Episode 7 Richard Hammond's Blast Lab

Oh, oh.

Hello. I'm Richard Hammond and welcome to my Blast lab!

CHEERING

I just had the weirdest dream.

I was up last night working on my new gnome-cloning device.

I'm not sure it's working properly. They've...

invaded my mind - it's...terrifying.

Anyway, this lab is a wonderful place, considered...

Well, some say it's the scientific hub of the world.

And they say it's the best lab in the world.

And it's not just my mum and dad saying nice things about the place.

Though it is MAINLY just my mum and dad.

Today, two lucky teams of scientists have been invited

to take part in experiments that might win them amazing prizes.

Coming up, Fact Nav 2.0 with Oliver!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

In Mini Science, things get a bit sticky for my lab rats.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

My lab rats organise a battle of the elements, with a water cannon

and a massive industrial wind machine.

Let's just say mother nature will not be happening.

In this week's Messy Messy Mess Test,

is everyone's favourite gungee-related bungee catapult game.

It's the Gungee Bungee!

So, who would be the best person in the world to protect this lab?

Well, it would probably be Vin Diesel,

but the next best option would be this lady. It is Ninja Nan!

Let's have a look at Nan, see what she's up to.

She's surrounded by them!

There's millions of them! They're stalking her.

Nan, wake.... Best not to wake her.

Right, let's have a look at who's trying to get in to my lab today.

Hello.

You look like you could be the Red Team, but we have to make sure.

So, your names, please.

-Callum!

-Issy!

-Lisa!

Yep, that's what I've got.

And who's going to do what, to prove you are who you say you are?

Me.

-I can turn my feet inside out and still walk.

-Urgh!

Good grief! OK.

I believe you. Come on into the lab.

APPLAUSE

I just tried it. It is impossible. It's just you who can do that.

You can come to here,

but that's as far as you can go

because Ninja Nan is watching you three.

One final security check before we let you in to the lab, OK?

And that is, we agreed a password with the Red Team.

If you are them you know what it is.

-What is the password?

-ALL:

-Toilet.

That's what I've got. Why is it toilet?

Because on my school residential trip I slept walked

and I was found on the toilet at 2.00am.

You sleepwalked into the lavatory? Well, could be convenient.

Fair enough. I believe you then - you ARE the Red Team.

You're cleared through security. Go and get ready for the first game!

The Reds. We need a Yellow Team.

Let's meet the bunch of people who say it's them.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Argh! That's gnomes!

There were gnomes just then! There are gnomes in the lab!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

OK. OK, well you do now look like the Yellow Team.

So we need to check - your names, please. You are?

-Holly!

-Lucy!

-John!

Yep, fair enough.

What hidden talent will prove you are the Yellow Team?

-I can do a headstand.

-John. OK - go on, then.

Yeah.

Yeah, you are standing on your head. I believe you. Come into the lab.

All right,

before we can be absolutely sure you are the real Yellow Team

we agreed a password which you would know if you are they and not gnomes.

-What do you think it is?

-Pig.

-Pig.

Yes, that's what I've got. Why pig?

I went to my uncle's farm and I opened a pig shed

and a pig came rushing out and I fell on the floor.

-You got run over by a pig?

-Yeah.

-Wow!

-A special attack pig?

-Yeah.

We tried one of those here once. It didn't work out. All right,

you ARE the Yellow Team. Go and get settled in ready for the first game.

CHEERING

OK, we have our two teams.

For the next round I need a clever car.

He knows all about the big bang, and not just the one

that comes from his exhaust when you start him. Please welcome Oliver!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

There we are, docked into Fact Nav and hooked up.

Up and running, here goes.

Now, to keep Oliver absolutely up to the minute,

I've fitted him with a very latest upgrade - Fact Nav 2.0.

Unfortunately, the copy I bought was in the bargain bin

at my local gadget shop because some of the parts were missing.

And it turns out the missing parts were probably quite important,

because as a result, not all of the facts

he has in the system are entirely factual.

They're incorrect. Teams, that's where you come in.

I need you to tell me whether these science facts are true or false.

If they turn out to be true, Oliver will let us know by doing this...

HIGH-PITCHED SIREN

And if they're false, he'll do this...

LOW-PICTHED BEEPING

Here's how to play.

Three red lights for each team. Every time you answer correctly,

we'll turn one of your lights green.

The first team to get three green lights wins the game,

takes a point and we move on.

But, if you answer a question incorrectly,

we will turn one of the other team's lights green.

So think carefully about how you answer, because

you could win the game for the other team. Everybody clear?

Good. The first question is a nearest-to question.

Here is your question.

The number called "a google" is 1 followed by how many 0s?

The number called "a google" is 1 followed by how many 0s?

