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With an inquiry about the human body, Beakman explains how five liters of blood and sixty?three thousand miles of arteries help to deliver food and oxygen to the cells in the body. Dressed as an Italian waiter and an Irish cop, Beakman shows a cell, played by Josie, how blood supplies nourishment, removes waste products and, finally, protects against germs. Turning to "Beak-Mania," Beakman reveals how fast the fastest dogs can run (over forty miles per hour), how many words are in the English language (over 400,000), and the longest English word (Floccinaucinihilpilification). Then, in the "Beakman Challenge," he shows how salt and a paper towel tube can make a flimsy piece of toilet paper impervious to an attack by a broom handle. After a nightmare in which he has been fired and the show changed to "Lester's World," Beakman decides it would be a good time to answer a question about dreams. Explaining how the mind is divided between the conscious and unconscious, Beakman reveals how the unconscious mind takes over during sleep. Finally, after Beakman acts out a dream using a box of toys as his memory, he reminds everyone that, with a little practice, they can control their dreams.

Responding to a question about why people who live on the bottom of the Earth don't fall off, Beakman launches into a messy exposition on gravity. Using three toothpicks, a bottle cap and half a watermelon, he demonstrates how people on different parts of the globe perceive its top and bottom based on their own unique perspectives. With the use of his Boguscope, a device that gives a special look at things hard to see, Beakman shows that, while gravity can be counterbalanced, it cannot be defied. In "Beak-Mania," Beakman fields questions about the world's most remarkable fish (the Plaice), the animal that lays the biggest egg (the ostrich), and the amount of ice in Antarctica. Then, asked whether all objects fall at the same rate, Beakman recreates a famous experiment first done by Galileo from atop the Tower of Pisa. Using an eggplant and a piece of paper, Beakman proves that, in the absence of air resistance, they will fall equally as fast due to the Earth's gravitational pull. Portraying one of the giants of physics, Sir Isaac Newton, Beakman addresses an inquiry about why seat belts are necessary when riding in a moving vehicle. Explaining that objects at rest only move if something makes them start, Beakman uses a collection of eggs, toilet paper tubes, a large piece of cardboard and a broom to show how a chain reaction puts things in motion. Then, with a crash dummy and a car, he demonstrates how objects in motion will only stop if they are stopped by some outside force, underscoring the importance of seat belts in the process.

Asked by a viewer about the creaking noises she hears at night, Beakman reveals they are the result of her house and its contents expanding and contracting with changes in temperature between day and night. Using a balloon in a bath of very cold liquid nitrogen, Beakman demonstrates how, as cooling causes air molecules in the balloon to contract, the balloon makes noises as it shrinks. Reversing the process, he then shows how it expands when removed from the nitrogen and allowed to return to room temperature. Turning to "Beak-Mania," Beakman fields questions about the weight of a hummingbird (less than a penny), the amount of nectar required for a honeycomb (two million flowers worth) and how long a blue whale can go without eating (six months). Then, with help from Lester, he proves it is impossible to sneeze and keep your eyes open at the same time. Embarking on his explanation of the virtues of mucus, Beakman notes that, without it, the human body would be left without a primary defense against disease. Using a giant mockup of the nose, he then demonstrates the power of mucus to trap dirt and infectious agents as they enter the body, allowing them to be expelled before they can do any harm. Finally, after demonstrating how blowing one's nose clears out what it has collected, Beakman brings the show to a slimy close.

Wacky scientist Beakman and his assistant Josie, and Lester, an actor dressed as a mangy rat, answers an inquiry about where puddles go after it has rained. Although Lester suggests they are licked up by stray dogs, Beakman proceeds to explain the mysteries of rain and evaporation using a variety of household props. In the "Beak-Mania" portion of the show, Beakman attempts to answer, in rapid succession, short viewer inquiries on topics such as living prehistoric animals (the platypus), the most commonly used word in the English language and the heaviest animal in the history of the world (blue whale). Then, after a trick in which he balances a pair of forks atop a toothpick, Beakman forces Josie to reveal the question for the show's final segment, "What is snot?" Turning to volcanoes, Beakman explains the processes in the Earth's interior that create, and then discharge, molten magma. With the aid of film footage of volcanic eruptions, Beakman employs a foam rubber model of the Earth and a rubber glove to show how magma moves from deep inside the Earth and appears on the surface as lava. Finally, asked by Josie about why some volcanoes explode, Beakman uses a cherry pie to demonstrate the power, and mess, of a volcanic eruption.

In response to a question about why a boat made of steel can float in water while a nail sinks, Beakman explains that, for any object to float, it has to be less dense than the liquid it is in. Using equal volumes of marshmallows and nails, Beakman shows how they behave distinctively when placed in water because of their different densities. To provide the next piece in the puzzle, Beakman uses his own body to illustrate displacement, noting that when an object which displaces an amount of water weighing less then it does, the object (such as a large steel ship) will float. Turning to "Beak-Mania," Beakman reveals why woodpeckers peck (to eat); the cause of waves in the ocean (wind, earthquakes, landslides) and the most common name in the world (Muhammad). After stuffing a straw into an uncooked potato, Beakman explains that cylinders like the straw are among the strongest of all shapes. After showing how increasing the number of legs on a table make it even stronger, Beakman makes a simple cylinder from a piece of paper that is strong enough to carefully support the weight of a brick. Recalling the first flight by the Wright Brothers in 1903, Beakman shows how it is the shape of their wings, not the power of their engines, that allow airplanes to fly. Called to demonstrate the principles of flight, Balance Man notes air pressure seeking equilibrium from either side of a wing gives the lift necessary for flight. In closing, Beakman claims that the world's fastest airplane, the SR?72, reaches speeds over 4,500 miles per hour.

Opening with a viewer's question about why electrical plugs have two prongs, Beakman begins by explaining how the flow of electricity is the movement of energy in a closed circuit. With the help of his East Bay Electrons basketball team, Beakman demonstrates how electrons in motion create electrical energy. Dissecting an electric plug, he shows how the prongs provide the pair of connections required for electricity to flow through an appliance and provide it with the energy it needs to operate. This week's "Beak-Mania" inquiries includes one about the number of beekeepers in the United States (212,000), the world record for walking on your hands (871 miles) and whether or not sharks really kill people (yes, but not often). For the "Beakman Challenge," Lester is asked to balance a dozen nails simultaneously, each one on the head of another. After his friend fails to come up with a solution, Beakman interlocks the heads of the nails and, using a stationary one as a brace, balances them all at the same time. Asked about how light bulbs work, Beakman calls on inventor Thomas Alva Edison to discuss how his improvements on the original light bulb made it practical for widespread use. Then, after Lester and Josie tell the late inventor that many of the new ideas he is working on (Thighmaster, Ginsu Knives and the Clapper) have already been invented, Beakman uses ping pong balls to demonstrate how electrical resistance produces the heat necessary for light bulbs and other electrical devices.

Taking a question from a student puzzled by levers, Beakman uses a teeter-totter and a large boulder to explain how these simple machines work. Noting that there are first, second and third class levers, Beakman goes on to describe their essential parts -- the fulcrum, the resistance and the effort -- and why their relative positions determine how levers are classified. Then, with help from Lester and Josie, he demonstrates some common levers used everyday -- pliers & scissors (first class), wheelbarrows & bottle openers (second class), and hammers & golf clubs (third class). In "Beak-Mania," Beakman reveals the length of the longest tapeworms (32 feet), the amount of electricity it takes to operate the human brain (10 watts), and the number of teeth in a snail (up to 25,000). For the "Beakman Challenge," Lester is asked to balance a pair of forks on the tip of a toothpick. Puzzled with this seemingly impossible task, Lester watches as Beakman connects the forks and sets them atop a toothpick which he then balances on the tip of another inserted in a salt shaker. Asked how television works, Beakman conjures up Philo T. Farnsworth, the young genius who conceived the idea when he was only 14 years old and produced the first TV in 1927 at the age of 21. After using a walkie-talkie to show how transmitters and receivers work, Farnsworth enlists Josie to demonstrate how a TV uses a set of lines on its screen to reproduce a video camera's pictures. Finally, with a simple flipbook, Beakman shows that anyone can replicate how a television turns still images into a moving picture.

Noting that microscopes have been used to unlock some of nature's biggest and smallest wonders, Beakman introduces their inventor, Zacharias Janssen. After insisting that Anton Van Leeuwenhoek did not invent the microscope, but only the lens commonly known as a magnifying glass, Janssen goes on to explain how his addition of a second lens was the advance that produced the device we use today. Then, with help from his Boguscope, Beakman shows how this pair of lenses refract light to enlarge an image, and then treats Josie and Lester to a look at the creatures living in a drop of pond water. During "Beak-Mania," Beakman explains the difference between a weasel and an ermine (none), what color attracts mosquitoes best (blue), and the name of the smallest dinosaur (compsognathus). When Lester is asked to turn Beakman upside down just by looking at him, he is stumped. So, using a cardboard box and a single sheet of white paper, Beakman constructs a "camera obscura," a simple optical device that limits the passage of light to make objects appear inverted. After helping Josie bandage a wound inflicted by a bicycle accident, Beakman is questioned about how cuts heal. With a brick wall serving as a model of a magnified section of skin, red balloons as red blood cells, wads of paper as white blood cells, and paper plates as blood platelets, Beakman demonstrates how these three components of blood act together to promote healing.

