WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S YOUR
STRESS HACK?
IS THERE SOMETHING YOU DO?
MAYBE IT'S WATCHING THE SHOW.
>> Mike: OR IS THAT STRESSFUL?
>> Fiona: IT DEPENDS ON IF WE
HAVE A SHOCKING SHOW.
>> Mike: WHAT A SEGUE BECAUSE
ANDREA COOK, SENIOR SCIENTIST IS
HERE.
HEY, DON'T GIVE US ANY STATIC
TODAY, ANDREA.
>> Fiona: WE'RE USING SO MANY
STATIC PUNS.
>> THEY ARE ENDLESS.
SO STATIC L ELECTRICITY IS MY
FAVORITE ELECTRICITY BECAUSE MY
BROTHER USED TO SHOCK HIMSELF
ALL THE TIME.
>> Mike: DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING
TO DO WITH IT?
IS HE A YOUNGER BROTHER?
>> Mike: I WAS A BABY SO I
KNOW WHAT YOU OLDER SIBLINGS
DID.
>> I KNEW AT AN EARLY AGE IT IS
IMPORTANT TO LEARN ABOUT THESE
THINGS.
EVERYONE KNOWS YOU CAN -- PICK
YOUR FAVORITE BALLOON.
YOU CAN CREATE FRICTION.
RUB THE BALLOON ON YOUR HAIR.
YOU'RE CHARGING UP THE BALLOON.
YOU CAN ALSO USE A STYROFOAM CUP
IF YOU CHOOSE.
YOU HAVE SOME ELECTRONS GOING
ON.
HOLD THEM OVER THE FEATHERS AND
SEE IF YOU CAN CATCH YOURSELF
SOME FEATHERS.
>> Fiona: OH MY GOSH!
LOOK AT THIS!
I HAVE A LOT OF HAIR.
>> OH, YOU TOOK MINE!
BASICALLY WHEN YOU GET THAT TO
HAPPEN YOU A PUSHING AWAY
AND -- SORRY, IF YOU HAVE A
NEGATIVE CHARGE LIKE IS GOING TO
REPEL.
BUT IF YOU HAVE POSITIVE AND
NEGATIVE THEY ARE GOING TO BE
ATTRACTED.
I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
I W SO MESMERIZED.
IF YOU CAN GET IT TO STICK TO A
NEUTRAL OBJECT, LIKE A WALL.
GET A GOOD CHARGE GOING ON AND
YOU ARE GIVING THE BALLOON SOME
ELECTRONS.
STATIC ELECTRICITY IS THE
BALANCE OF THAT POSITIVE AND
NEGATIVE CHARGE.
>> Mike: AS OPPOSED TO THE
ELECTRICITY COMING OUT OF THE
WALL.
>> IT'S GOING ON A PATH.
THESE ELECTRONS CAN -- OH, NICE.
>> Fiona: THAT BALLOON IS NOT
GOING ANYWHERE.
>> YOU HAVE PROTONS THAT ARE
POSITIVELY CHARGED.
THEY CAN GO FROM ONE ATOM TO
ANOTHER.
>> Mike: IT'S LIKE THERE'S A
MAGNET OR A WEIGHT IN IT.
THAT'S COOL.
>> OVER HERE IS MY FRIEND THE
GENERATOR.
NOT THE FACE.
>> Fiona: VANDERGRAFT IS HER
NAME?
>> THE MACHINE'S NAME.
SO THIS IS A VANDERGRAFT
GENERATOR.
IT HAS A WHEEL ON THE BOTTOM AND
TOP.
WHEN I FLIP THIS SWITCH YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE A BELT IN THE
MIDDLE AND IT'S GOING TO START
TO ROTATE AND IT'S GOING TO
CREATE FRICTION AND BUILD UP
THAT STATIC CHARGE.
SO THE DOME OF THE MACHINE IS
METAL.
WE KNOW METAL IS A GREAT
CONDUCTOR.
>> Mike: CAN YOU HEAR THAT?
>> Fiona: CAN WE SEE THAT COME
DOWN AND UP AGAIN?
OH, WAIT.
HOLD ON.
HERE WE GO.
>> ARE YOU READY?
>> Fiona: WE'RE READY.
LOOK AT THAT!
>> NOW ARE THE ELECTRONS COMING
OUT -- BY THE WAY, THAT'S
RECORDING TAPE.
CASSETTE TAPE.
>> Mike: YEAH, RECORDING TAPE.
OLD SCHOOL STUFF.
>> Fiona: WE REMEMBER THOSE.
>> THE HAIRS ARE ALL THE SAME
CHARGE SO THEY ARE REPELLING
AGAINST EACH OTHER.
WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS I LIKE TO
PUT PEOPLE INTO THIS STATIC
FIELD.
SO NO COWS --
>> Fiona: I HAVE MORE HAIR
THAN YOU.
>> IT'S AN INVISIBLE FIELD.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO STAND ON THE
STOOL AND THIS STOOL IS GOING TO
KEEP YOU GROUNDED.
PUT YOUR HANDS ON.
THANK YOU.
>> Mike: AND I AIN'T TOUCHING
YOU RIGHT NOW.
>> I'M GOING TO TURN IT ON AND
YOU'LL FEEL A TICKLE ON THE BACK
OF YOUR NECK IN A MOMENT.
OH, YOUR LAB COAT JUST MOVED.
>> Mike: OH, IT IS MOVING.
>> Fiona: KEEP MY ARM STILL.
>> Mike: OH.
LOOK AT THAT.
OH, MY GOODNESS.
LOOK AT THAT.
>> LOOK UP.
LOOK BEAUTIFUL.
>> Mike: OH, WOW.
>> Fiona: WHOA!
WHOA!
LOOK AT THAT!
>> IF YOU WANT TO TOUCH YOUR
SHOULDER, YOU CAN GIVE HER A
LITTLE SHOCK AND WATCH HER HAIR
MOVE.
>> Fiona: DOES IT WORK WITH
THAT THING THAT YOU'RE HOLDING.
[FIONA SCREAMS]
>> Mike: OH, THAT HURT.
>> AND THAT'S A STATIC SHOCK.
>> Fiona: ARE YOU OKAY?
>> Mike: GOT A LITTLE TOO
CLOSE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> YOU WANT TO DO IT AGAIN?
>> Fiona: HOW LONG DOES IT
STAY LIKE THIS?
>> Mike: THAT WAS A LITTLE
STRONGER, ANDREA.
THAT WAS A LITTLE STRONGER THAN
RUBBING ON THE CARPET.
DID YOU DO THAT ON PURPOSE TO
ME?
>> NO.
[LAUGHTER]
>> HE HASN'T PAID ME YET.
WHEN YOU DO THIS WITH CHILDREN
YOU GIVE THEM A LITTLE MORE
HEADS UP THAT THERE'S GOING TO
BE A POP.
BECAUSE YOU CAN DO A SHOCK
CHAIN, SENDING THE ENERGY FROM
THE MACHINE INTO ANOTHER PERSON.
I HAVE A FEELING WE DON'T WANT
TO DO THAT.
BUT YOU CAN ALSO USE THIS --
SORRY -- LET ME HOOK THIS UP.
AND --
>> Fiona: OH, WHAT DOES THIS
ONE DO?
SAME THING?
>> BUT WITHOUT A HUMAN.
THAT WAS MY FINGER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN SEE
IT.
>> Fiona: OH, THERE IT IS.
LOOK AT THAT!
>> THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU.
>> Fiona: LOOK HOW BRAVE YOU
WERE.
>> HER OR ME?
>> Fiona: GREAT STUFF FROM
ANDREA.
OF COURSE YOU CAN COME OUT TO
BIRTHDAY PARTIES.
>> WE DO BIG SCIENCE ASSEMBLY
SHOWS.
BUT WE WILL NOT SHOCK ANYONE
UNLESS THEY ASK TO BE SHOCKED.
>> Mike: KIND OF LIKE WHAT
HAPPENED TO ME JUST THEN.
SPEAKING OF BIRTHDAYS --
>> Fiona: IT IS OUR FAVORITE
MAD SCIENTIST'S BIRTHDAY TODAY.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ANDREA COOK.
THERE YOU GO.
>> Mike: THIS IS FROZEN ICE
CREAM FROM LA MARGARITA, BROUGHT
OVER SPECIAL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH!
>> Fiona: THERE YOU GO.
ENJOY.
>> AND MY WISH MAY OR MAY NOT
HAVE TO DO WITH BRAD PITT COMING