THEY WHISPER

Got to hurry you for an answer now, teams.

-'Time's up.'

-OK, I do need answers. Have both teams

written down an answer? Reds?

-Yellows?

-Yeah.

-OK.

The number called "a google" is 1 followed by how many 0s?

Reds, what do you think?

-13.

-You think it's 1 then 13 zeros.

-Yeah.

-Yellows?

-1,000.

-1,000 zeros.

OK, that's... Whoa, some difference in your answers there.

The actual answer is, google is a one followed by...

100 zeros, which means the Reds are closest with 13.

The green light is lit.

Let's ask the question of red. You get the first true or false.

You've taken control of the game, that's good.

You could of course lose control fairly quickly. Get this wrong,

hand the green light to the Yellows. Then next question they get two.

So, your science fact is,

the longest ear hair in the world is ten centimetres long.

Is that true or false? Have a chat, Reds. Have a good think.

What do you think? Is it true or false?

We think it's false cos we think it might be longer.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-That's a confident answer from the Reds.

OK, so, Oliver, the science fact is,

the longest ear hair in the world is ten centimetres long.

The Reds think it's false. Is it true or false?

LOW-PITCHED BEEPING

It is false. Another light is lit green for the Reds.

You are right - it's actually over 18 centimetres long

and it belongs to Anthony Victor of India.

Right, Yellows,

the Reds have two green lights.

Here is your science fact.

The box jellyfish has enough poison in it

to kill 60 human beings.

True or false?

The box jellyfish has enough poison in it to kill 60 human beings.

Is that true or false? Have a good think and a chat.

Meanwhile, audience, what do you think? Vote with your feet.

-OK, you all think that's true, yeah?

-Yeah.

-You think not.

-No, I've seen a jellyfish.

-Yeah.

I've never been stung by one,

but I don't think it could be that poisonous.

OK, back to your places, audience.

Let's find out the real answer.

The box jellyfish has enough poison in it

to kill 60 human beings. Is that true or false?

-True.

-You think it's true.

Oliver, the Yellows think it's true.

Is it true or false?

-HIGH-PITCHED SIREN

-It is true. You're still in the game,

well done. It is true. So that's a green light lit.

It does live in Australia. In the sea,

obviously, around Australia. It's also known as the sea wasp.

OK, Reds, so the Yellows have stayed in the game

by the skin of their teeth. Well done, team.

This is a critical one for you. Get this right, you win.

Get it wrong, the Yellows will then have two green lights

and can win on their next question.

Out of all the planets in the solar system,

Jupiter has the fewest moons.

True or false? Right, what do you think?

-False.

-You think it's false.

False. Cos we think every planet has a moon

and Earth only has one, so that must be it.

Logically thinking going on there.

Out of all the planets in the solar system,

Jupiter has the fewest moons.

Oliver, is that true or false?

-LOW-PITCHED BEEPING

-It is false. It is false.

That means a third light is lit green for the Reds.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Jupiter has the most moons. 62.

Although only 49 have official names.

I'm not surprised - you won't remember them all!

With three lights lit green, that means the Reds win.

The score then is 1-0.

Sometimes it does get very lonely here in the Lab.

When you lot have all gone home and I'm the only human here.

Lab rats don't count, obviously, or gnomes.

So I invented a time machine to bring my old science teacher

back from school through time to help out in the Lab

and keep me company.

And it worked. The machine worked.

She arrived. And she's not much company because all she ever does

is keep reminding me that I had

the time machine's anti-ageing dial turned up

way too high, which is why she stepped out of it

as a ten-year-old girl. It is, of course, Mini Miss.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

-Hello.

-What are you drivelling on about, Richard?

May I remind you of the time you had the anti-ageing dial

turned up way too high, and...

Yes, Miss, I've got it. I'm sorry, it won't happen again.

-It'd better not.

-It won't. What have you got for us today?

Well, today, the teams are playing a game I like to call...

Anything that involves suspending lab rats from the ceiling

-is good with me.

-Pipe down and listen up, Richard.

-Sorry, Miss.

The teams have to use their colander catapult launchers to fire

these Velcro-covered balls at their very own lab rat.

If the ball hits, it will stick.

-I bet the team with most balls stuck to their lab rat wins.

-Correct.

Yeah, I'm getting really good at these now.

Teams, you have some time

to get as many balls stuck to your lab rat as you can.

Think carefully about trajectory, the path it's taking, and power -

how much energy you're giving it to get there.

OK, at some time, if you're ready, you ready?

That some time starts now.

Away we go.

Both teams off to a good start,

already sticking balls to those idiot lab rats.

That's good because no-one knows how long some time is.

The Yellows look to be ahead and, yes, there's another point for them.

The Reds need to catch up, but not with firing like that.

Oh, and yet another one for the Yellows. And another one.

Head shot, absolutely classic move.

To talk science, Mini Miss has joined them.

-Miss?

-Yes, Richard.

-Do we NEED these microphones?

-No, Richard.

-But they look good, don't they?

-Yes, Richard.

-We look like sports commentators.

-Shut up, Richard.

This game is all about energy transfer, isn't it?

-That's right.

-Energy can never be made or destroyed,

it just changes from one form to another.

So, as the teams pull back their colanders, energy is transferred

from their arms into the bungees,

-where it's stored a potential...

-Potential energy.

As soon as the colander is let go this...

-Potential energy.

-..potential energy is transferred into movement, or...

-Kinetic.

-..kinetic energy.

That shoots the colander and ball forwards.

The colanders and bungees

are attached to the posts, so they get pulled back again.

They stop, but the balls aren't,

so they fly forwards, hopefully towards the lab rats.

-Correct, Richard.

-Thank you, Miss.

While I've been chatting to Mini Miss,

the Reds have really come back into this.

It's too close to call.

Three, two, one more, one more!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

That last one was a close one for you Reds, that really was.

So, lab rats, for the Yellows, how many do we have?

10, 14. 14 for the Yellows. For the Reds, what have we got?

Ten, 13, that means a win for the Yellows there. Well done.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

That was a close run thing team, very close.

Looking at those wimpy lab rats makes me think that

they could do with a bit of toughening up. Be good for them.

Fed up with having no-one she can trust to help with security

at the lab, Ninja Nan has sent one of our lab rats to toughen up.

This particular lab rat, Rattius Play, says he's the toughest,

meanest, baddest lab rat of all time, ever.

Well, let's put that to the test and crowbar in an excuse for

an experiment at the same time.

And his opponent today, the inanimate object better known

as a freestanding punchbag, the base of which is

heavily weighted down with 100kg of sand.

The challenge we're setting Rattius,

can he knock the punchbag down using only his fists?

This is all about the punchbag's central gravity

and the width of its base.

For our punchbag to keep upright,

its centre of gravity must stay directly above its base.

If the top of the punchbag can be pushed sideways enough

for its centre of gravity to reach past its base,

then gravity can take control and topple the punchbag.

Round one begins.

He's showing no mercy, unleashing a flurry of devastating blows.

Doesn't seem to be having much of an effect, though,

with the punchbag laughing at his pathetic pugilistic skills.

He's run out of time and the punchbag is still standing.

Oh, hold on, I spoke too soon.

He's thought of another way to knock it down.

Wind power, more his style.

This huge electric fan is capable of blasting a constant stream of air

at speeds of up to 110 miles an hour.

But will that be enough to finally topple the steeping behemoth

that is the freestanding punchbag?

Well, some wobbling there,

but it's not looking good.

Time's up and another victory for the punchbag.

Can no-one challenge this silent giant of the boxing world?

Well, what are the chances? A fireman! That could work.

So can our fireman succeed where the other two methods have failed?

He has a hose connected to a fire hydrant that can

shoot out up to 475 litres a minute.

But will this be enough to knock down the punchbag?

So, hold the experiment right there.

There's another point up for grabs for the teams.

It's transfer of energy. Energy being put into the bag

and failing to knock it over.

Punch power wasn't enough. We saw wind power wasn't enough.

Will water power do it?

Will that be enough?

Have a think because there's another point up for grabs right now.

Meanwhile, while you're thinking,

I'm going to go over to the audience.

Have a proper chat about everything you can.

Yeah, there you go. Thank you.

So, audience, what do you reckon?

-Well, I think the water power might work.

-You think it might?

-Yeah.

It takes quite a lot of energy to knock the bag over,

doesn't it? It looks pretty heavy. Yeah, I think it...

maybe knock it down, but it depends how fast it pushes out.

How do you think the bag's staying up? What's holding it up?

The sand must be so heavy that it won't be pushed down.

Because it's weighted at the bottom,

all of the centre of gravity, the heavy bit of it is at the bottom.

Good, good, good. Right then, teams.

-Yellows, will water power do it?

-We think it will.

-You think it will.

-Reds.

-Yes, I think it will. Yes, it will.

You're going for yes. Both teams are going for yes.

Only one way to find out - on with the experiment.

After watching this man embarrass himself on more than one occasion,

this man thinks he can finally

topple the freestanding punchbag using water power.

Let's find out if he's right.

Three, two, one, fire.

And with the greatest of ease and a whole lot of water,

the punchbag is finally knocked to the ground. It's a knockout.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

water power was enough. Both teams are right.

It's an extra point to both teams. Means, now, 2-2.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

OK, teams, get changed into chemical protective suits, away you go.

I don't think that lab rat boxer

took his defeat at the hands of mother nature very well.

With the punchbag well and truly beaten, our brave loser, Rattius,

comes in to offer his condolences.

That's not very sporting.

Nor is that, but it's very funny.

Rattius once more flailing his arms, but to no effect.

So, if you want to knock out a lab rat and you've got a choice

between a water cannon and a wind machine, use a water cannon.

Unless you have neither, then use the old fashion boxing glove.

Let me demonstrate.

There's another one, look.

Oh, what a simple but effective tool!

Never fails. Don't worry, they're lab rats,

they're designed for that sort of thing.

Let's move on to something far more important. It is time for...

Oh, yeah, this is my bungee-powered catapult.

I invented it to investigate the Blast Lab cat

could beat a cheetah in a 100 metre race. It did.

It might have taken an unfortunate route - cut through a wall or two -

but it still beat the cheetah, that was the important thing.

Anyway this week's moggy, moggy mess...

I mean Messy, Messy, Mess Test is the gungee bungee.

Teams, you've got to use these catapults to fire prize pods

over this tank and into the prize zone on the other side.

It's as simple as that.

The prizes represented by what's written

on the prize pods include a volcano game,

a fashion styling set and a marine copter. But there's a catch.

Technically it's a catchER -

each team has a member standing in the tank.

Your job is to intercept the other team's prize pods

as they arc gracefully across the tank towards the prize zone. OK?

Each team has the option at any time

to fire these to their team-mates. These are...

Giant hands of glory.

That WAS a gnome. These can be used to stop the opposing team's

prize pods more effectively than if they just used their own bare hands.

When you're firing one of these across, you could be firing

a prize pod instead.

It's down to you to work out your tactics. Deploy them carefully.

Only the prize pods in the prize zone at the end of the game count.

The team with the most prize pods wins.

You have some time to get as many prize pods across the tank

and into the prize zone, as you can. Your some time starts...now.

As it's a draw, both teams are kicking off at the same time.

And the teams are wasting no some time.

Yellows are off the mark.

Another. John, the Yellows' firer, is like a machine out there.

Atchoo!

Speaking of machines, that's Alan,

my massive robot, who has the most colossal cold.

Sorry, everyone.

The blockers did well to get out of the way of that one.

Oh, but a great block from Issy.

The Reds need more of that if they want to get back in this game.

And finally the Reds get their first prize pod into the prize zone.

And another. Is this the start of a great comeback? It could be.

Callum has his eye in there. Look out, the Yellows.

Well, it really is anybody's game now.

There is nothing separating them.

The blockers are working overtime.

But the Reds grab another.

And again, back come the Yellows.

I've never seen a Messy, Messy Mess Test like it.

The teams have to be quick.

OK. Hold. That is the end of the game.

Time for the big tot up.

Let's check with the lab rats.

For the Yellows, indicate with your little paw. Hold it in the air.

Five. For the Reds, what have we got?

Four for the Reds, that means it is a Yellow victory!

The Yellows win. Well done, Yellows.

Right, let's see what you've won here. Are you ready, Ninja Nan?

A radio controlled spider.

Tomb of Doom.

A butterfly garden.

Transforming ball.

And a flying UFO.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

That is the haul of prizes the Yellow Team will be taking home.

Reds, out of interest, we should probably find out

what you would have won, had you won.

Each of you would have been taking home...

-Transforming ball, for each of you, rather nice.

-AUDIENCE: Ah.

-A butterfly garden for each of you.

-Ah.

-A board game for each of you.

-Ah.

-A volcano game.

-Ah.

-Yeah, yeah.

But here at Blast Lab there are only three rules.

Last person out of the Lab has to turn out the lights,

never, ever open the windows as the killer moles get in,

and the losing team has to blow up their prizes.

That third rule is the most important one right now

because it's time for Bidet Goes Bang!

Yellows, well played, well played. All of these coming home with you.

That feels good. Reds, you did so well.

You held it at a draw through most of the game and in the end

you didn't do the winning thing, you did the losing thing instead.

Instead of taking home a huge wheelbarrow full of prizes.

You're going to follow me now on a long and treacherous walk of shame.

Follow me. Here you are. Console them for they are sad.

They are sad, console them.

Callum, Issy, Lisa,

-in the end, the gungee bungee just didn't go your way, did it?

-No.

Bad luck. Still at least you get to blow everything up in the end, yeah.

You know what to do, lift the plunger, please.

Audience, we'll count them down from,

five, four, three, two, one.

Today, we have used giant wind machines and fire engines

to investigate balance and catapults

and to learn that, unlike lab rats, energy can't be destroyed.

See you next time.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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