doesn't feel right now.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13'I have to trust that the laser scanners
0:12:13 > 0:12:14'will see me and stop the car.'
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Here it comes!
0:12:16 > 0:12:17Oh, no!
0:12:17 > 0:12:19'It's at 100kph now.'
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Argh!
0:12:21 > 0:12:22- There he is! - Look how fast it's going!
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Argh! No!
0:12:24 > 0:12:26No!
0:12:26 > 0:12:27Argh!
0:12:27 > 0:12:30'The car gets closer and closer as it hurtles towards me...
0:12:30 > 0:12:32- 'and finally...' - TYRES SCREECH
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Everything's fine.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36The lasers picked me up, the brakes went on.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Thank you, car, thank you, technology.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40You beauty.
0:12:47 > 0:12:48'Still to come...
0:12:48 > 0:12:52'we'll learn how people could be travelling in the future.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55'And us two will be attempting to go hyper-speed...
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- '..in our Genius Tech Challenge.' - Wow!
0:12:59 > 0:13:01So far, we've learned how our first genius
0:13:01 > 0:13:03basically just changed the world.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06And how driverless cars are set to change our day-to-day travel.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10Next up, we're going to give you a genius who had a cunning plan
0:13:10 > 0:13:13on how to bring us hyper-speed into the future!
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Let us introduce to you the sci-fi world of Hyperloop.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the genius of...
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Elon Musk.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24# Birds go flying at the speed of sound
0:13:24 > 0:13:27# To show you where it all began. #
0:13:27 > 0:13:29- He's hyper-loopy, ain't he? - What are you like, Elon, you, eh?
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Elon Musk is a genius with big ideas.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36Gee, thanks.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38He's created a new kind of space rocket
0:13:38 > 0:13:41and one of the coolest electric cars.
0:13:41 > 0:13:42But he's our genius
0:13:42 > 0:13:45because he's come up with a plan to transport people in pods
0:13:45 > 0:13:47at around the speed of sound.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50It's called Hyperloop and if plans come true,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52they could start building one soon.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55Here's the problem -
0:13:55 > 0:13:57the Hyperloop expert is in LA
0:13:57 > 0:13:59and only one of us can go.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02Only one will go, but who would it be?
0:14:02 > 0:14:04How do we decide?
0:14:04 > 0:14:06It's the only fair way.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08So who's the lucky one going to LA?
0:14:08 > 0:14:10- Heads or tails? - GASPING: Tails!
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Yes! Huh!
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Tails never fails, baby.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18As you can see,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21I'm having a terrible time right here in Californ-I-A
0:14:21 > 0:14:23and I'm here to meet some of the scientists
0:14:23 > 0:14:26who are going to explain how a Hyperloop might work.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32'I'm at the University of California, Los Angeles,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34'to see what Hyperloop might look like.'
0:14:39 > 0:14:40Professor Craig Hodgetts
0:14:40 > 0:14:42has been leading the research
0:14:42 > 0:14:44for Hyperloop at the university.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Professor Hodgetts, thank you very much for inviting me
0:14:47 > 0:14:50into this prototype of one of the capsules of Hyperloop.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54It's an absolute genius idea that Elon Musk has come up with,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56but where did it come from?
0:14:56 > 0:14:58You know, it's something every kid has done.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02If you take a soda straw and you put a grain of rice or a bean in it
0:15:02 > 0:15:04- and you... - HE BLOWS
0:15:04 > 0:15:06..pop something out through a tube,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08it's just like that.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Musk's idea is that passengers could board a pod in LA,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14be shot down a tube at around the speed of sound
0:15:14 > 0:15:16and half an hour later,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19be nearly 400 miles away in Las Vegas.
