aaron c beals

not unlike Bob and his love for soft rock ballads, i’ve gotta admit … i am a Mythbusters fan. recently, i have been keeping myself entertained by watching a lot of old episodes, but haven’t been able to put a finger on why the show draws me in (other than the obvious “they blow stuff up”).

much to my dismay, many people have maligned the show for skirting the finer points of the scientific method, to the point of discrediting anything and everything Jamie, Adam, and the crew uncover. yes, it’s low-calorie science, but it tastes much like real science — and frankly, the fact that the show is sparking such heated discussions about scientific approaches is welcomed.

this week, my friends over at xkcd set the naysayers straight and uncovered the source of my affinity for the show — i have been a longtime admirer of the late Richard Feynman and his legendary ability to make scientific information accessible to the unwashed masses. i’d like to think that the man who put himself through sensory deprivation in an experiment to explore consciousness would appreciate the Mythbusters’ approach.