What pops into your chief when you intend " skill ? " Lab coats ? unbalanced , wild - hairedexperimenters ? beaker and trial tube-shaped structure ? Many goggle box shows require you to believe " fun " when you think scientific discipline . But the definition of " play " differs from soul to person . Science geeks are passionate about interesting , in - depth programming , but a cosmopolitan audience wants to be entertained , engaged and amused [ author : Bearzi ] . They require " Wow ! " scientific discipline .

" Fun " approaching to science include coming at it from an absurd stand , telling stories , relating science topics to viewers ' lives and cover topics that are in the news . But viewer beware : Formulated and entertaining scientific discipline shows may channel " bad skill . " For case , a British show , " The Experiments , " supposedly presented scientific cogent evidence that an average mortal could behypnotizedto become an bravo [ origin : Stokes ] . Not only is that unscientific , it ’s not nearly as fun as the following shows .

10: “NOVA”

If an time of day of science scheduling does n’t sound like play , you have n’t look the PBS series " NOVA . " Although topics are typically serious , they ’re enthralling . On this serial , it ’s not just enough to be accurate . The production is also concerned about amusement value , appropriate pacing , in force editing and intriguing scripts . And it put to work . accord to PBS , " NOVA " is television ’s highest rated skill show , and it ’s the connection ’s best - rated documentary series . In the United States , 6 million people tune in weekly to learn and enjoy .

subject span both story and science disciplines . One week you follow how biplanes evolve into World War I aircraft , and the next you determine about medievalsword devising , ancient Greek computers or Egyptian chariots . If you ’re into biology , you could see what happens when human return animal predators to their environs . rooter of strong-arm scientific discipline can explore theperiodic tableto discover which elements are the deadly , most common and rarest . get along on : Are n’t you scheme by a substance that exists for only msec ?

9: “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage”

need to enjoy skill ? take heed to someone who ’s in erotic love with it . On the 1980 PBS series " Cosmos : A Personal Voyage , " Cornell professor Carl Sagan apportion his infective interest and enthusiasm for everything in the world . Although the show lasted only 13 episodes , it covered everything under ( and around ) the sun . What do you require to know about ? Whale songs ? Messages on the Voyagerspacecraft?Nuclear arm ? pitch-black holes and spacetime change of location ? Patterns in nature ? Hieroglyphs and theRosetta Stone ?

" Cosmos " has been revived for the twenty-first hundred . Sagan ’s widow woman , Ann Druyan , work on the original show and has partner with Seth McFarlane ( yes , of " Family Guy " ) to produce a new version . Hosted by pop stargazer Neil deGrasse Tyson , the young " Cosmos : A Spacetime Odyssey " premiered in 2014 . Sagan may not be there , but his part is . Recordings from the original series are intersperse within episode .

8: “Brainiac: Science Abuse”

If you ’re looking for scientific entertainment , you ’ve got to consider a show with a logo of a skull and crossbones wearing lab goggles . Even the title of this British show , " brain : Science Abuse , " call a comical and hazardous good time . On the Sky 1 net for six seasons , Brainiac give in out in 2008 after delighting viewers with outlandish and quite possibly dangerous experiment . Their abusive research included whether a ringingcell phonecould cause an explosion at a gas place and whether pool testis could trigger a fuse to blow up a trailer . Good , clean merriment .

Though " Brainiac " is n’t testing the limits of time , distance and physical pain anymore , it has spun off two like show . Their name say it all ( or too much ): " Brainiac : History Abuse " and " Brainiac ’s Test Tube Baby . " A live show also toured Great Britain , lend skill and mayhem to its fans in person .

7: “My Cat from Hell”

Though the rubric of this Animal Planet series sound like a horror movie , it ’s really a behavioural science show about animals . It enquire cases of wild house pet to define the source of the problem and provide intervention . Behavior modification techniques are prescribed for the ferociousfelines . Occasionally , a follow - up instalment returns to a troublemaker to check its procession .

Since 2011 , the serial had covered an astonishing range of rabble - rousers , including a cat that eat shoe , towels and bedspreads . Another consumes fried chicken , chips and doughnuts . One violent tabby was sedate by opera music . Then there was the cat-o'-nine-tails that react sharply when the owner laughed or cried . It ’s funny because it ’s notyourcat .

6: “Mythbusters”

If there ’s something weird that you do n’t understand , who you gon na call ? " Mythbusters ! " Since 2003 , this Emmy - nominated show has been investigating scientific and technical questions on the Discovery Channel . The bearded hosts , Jamie and Adam , along with their crew , run energetic and tight - paced experiment to answer real - liveliness questions .

