Beakman's World - Season 3 (1995)

Asked why it is easy to stay balanced on a moving bicycle, Beakman uses the opportunity to explain the workings of the gyroscope. After calling on Professor Boring for a definition, Beakman simplifies matters by revealing that a gyroscope is something that spins on an axis, such as a spinning ice skater or the planet Earth. Although he uses a spinning coin to illustrate how a gyroscope resists having its axis tipped, Lester still refuses to believe, forcing Beakman into a pair of more powerful demonstrations using bicycle wheels which, he explains, are really just ...

Asked "who invented metal?", Beakman explains that while tin, copper and iron are occur naturally, steel is one which is man?made. Noting that efficient steel?making became possible in the 1800's, he then introduces steel magnate Andrew Carnegie to explain. After flaunting his enormous wealth, Carnegie shows how iron ore is melted to remove its oxygen and the remaining molten iron is used to make various kinds of steel. For "Beakmania," Beakman reveals the reason dogs walk in circles before lying down (watching for predators); the number of rivets in the Eiffel Tower ...

Responding to several questions about the Sun, Beakman gives Lester a try at an answer until his feral friend gets the facts wrong. Stepping in to save the day, Beakman notes that the sun is the source of all the Earth's energy and that, without it, the planet we live on would probably not exist. Explaining how the solar system works, he then demonstrates how the Earth's rotation produces day and night and reveals that the interior harbors a thermonuclear reaction which generates temperatures of 27 million degrees Fahrenheit! The "Beakmania" segment begins with ...

When asked to explain how a vacuum cleaner works, Beakman begins by correcting Lester's misconception, noting that dirt is pushed, not sucked, inside. After Professor Boring defines a vacuum as "a space relatively empty of matter," Beakman uses a bell jar device and a marshmallow in a messy demonstration of how a difference in pressure causes air to move from the area of higher pressure to where it is lower. He then points out that, as a result of this pressure difference, the moving air pushes material along with it, just like what happens with a household vacuum ...

Asked about snow, Beakman uses a large block of ice and a pitcher of water to demonstrate water's three states ?? solid, liquid and gas ?? before explaining how they work together in the rain cycle. Noting that snow forms when water vapor in very cold clouds gathers around microscopic ice nuclei, he claims that no two snowflakes are alike. To demonstrate this fact, Beakman and his friends catch some snowflakes on a piece of black paper for closer examination with a magnifying glass. For "Beakmania," Beakman notes that the yo?yo was invented in the Philippine Islands; ...

Asked about sleep, Beakman calls on Rip Van Winkle for help. After noting that during sleep, muscles relax and the heart rate and breathing both slow down, Rip describes the four stages of sleep. The first, lasting about ten minutes, is very light with enough awareness to even answer questions. The second stage, lasting approximately half an hour, is characterized by a lack of awareness of the surroundings and scattered thoughts. Stage three brings on total relaxation of the muscles and can include some tossing and turning for ten to twenty minutes. Stage four, or ...

Asked about geysers and hot springs, Beakman explains that they are the result of water heated by molten rock deep within the Earth's interior. In addition to producing geothermal energy, he notes that hot springs are thought by many to relieve painful diseases like arthritis and rheumatism. On the other hand, geysers are hot springs which periodically shoot steaming hot water into the air with explosive force, such as Yellowstone National Park's Old Faithful. Beakman concludes his explanation with a working model of a geyser and a look at the dynamic forces behind ...

In response to a trio of viewers interested in the differences between alligators and crocodiles, Beakman begins by explaining that they are both reptiles. Turning to alligators, he first notes that the biggest ones can be as long as eighteen feet and weigh as much as one thousand pounds. As Liza points out that alligators have stocky legs and rounded snouts, Beakman reveals that they rarely attack people and demonstrates how easily their jaws can be held shut once closed. On crocodiles, he says they are much more aggressive than their alligator cousins, and that the ...

After receiving a number of questions regarding crabs and lobsters, Beakman begins with the fact that they are both crustaceans. Noting that there are more then 30,000 varieties, including barnacles and shrimp, Beakman says that their skeletons, located on the outside of their bodies, are made of chitin, a material similar to finger and toenails. He then goes on to explain how, in addition to shedding these skeleton for new ones as they grow, crustaceans can also grow new limbs after losing one. Finally, Beakman explains that crustaceans range in size from the giant ...

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