0:15:19 > 0:15:24You're going to feel it, surely. You're travelling around 750mph.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28Surely you're going to feel that speed when you're sat in the capsule.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31You're surely going to feel it as you're taking off,
0:15:31 > 0:15:35almost like being in a race car and you'll be pressed back
0:15:35 > 0:15:38a little bit into your seat like an amusement park ride
0:15:38 > 0:15:40and then once you're at that velocity,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42once you're travelling quickly,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44it'll be smooth as a magic carpet.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Hyperloop will travel on a bed of air and will be solar-powered,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52so tickets could cost as little as £12.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55You won't be sitting around in a train station, like you do.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58You'll immediately be getting on, there'll be a bit of a line,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00then half an hour later,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03you'll be 500 miles away, you'll be in another city
0:16:03 > 0:16:06and I can't wait to get on the very first prototype.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09- Can I come?- Yes! You may come!
0:16:09 > 0:16:11DOM LAUGHS
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- Professor, thank you very much. - Thank you too.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Hyperloop sounds amazing,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19but I still don't really understand how it's going to travel so fast.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21One thing for it -
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Fran!
0:16:23 > 0:16:24Are you ready?
0:16:24 > 0:16:27'Meet Fran, our scientist friend who can explain things in a way
0:16:27 > 0:16:29'even we can understand.'
0:16:29 > 0:16:30- Oh!- Whoa! No! No!
0:16:30 > 0:16:33- 'And she loves a good experiment.' - Exactly!
0:16:33 > 0:16:35'Best of all, she pops up whenever we need her most.'
0:16:35 > 0:16:37- Hello!- Ah, hey, Fran.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Hold on a minute, what are these beasts?
0:16:41 > 0:16:44- What's all this?!- Well, these are hovercraft and hovercraft,
0:16:44 > 0:16:45they ride on a cushion of air.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48- A little bit like Hyperloop? - Exactly!
0:16:48 > 0:16:50But the thing is, just riding on a cushion of air
0:16:50 > 0:16:53isn't going to get you up to the speeds of the Hyperloop
0:16:53 > 0:16:55and that's because we need to work on something else,
0:16:55 > 0:16:59because air underneath you, yes, it can make you go faster,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02but air in front of you can actually slow you down
0:17:02 > 0:17:04and that's why I've got these babies here,
0:17:04 > 0:17:06because you guys are going to have a race
0:17:06 > 0:17:08- so we can see what that means. - What?!- Pick your hovercraft.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11- We've never even been in one before! - We'll see what happens.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13The only rules are, Dom, you go in the left-hand lane,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16- Dick, you go in the right-hand lane. - What's the difference?
0:17:16 > 0:17:19- You'll find out.- Find out?- Yeah! - You'll find out. Let's do it.
0:17:21 > 0:17:22Right.
0:17:24 > 0:17:25Oww!
0:17:25 > 0:17:27- My head's too big. - 'It's time to get hovercrafting
0:17:27 > 0:17:30'in the name of science.' How do you drive this thing?
0:17:30 > 0:17:31OK!
0:17:31 > 0:17:32Three...
0:17:32 > 0:17:33two...
0:17:33 > 0:17:34one...
0:17:34 > 0:17:35- GO! - HOOTER SOUNDS
0:17:35 > 0:17:37'Bring it on!'
0:17:40 > 0:17:41Come on!
0:17:43 > 0:17:45'It's neck and neck early on.'
0:17:45 > 0:17:46Oh, go on, Dom, go on!
0:17:48 > 0:17:52'But my hovercraft isn't as fast. In fact, I've stopped.'
0:17:52 > 0:17:54- Yeah, whatever, loser!- Ooh!
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Ooh!
0:18:02 > 0:18:05'Right, back up and running.'
0:18:05 > 0:18:06Go on, go on!
0:18:09 > 0:18:10'I soon get stuck again.'
0:18:13 > 0:18:15'Whereas I'm speeding away and around the final corner!'
0:18:17 > 0:18:18'With our laps done,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22'it's time to find out what this has all got to do with the Hyperloop.'
0:18:24 > 0:18:28Oh, Fran, that was a great, adrenaline-fuelled experience.
0:18:28 > 0:18:29It looked so much fun!
0:18:29 > 0:18:31- What was it all about? - Well, who won?
0:18:31 > 0:18:33Oh, come on, I won! What?!
0:18:33 > 0:18:36- Why was I starting to go slower and getting stuck?- That's because...
0:18:36 > 0:18:38I've got a little bit of a secret to tell you.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40..you were actually on the slower track,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43because you had long grass, whereas Dom had short grass.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47The grass was getting in your way
0:18:47 > 0:18:49and it's the same with air, actually.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Even though you can't see it,
0:18:51 > 0:18:55air can create friction that slows you down, just like the long grass.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58So whether it's a solid or a gas,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01if it's in the way, it's in the way and it'll slow you down.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Completely, right? Air can slow us down,
0:19:03 > 0:19:07but what the Hyperloop does is they just get rid of some of the air.
0:19:07 > 0:19:08They take it out the tube.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11- What, with a giant vacuum cleaner or something?- Basically, yes.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14They make what's called a partial vacuum, so it's not a full vacuum.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16They just get rid of some of the air
0:19:16 > 0:19:20so there's less stuff to get in the way, so the pod can go faster.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24So the idea behind Hyperloop is that because air can cause friction
0:19:24 > 0:19:29and slow down the pods, some of the air will be taken out of the tubes,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32allowing the pods to travel much faster.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36Good to know, because this is going to be our Genius Tech Challenge.
0:19:38 > 0:19:39Here's the plan -
0:19:39 > 0:19:41for our Genius Tech Challenge,
0:19:41 > 0:19:45we're going to create and ride in our own miniature version of Hyperloop.
0:19:45 > 0:19:46Although it will be diddy,
0:19:46 > 0:19:50it will still have to get to the equivalent of 760mph
0:19:50 > 0:19:54in just 100 metres of track, otherwise we fail the challenge.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56This has never been done before,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58so we'll need the help of our old mate Grant
0:19:58 > 0:20:00to help build it with us.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03The question is, can we get to the speed of Hyperloop?
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Whilst Grant gets started on the design,
0:20:08 > 0:20:10we've got more pressing matters.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13As we want to be the first passengers to ride Hyperloop,
0:20:13 > 0:20:14but, obviously, we can't fit,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17we need to make mini versions of ourselves.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20So we've come a top 3D imaging company for some help.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23- Rees, John.- Hi, boys. - How are you doing?
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Look, we need to be shrunk down so that we're very small
0:20:26 > 0:20:28and can fit into a mini Hyperloop. Can you help?
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Of course we can and you've come to the right place.
0:20:31 > 0:20:32How are you going to do that?
0:20:32 > 0:20:34We're going to stick you in this magical booth over here,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36which is going to take around 60 photos
0:20:36 > 0:20:38from every angle you can imagine.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40That's going to get run through a piece of software
0:20:40 > 0:20:42that's going to make a 3D model of you guys,
0:20:42 > 0:20:43we'll shrink it down and print it out.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46- That sounds amazing. So just walk in and out?- Exactly, go for it.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48- I'll let you go first.- Eep!
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Go and be smaller than you really are.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53'I may be small, but diddy me's going to make history.'
0:20:53 > 0:20:54I've got to recreate a face
0:20:54 > 0:20:58as if I'm travelling at roughly the speed of sound.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Something like this.
0:21:00 > 0:21:01Argh!
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Legs. Where's your head?
0:21:05 > 0:21:06- Ah, there he is.- Is that it?
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Right, your go. Look scared.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Argh!
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Three, two, one...
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Good top shot.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19- Quick as that. - Look at the size of his tongue.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Looks like he's got a plum in his mouth.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26'3D images taken, here's what our mini Dick and Doms will look like.'
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Next, it's time to catch up with Grant
0:21:29 > 0:21:32to see how he's getting on with the Hyperloop.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35He's built loads of genius stuff for us in the past,
0:21:35 > 0:21:37but this is his most technological challenge yet.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42- All right, Grant.- Hi, Grant. - Hi, guys.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45- All right?- Nice to see you again. - Yeah, good to see you.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Look, as you know, we need you to build us a Hyperloop,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50- but in miniature. How's it going? - Very well so far.
