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Discovery Channel’s MythBusters promotes science education, Obama episode Dec. 8

By April MacIntyre Oct 18, 2010, 19:34 GMT

President Barack Obama records an episode of the Discovery Channel’s television show MythBusters with co-hosts Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage in the Library of the White House, July 27, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

President Obama is a MythBusters fan!

Discovery released a press statement that shared the news from the White House Science Fair, as President Obama announced his participation in an upcoming episode of Discovery Channel’s popular series, MythBusters.

President Obama said “I’m pleased to welcome Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, known as the MythBusters.  I can announce today that I taped a special guest appearance for their show, although I didn’t get to blow anything up… I was a little frustrated about that.”

The President will be featured in the December 8 episode, Archimedes Solar Ray, during which he challenges hosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman to revisit an ancient and somewhat controversial myth:  Did Greek scientist and polymath Archimedes set fire to an invading Roman fleet using only mirrors and the reflected rays of the sun? 

Adam and Jamie were present in November 2009 for the President’s “Educate to Innovate” event, which kicked off the Administration’s campaign for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) awareness. 

The December 8 episode is part of a sweeping, multi-platform initiative launched by Discovery Communications called “Be the Future,” which also includes such commitments as Head Rush, a commercial-free science block for kids that launched in August on Science Channel, and several initiatives of Discovery Education, which will make this special episode of MythBusters available to students and educators across the country through Discovery Education’s curriculum-based digital resources.

The series, which airs Wednesdays at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel, aims to uncover the truth behind popular myths and legends by mixing scientific method with gleeful curiosity and plain old-fashioned ingenuity.  The show exemplifies that science education can be fun, informative, and inspiring.

Also in attendance at the White House Science Fair will be Liam McCarty of Elm Grove, WI, the winner of the 2010 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge and Raj Raina and Yash Sathe, from Novi, MI, the middle school winners of the 2010 Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge.