This week's look into Mythbusters: The Explosive Exhibition recalls the famous fable about three pigs. In the tale, the three pigs, each with a house of their own, are tested when the big, bad wolf tries to blow the houses down. The first pig’s house, which is made of straw, it is destroyed. The second house, made of wood, is also destroyed. The third house, made of brick, challenges the wolf and he cannot blow the house down.
In “Big Bad Wolf”, we find out if the brick house can really stand up to the huff and puff of a wolf.
Of course, the activity cannot have a real wolf or real straw, wood and brick. Instead it uses a wind tunnel and domino-shaped blocks to imitate those aspects of the story. Each block, painted a different color and with varied weight, are used to build the perfect house, one that can stand up to a huffing and puffing wind tunnel.
While the brick house was the only one left standing in the original story, in this activity you can build houses of different shapes and heights using more than brick. This activity exemplifies the exhibition and COSI's mission to use the scientific method to find the best result. You can build however many houses you desire, with whatever materials you desire, and to whatever height you desire, as long as it can fit in the wind tunnel!
This is a part of several modules that will focus on specific aspects of the Mythbusters exhibit, including insight into the science behind several of the experiments.
To try out your perfect house, visit Mythbusters: The Explosive Exhibition at COSI now through Labor Day, and stay tuned to www.wcbe.org for more.