0:21:50 > 0:21:51We've got the 3D designs here,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53so we've got two fans in here...
0:21:53 > 0:21:55'Grant has designed a Hyperloop
0:21:55 > 0:21:57'which is propelled by two very powerful fans.'
0:21:57 > 0:22:00- Can we see how powerful it is? - Yeah.- Take his wig off.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02FAN BLASTS Argh!
0:22:02 > 0:22:04- Nearly did come off.- Is it on? - Yeah, it stayed on.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06What about the air cushion underneath?
0:22:06 > 0:22:08How are you going to make that happen?
0:22:08 > 0:22:11From the front fan, we've actually split the whole section in two.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13'The front fan will both power the Hyperloop
0:22:13 > 0:22:16'and send air underneath to create the air cushion.'
0:22:16 > 0:22:17The top half of the fan is then directed
0:22:17 > 0:22:19for sucking the air out the front
0:22:19 > 0:22:21and pushing it out the back of the shuttle.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24- That's exactly what you said we should do, isn't it?- Exactly(!)
0:22:24 > 0:22:28'So our Hyperloop has two fans, one to propel and create the air cushion,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31'and one at the back to keep the pod stabilised.
0:22:31 > 0:22:32'Genius.'
0:22:32 > 0:22:34What are we going to fire this through? What is the tube?
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- We've got this...- Ah, drainpipe!
0:22:37 > 0:22:39That's just a completely standard drainpipe.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42So how fast is it going to travel down the tube?
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Difficult to know at this stage, but...
0:22:44 > 0:22:45CRASHING Idiot! Idiot!
0:22:49 > 0:22:51THEY LAUGH
0:22:51 > 0:22:53'Yeah, I think we'd better leave.'
0:22:53 > 0:22:56And whilst we're out of his hair,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00Grant uses his super hi-tech 3D printer to create the Hyperloop pod
0:23:00 > 0:23:02and the mini Dick and Doms.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08A week later, it's challenge day.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15This is it, the moment has arrived!
0:23:15 > 0:23:16It's crunch time.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19We're at an athletics track putting the finishing touches to our tubing.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Our Hyperloop is 100 metres long,
0:23:21 > 0:23:25so we're laying it right the way down the 100 metre stretch.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Everything about our Hyperloop is scaled down,
0:23:27 > 0:23:31so that it's a 25th the size of the actual proposed Hyperloop.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35This is the crucial part of the track.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38It's the speed trap, where we're going to be measuring how fast
0:23:38 > 0:23:41the capsule and little Dick and Dom are travelling.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43It's also to work out what speed it would be going
0:23:43 > 0:23:45if this thing was full-sized.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Now, the proposal for Hyperloop is 760mph,
0:23:48 > 0:23:51so that's the magic number we're looking for here.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Grant, good to see you again.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02- It looks perfect, but have you tested it?- Not on this scale before.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05We don't really know how much of a vacuum we need until we test it.
0:24:05 > 0:24:06We know we need a partial vacuum,
0:24:06 > 0:24:09but if we took too much air out, we don't get the air cushion.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12If we leave too much in there, it'll jump up too much, hit the top
0:24:12 > 0:24:14- and just not move very well. - I can't wait to see this.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Have you got little Dick and Dom over there?
0:24:16 > 0:24:19- I have, painted up and finished. - Look at that!
0:24:19 > 0:24:21'With the mini versions of ourselves created,
0:24:21 > 0:24:25'it's time to get them positioned for the ride of their tiny 3D lives.
0:24:25 > 0:24:30'But will they get to the scaled-up speed of 760mph?'
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- In she goes.- Good luck, mini Dick and Dom.- Perfect fit.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37- Be brave, my boys.- Vacuum works.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Our super, hi tech Hyperloop is all ready.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42There's just one final ingredient.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46It's the height of technology, it's the piece de resistance, it is...
