Slashdot Mirror
Survivor Meets Junkyard Wars for Scientists
MyNameIsFred writes "Stepping back to Gilligan's Island, PBS has a new "reality" show Rough Science where "five scientists are challenged to put their collective scientific knowledge to practical use. Transported to isolated locations, they are presented with a series of tasks, with two notable restrictions: they must complete their work within three days and, with the exception of a rudimentary tool kit, must use only indigenous materials." Could the Professor really build all of those things? We'll soon know." Check out the Episode guide.
"scientists"?
"practical use"!?
They're doomed.
But then again, I could be wrong.
That said, its still worth catching if you've nothing else to do.
"Will they make alliances with each other and scheme to get the other scientists?"
They're academics, aren't they?
Steve
Dr. X: They mocked my research! But I'll show them, I'll show them all!
Announcer: Fascinating. What scientific principle have you applied?
Dr. X: Leverage.
Announcer: I see, and how are you going to use your invention... what's it called?
Dr. X: A big stick.
Annonucer: Yes, your stick. Dr. Sullivan has succeeded in making charcoal a furnace. How does your invention compare to that?
Dr. X: I will use it to leverage his cranium.
Announcer: That science-speak is too much for me.
Dr. X: Let me demonstrate. [Smashes announcer's head in.]
The good and new comes from no quarter where it is looked for, and is always something different from what is expected.
>>Scientists weren't designed to survive outside of a lab. =]
Hrmff! Obviously someone who hasn't done any REAL (ie. non-theoretical) science. As part of my work I have:
Slept in a snowbank (ambient temp -30C)
Scaled ice covered rock faces with 30 kilos of equipment
Faced bears and wolves unarmed. Mind you most predators only attack if you act like prey, and the wolves were mostly interested in having fun, like 50 kilo puppies with big teeth...
Hiked alone in the Amazon rain forest.
Not all scientists are wimps, some of us actually get out once and a while. When something breaks in bush camp, you fix it yourself, with what you have on hand. If you fsck up bad, you might die, so you learn to adapt.
Watashi wa chikyubutsurigakusha desu.
What kind of scientists do you suggest?
Psychologists - Starve to death, but leave excellent documentation of the experience.
Organic Chemists - build homemade reactor to convert tree sap into TNT, cause large periodic explosions until they are rescued.
Nuclear Physicists - Would cause even bigger explosions, but lack the proper infrastructure.
Theoretical physicists - dismiss building a raft as trivial.
Software Engineers - Useless without coffee. In fact, useless altogether on desert island.
Evolutionary Biologists - Decide to stay and watch the ants.
.. start a fire or catch a fish, then they would have beaten every person that has been Survivor.
Every season of Survivor is the same with the same cast of idiots starving because all they can find to eat are coconuts that practically fall out of the trees and hit them on the head and maybe some snails that crawled into their sleeping bags.
Pick up the damn fishing pole and catch some fish!
Live web cams
Sure, he's a moron for not filing a cruise plan (er, the boating equivalent of a flight plan...whatever it's called) with the Coast Guard (but then, who really wants to voluntarily tell the gov't their every move?), or telling friends where he was going and when he'd be back...but he was a true survivor.
And,. although he was very happy to see the US warship, he wasn't looking for a free ride home: he asked them to repair his mast and he would sail home on his own. That's freakin' impressive.
-- @rjamestaylor on Ello
I repeatedly uttered "fascinating" while watching this episode from the viewscreen on the bridge.