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Kari Byron takes her 'MythBusters' charm to 'Head Rush' for Science Channel

By April MacIntyre Aug 11, 2010, 4:35 GMT

07/24/2010 - Tory Belleci and Kari Byron - San Diego Comic Con International 2010 - Entertainment Weekly and SyFy Party - Hotel Solamar - San Diego, CA, USA © Alan Hess / PR Photos

Kari Byron of MythBusters is now on the Science Channel as a host to a new series that features an hour of commercial-free kids' programming to inspire and excite youngsters about science.

What do you think a raindrop looks like to an ant?  What is it that makes a boomerang come back? 

Byron answers these questions and more when Science Channel’s new series Head Rush premieres on August 23. 

Weaving together MythBusters show segments with Kari’s experiments and trivia, "Head Rush" is a one-hour, commercial free block of programming targeted toward middle-school age students that aims to inspire and excite viewers about the wonders of science and show how science is a vital part of their everyday lives. 

The programming block airs Monday-Friday from 4-5PM ET/PT and Saturdays from 7-9AM ET/PT when kids are out of school.

From Science Channel, the premise

Kari takes the kids on a mind safari as she dives into mathematics, science, technology, engineering, natural history and space with hands-on experiments, video shorts, viewer questions and answers, games and visits from other members of the Discovery family. 

Burning questions are answered, such as:
* Can shrimp really run underwater?
* Do new football helmets have the technology to tell if someone gets hurt?
* Is there really such a thing as a fainting goat?
* Will a balloon re-inflate after taking a nitrogen bath?
* How far can the stomach stretch after eating a whole lot?
* How much does a cloud weigh and how do they stay afloat?

Each hour features Kari experimenting with everyday concepts and explaining them in digestible detail, interspersed with MYTHBUSTERS segments that address specific science or mathematical myths.

"Head Rush" represents the Science Channel’s contribution to The White House's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) initiative to get kids engaged in higher learning.  By providing kids with relatable programming that features videos, interactive content and well-known, the series provides kids with an outlet for their curiosity and a resource for their ambitions. 

By the age of five, Kari was experimenting on her sister and using dolls as crash test dummies.  Luckily for her parents, they always caught her right before her little sister took a ride down a laundry chute or was the subject of an "around-the-world" attempt on the playground swings.  Kari began her career as a sculptor and painter before finding her dream job as a MythBuster.  As the host of HEAD RUSH, Kari brings a unique perspective to the programming block as an artist, a science geek and a working mom.