Is it possible to perplex alie demodulator test ? The show determined that it ’s potential , but not at all easy . How about the five - bit linguistic rule for rust off the floor ? Do n’t do it ! bacterium jump on after just a millisecond . Should you keep cool in a car by stray down your windows or hit the AC ? Though experts depone by tune conditioning , the Mythbusters found that gasolene mileage was better with window lowered . with child . Nowwhom do you consider ?

5: “Punkin' Chunkin''

fall leaves . A shivering in the airwave . icing on the autumn pumpkin . That pumpkin lunge C of feet through the air . How far can it go ? That ’s the question posed by the gamey , quirky Science Channel show , " Punkin ' Chunkin ' . " Every Thanksgiving hebdomad since 2011 , the serial follow a Cucurbita pepo hurl rivalry . squad expend their knowledge of science and technology to build gizmo such as air carom , onager , catapults and centrifugal machines in an effort to make their pumpkin vine fly the farthest .

Though most seasons have cover an one-year contest deem at Delaware ’s Dover International Speedway , the 2014 variation go out player flinging ordinary objects — and pumpkin — into a cornfield . Cars , televisions and pianos all sweep through the breeze . What ’s the ultimate goal ? According to Guinness World Records , the longest pass was 5,545.43 metrical unit ( 1,690.25 meters ) . That 2010 Moab , Utah , record is the one to beat . Start chunkin ' .

4: “What Is That?'

Whatisthat ? A cavern ? A Martian vale ? A water slide ? Nope , it ’s a television of yourdigestive system . During half - hour episodes of the Science Channel ’s 2013 serial publication " What Is That ? " viewers are shown stuffy - up figure of speech and alone perspective of objects and substances from the born humans . Each show presents nine unlike video recording , and the audience hear to approximate what they ’re seeing . Recognition is not easy , so clues pop up sporadically . If the digestive system appear foreign to you , maybe you ’ll solve the enigma with the clew " Can have butterfly " and " Hydrochloric acid on wall . "

Biological elements are unwashed , such as the belly of a giant and a human heart . You also journey to the outside world for a personal view of a toilet organization or a cozy shot of a pizza baking in an oven . But badly , how intimate do you want to get with your breadbasket ? How skinny is too close ?

3: “Outrageous Acts of Science”

Part of the merriment of scientific discipline is watching other masses do really stupid thing . At least that ’s the assumption of " extortionate Acts of Science , " which premier on the Science Channel during the summer of 2014 . The show offers Internet clip of people doing amazing , unsafe , ingenious , thrilling or absurd thing . After their survival is ensure , the show ’s educational team explain the scientific discipline behind the activities .

You ’ll see telecasting both intriguing and downright weird . Ping - pong balls drift during a zero gravity flight are amazing to watch , as is anoctopusthat camouflages itself . But what ’s up with that bicyclist riding on a treadmill ? And why do those goats keep fainting when they ’re panicked ? No animate being or people are really harm , but viewers might bust a catgut laughing .

2: “Science of Stupid”

firmly to think of a more explanatory title than " Science of Stupid . " premiere on the National Geographic Channel in 2014 , the serial publication actually covers real science topic such as torque , gravity andNewton ’s law . But Newton is not the dummy . The " stupid " comes in with the introduction of Internet videos that focus on people doing scientifically moronic thing . later , the show explains why the stunts fail or ( surprisingly ) deliver the goods .

Check out the serial to see mass bungee jumping blindfold . Watchjet packsfail , brainiac jump off roofs , slip - and - slide water tracks turn into calamity surface area and tree cutting nearly becoming life - peril accident . Why do multitude prosecute in such idiocy ? mayhap they just do n’t know any better . concord to Time magazine , 25 percent of Americans are unaware of the heliocentric universe of discourse . In the European Union , that number increase to 36 percent . Plenty of stupe to go around .

1: “Duck Quacks Don’t Echo”

A researcher from the University of Salford in Greater Manchester disprove the democratic belief that duck quack do n’t echo [ root : CNN ] . However , that did n’t stop a 2014 National Geographic serial from take up the shibboleth for its statute title . This comedic feeling at skill investigates aver fact that are eccentric , unbelievable or odd . On every episode , each of the three hosts initiates an experimentation about a different topic . faculty scientists ensure a systematic approach .

For case , brunet , blonde and ginger may all enquire whether redheader tolerate painfulness better . Appliance lovers seeking to reach new top require to know whether you may rise a paries using vacuum dry cleaners . Cognitive scientific discipline come under scrutiny to answer the interrogative : Does conversing with a pretty fair sex grim a man’sIQ ? And who has n’t wondered whether it ’s potential to play music on a banana tree ? Hmmm … would that be a wind or percussion instrument ?

Lots More Information

Sources

Carl Sagan for Cosmos

The hosts of “Mythbusters,” Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman