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Bang Goes the Theory
In this episode, the team investigate the recent Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. Zoologist Liz Bonnin travels to Louisiana and takes part in the rescue effort to protect the area's wildlife, while Jem Stansfield builds a scale model to explain what happens when an oil well gets out of control, and how to solve the problem. Meanwhile, Dallas Campbell proves Einstein's theory of relativity with the help of a jet plane and a very expensive atomic clock.
In the second episode of the series, the team take on more scientific challenges. Liz Bonnin looks at the science behind sunburn, and discovers how much sun damage she has on her face. Dallas Campbell tries to make museum visitors younger and smarter in a series of psychological experiments. And Jem Stansfield proves that wheels don't have to be round by building a square-wheeled skateboard. The programme is co-produced with the Open University. For more ways to put science to the test, go to www.bbc.co.uk/bang and follow the links to The Open University.
Liz conducts an experiment into jetlag and how to avoid it, while Dallas demonstrates the size of the solar system with the help of a bicycle and a fruit bowl. And Jem upgrades his square-wheeled skateboard to a motorbike, before trying to jump it into the record books.
Dallas looks at the origins of our weather and explains how the emergence of seasons allowed life to form, all with the help of a grenade launcher. Jem travels to Scotland to check out the latest green technology - wave power. And Liz meets Richard Dawkins to prove evolution.
Liz visits the volcano that brought Britain to a standstill, and examines its aftermath and the likelihood of a re-occurrence. Dallas blows the budget in Vegas to explain why people are so bad at predicting probabilities. Jem borrows a solar furnace in France to demonstrate the awesome power of the sun.
Jem faces his toughest challenge yet: to build a boat made out of ice, and take it and the rest of the team for a spin in one of the UK's busiest stretches of water. Dallas investigates the world of comets and tries to build his own, while Liz looks at the science behind hypothermia and gets repeatedly dunked into ice-cold water in preparation for the ice boat extravaganza.