0:24:46 > 0:24:48the vacuum cleaner. BA-DUM TISH!
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Right, to the control room.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54THUNDER RUMBLES Just as we're ready to get started,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56the rain sets in.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59# Why does it always rain on me? #
0:25:01 > 0:25:03All we can do is wait.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11'With the rain on, the vacuum cleaner is back on,
0:25:11 > 0:25:13'sucking out some of the air
0:25:13 > 0:25:15'and we reset for the challenge.'
0:25:15 > 0:25:17It is time to hopefully make history.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Good luck, everyone. Three...
0:25:22 > 0:25:23two...
0:25:23 > 0:25:25one...
0:25:25 > 0:25:26BOTH: Go!
0:25:28 > 0:25:30- Can you hear it?- Here it comes.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32- Look!- That's it!
0:25:32 > 0:25:33It's going through the time part.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Where is it?!
0:25:37 > 0:25:39- It's stopped!- Argh!
0:25:39 > 0:25:41It's stopped!
0:25:41 > 0:25:43- No!- Hyperloop's stopped!
0:25:43 > 0:25:46- No!- They're one every 30 seconds. You better get out, quick!
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Looks hyper-broken to me!
0:25:49 > 0:25:50Grant, what went wrong?
0:25:50 > 0:25:53I think we may have sucked out too much air from the system,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56- so I think we need to adjust that vacuum.- Less suction?- Yep.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58'The vacuum cleaner sucked out too much air.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00'So Grant's team adjust the cleaner
0:26:00 > 0:26:02'so that it doesn't pull as much air out.'
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- Attempt number two. - Is it going to work this time?
0:26:05 > 0:26:07- Fingers crossed. - Fingers crossed, all right.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11BOTH: Three, two, one...
0:26:11 > 0:26:12Go!
0:26:14 > 0:26:17It's going fast. Look at it!
0:26:17 > 0:26:19- Wow!- I don't even see it!
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Look at that!
0:26:25 > 0:26:26Man, that was quick!
0:26:26 > 0:26:29It's got to the end, it's all intact, it hasn't shot out.
0:26:29 > 0:26:30What's the speed?
0:26:30 > 0:26:32Have we made history?
0:26:33 > 0:26:36- Come on.- Just calculating it. - Let's have a look.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39- Whoa!- 1,118mph!
0:26:39 > 0:26:42- That's amazing!- Congratulations!
0:26:42 > 0:26:46- Well done, that is brilliant! - We've made history, it's a first!
0:26:46 > 0:26:47'We'd done it!'
0:26:47 > 0:26:50- In she goes. - 'By creating a partial vacuum,
0:26:50 > 0:26:55'we've sent our mini Hyperloop pod at the equivalent of 1,118mph!'
0:26:55 > 0:26:58- Whoa! - 'Plus we learned about the genius
0:26:58 > 0:27:01'whose ideas helped create the railway...'
0:27:01 > 0:27:04'..About how driverless cars will change the roads...'
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Here we go. '..And how Hyperloop
0:27:06 > 0:27:08'could change the way we travel in the future.'
0:27:08 > 0:27:12What an amazing journey and it all ended with us going hyper-loopy.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14We found out about transport from the past
0:27:14 > 0:27:16and transport of the future and it's all thanks to this lot.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19- Thank you to Stephenson... - ..Thrun...- ..and Musk.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21- You are all... - BOTH: ..absolute genius.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28DOM CACKLES
0:27:31 > 0:27:33DICK WHIMPERS
0:27:33 > 0:27:35THEY LAUGH
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Where's Mitch gone?
0:27:37 > 0:27:38- Oh!- Oh!
0:27:38 > 0:27:40- It's stopped!- Argh!
0:27:40 > 0:27:41A long line is a "bu-u-u-up".
0:27:41 > 0:27:43- BUZZER - Argh!
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Wow! Its head's fallen off!
0:27:45 > 0:27:48How'd you find that? "Blew my head off."
0:27:48 > 0:27:50- LAUGHING: - You can't end it like that!