Mythbusters are negligent. I stopped watching after they attached rocket engines to a chair i a wrong way (and you don’t have to be a rocket engineer to know you have to balance a rocket, or it will tip over and turn into a fountain), and tried to deafeat a cop radar with some tinfoil nonsence instead of electronically disrupting it’s frequency. To me they are too lame to bust a myth. Still, they are way better than Brainiac.
If the sword cuts through anything… then nothing can resist its progress, which means there is no friction… which naturally means that sticking the sword in the wall would do NOTHING to slow Alex’s descent.
Physics? What is this physics you speak of… in a land where believing you can fly makes you fly… I think that believing this will work will make it work.
Plus there could still be friction–it could cut through anything, but not effortlessly. Think about it: your cheese cutter can cut through any cheese, but there is still friction even with the softest brie.
I begin to wonder if the authors of this thing don’t mine the comments sections for ideas…then I realize the comments are mostly from well after the pages are posted.
Also, the Mythbusters test about slowing one’s fall with a dagger was incomplete, and thus invalid (they never tested with the sharp blade)
Sure, the EDGE can cut through anything. The FLAT of the blade is still rubbing against the crack the whole way down, though, even if the cut itself is frictionless.
(Oh… and the Mythbusters didn’t test it on a fortress, with a magic sword, in their dreams, so we need a new control group. 😀 )
I’m more concerned with how they got about twenty feet closer to the wall between yesterday and today. Does the wall expand toward the bottom?
Actually, a sharp blade is best … too much friction would just rip the blade out of your hands at terminal or near-terminal velocity.
As to how they got closer to the wall, perhaps Alex’s belief in the sword trick allowed him to subconsciously fly just a little bit to close the distance and make it work …
Even when you’re cutting something, there’s still friction in that. It’s just a matter of how much friction. You’re splitting molecules apart- that creates SOME friction, all be it, not much. As stated, the flat of the blade would be traveling through the crack, also, creating some friction, too. So, no the physics side of this isn’t done wrongly, I just think that someone is being overly critical in judging physics use in a make-believe world. Philosophy is good to argue in these things, but physics? You weren’t crying out physics when the kid’s brain went dead!
They proved it’s not possible with a knife or sword on a ship’s sail. The reason was that the knife would fly out of anyone’s hand as soon as it hit…ahh, a certain line or seam in the sail, I can’t remember what it was called. They didn’t try using a sword that could cut through steel on a building, though, but I assume that at any rate this wasn’t a smooth ride for Alex or Felicity…
Seems to me that when you’re out to bust a myth, you should bust the myth. If the myth was that tinfoil would beat radar, they should not be trying to jam it. I’ve heard of many ways to “defeat” that radar and not a one of the “normal folks can do it” solutions involved jamming it.
Agreed. If Mythbusters are addressing lamer and lamer myths, that is just a reflection of the crazy things some people believe, not their own abilities. That being said, I have not seen the episodes being referenced above.
Suspension of disbelief works better for things that are obviously impossible than for things that seem like they might be possible. Suddenly re-acquiring the ability to fly, even on a temporary emergency basis, would at least mesh better and make a sort of internal sense.
Or for that matter, why doesn’t he just “believe” up a giant pillow or a hand-glider? Why doesn’t he morph into a bird? Why doesn’t he just hit the ground and choose not to die?
If there is no rationale to what does or doesn’t work then where is the dramatic tension?
Awesome page. tyd!
If Nicodemus wasn’t mad before…
hmmm, Mythbusters proved this kind of thing cannot be done.
Ah well,. great fantasy..
🙂
ah… but did they prove it with a magical sword that can cut through anything?
The dragon would have snatched her out of the air in the meantime…no?
Mythbusters are negligent. I stopped watching after they attached rocket engines to a chair i a wrong way (and you don’t have to be a rocket engineer to know you have to balance a rocket, or it will tip over and turn into a fountain), and tried to deafeat a cop radar with some tinfoil nonsence instead of electronically disrupting it’s frequency. To me they are too lame to bust a myth. Still, they are way better than Brainiac.
Love the rendering on this page. XD
Let me just clarify something:
If the sword cuts through anything… then nothing can resist its progress, which means there is no friction… which naturally means that sticking the sword in the wall would do NOTHING to slow Alex’s descent.
Just thought I’d throw that out there.
Physics: You’re doing it wrong.
Physics? What is this physics you speak of… in a land where believing you can fly makes you fly… I think that believing this will work will make it work.
Exactly what I was thinking Jenna, Thank you!
Plus there could still be friction–it could cut through anything, but not effortlessly. Think about it: your cheese cutter can cut through any cheese, but there is still friction even with the softest brie.
Ha, that’s exactly what I was thinking about 30 pages earlier!
I begin to wonder if the authors of this thing don’t mine the comments sections for ideas…then I realize the comments are mostly from well after the pages are posted.
Also, the Mythbusters test about slowing one’s fall with a dagger was incomplete, and thus invalid (they never tested with the sharp blade)
Now that’s what I call “Sonic and the Black Knight” style!
Sure, the EDGE can cut through anything. The FLAT of the blade is still rubbing against the crack the whole way down, though, even if the cut itself is frictionless.
(Oh… and the Mythbusters didn’t test it on a fortress, with a magic sword, in their dreams, so we need a new control group. 😀 )
I’m more concerned with how they got about twenty feet closer to the wall between yesterday and today. Does the wall expand toward the bottom?
Yay! We stopped falling to our certain deaths!
…now to deal with the pissed-off dragon chasing after us.
looks like Felicity ate Alex’s head
Pyre, a sharp blade would make it worse, it would reduce the amount of friction causing them to go down faster.
Actually, a sharp blade is best … too much friction would just rip the blade out of your hands at terminal or near-terminal velocity.
As to how they got closer to the wall, perhaps Alex’s belief in the sword trick allowed him to subconsciously fly just a little bit to close the distance and make it work …
🙂
Even when you’re cutting something, there’s still friction in that. It’s just a matter of how much friction. You’re splitting molecules apart- that creates SOME friction, all be it, not much. As stated, the flat of the blade would be traveling through the crack, also, creating some friction, too. So, no the physics side of this isn’t done wrongly, I just think that someone is being overly critical in judging physics use in a make-believe world. Philosophy is good to argue in these things, but physics? You weren’t crying out physics when the kid’s brain went dead!
Don’t worry… the damage is all cosmetic.
I don’t think Nico’s going to be getting the damage deposit back…
lol OctoDude i think you’re right. He soo lost the deposit. *giggle* But at least his house now matches his face. xD
They proved it’s not possible with a knife or sword on a ship’s sail. The reason was that the knife would fly out of anyone’s hand as soon as it hit…ahh, a certain line or seam in the sail, I can’t remember what it was called. They didn’t try using a sword that could cut through steel on a building, though, but I assume that at any rate this wasn’t a smooth ride for Alex or Felicity…
Remember, this is Dreamland where anything is possible.
Seems to me that when you’re out to bust a myth, you should bust the myth. If the myth was that tinfoil would beat radar, they should not be trying to jam it. I’ve heard of many ways to “defeat” that radar and not a one of the “normal folks can do it” solutions involved jamming it.
Agreed. If Mythbusters are addressing lamer and lamer myths, that is just a reflection of the crazy things some people believe, not their own abilities. That being said, I have not seen the episodes being referenced above.
hmm… i wonder if any minions in the castle were hurt during this and if so how many? 🙂
So true! Aren’t matched set just *the best*?
^_^
*sets. Plural.
*sigh*
Suspension of disbelief works better for things that are obviously impossible than for things that seem like they might be possible. Suddenly re-acquiring the ability to fly, even on a temporary emergency basis, would at least mesh better and make a sort of internal sense.
Or for that matter, why doesn’t he just “believe” up a giant pillow or a hand-glider? Why doesn’t he morph into a bird? Why doesn’t he just hit the ground and choose not to die?
If there is no rationale to what does or doesn’t work then where is the dramatic tension?