Asked why a straw in a glass of water appears to be bent, Beakman explains it is due to refraction, or the bending of light waves. Beginning with a demonstration of how objects reflect light, he shows how light travels at a slower speed through water than it does through air. Explaining how lenses are used to bend light in a variety of ways, Beakman reveals refraction's uses in telescopes, microscopes, eyeglasses and other useful items. During "Beak-Mania," Beakman reveals the only natural enemy of the skunk (Horned Owls), the longest recorded flight by a chicken (over 100 yards), and that penguins, though they can't fly, can jump up in the air over six feet! In the "Beakman Challenge," Lester is asked to crush an aluminum can by plunging it into a bowl of water. When his partner is unable to provide a satisfactory solution, Beakman shows how, by using a small amount of boiling water, he can create a difference in air pressure that crushes the can. In response to a question about compass needles, Beakman reveals that, because magnets tend to line up with each other, the needle in a compass will always line up with the Earth's magnetic field. With the aid of a refrigerator magnet, a piece of aluminum foil, a bowl of water and a needle, Beakman demonstrates how a small magnet (the needle) aligns itself with the field of a much larger magnet (the Earth). Finally, in a display of magnetically inspired magic, he levitates a string of paper clips and then himself with the aid of a pair of iron?plated shoes.

Explaining how scientists use ideas and information to solve problems, Beakman demonstrates the Scientific Method with a simple experiment: Starting with "Will salt water conduct electricity-" as his question, and taking as his hypothesis that it will, Beakman tests a trio of beakers containing salt water, distilled water and just plain salt to determine whether it is right or wrong. Finally, he concludes that it is the reaction of salt with water that will conduct electricity but not just water or salt working on its own. "Beak-Mania" reveals the size of a dairy cow (up to 1,700 pounds), the temperature of the sun (10,000 degrees at its' surface), and the fact that the heartbeat cannot be stopped by sneezing. For the "Beakman Challenge," Lester is asked to pick up a mayonnaise jar without touching it. Asked for the solution, Beakman shows that by creating a vacuum which pulls the balloon partially inside, the jar can be picked up without actually touching it. In response to an inquiry about rainbows, Beakman takes Lester into the sky in search of an answer. Explaining that white light is actually composed of seven colors, Beakman uses a prism to show how sunlight can be broken into red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Finally, after noting that raindrops in the atmosphere act like prisms, Beakman discusses light's two invisible components, the ultraviolet and infrared.

After a blaring demonstration of his new nap alarm, Beakman fields a question about noise. Explaining that vibrations in the air cause vibrations inside the ear which the brain then perceives as sound, Beakman uses an oscilloscope in a visual demonstration of sound. Then, using a small can, a balloon, some masking tape and glue, a small mirror and a flashlight, he constructs a simple device that can be used to show sound's vibrations. After explaining how these waves travel though a variety of media, including wood and water, Beakman shows Josie and Lester how a simple phone can be made using two tin cans and a piece of string. After "Beak-Mania" reveals that humans shed about forty pounds of skin each year, that fish can get seasick, and that the average caveman lived to the age of eighteen, Beakman challenges Lester to keep a playing card attached to a glass of water when it is turned upside down. Though his feral friend doubts that it can be done, Beakman shows how the air pressure outside more than counters the weight of the water inside the glass, keeping the Queen of Hearts magically in place. Responding to a viewer inquiry, Beakman begins by explaining that explosions are what happens when something gets very big very fast. Demonstrating how a small amount of water in a corn kernel causes it to pop when heated (popcorn), Beakman then calls on his own personal bomb squad for help in creating an explosion. However, while his harmless demonstration is a success, Beakman is surprised when Lester's casual handling of highly explosive materials results in a dramatic blast. Finally, after explaining how Lester's liquid nitrogen produced such a spectacular event, Beakman describes how explosions can be useful, such as in destroying old buildings and extinguishing oil well fires.

Using a question about hot and cold to explain the science of thermodynamics, Beakman employs the Boguscope to show how heat is created when molecules move. Then, upon mixing hot and cold water, he shows how their molecules exchange energy during collisions which cause faster ones (hotter) to slow down and slow ones ( cooler) to speed up, resulting in an average rate of motion (warm). However, when Lester notes that you don't need to add anything to hot chocolate to get it to cool down, Beakman explains that air molecules provide for the same effect in their collisions with the liquids, moving them toward an average temperature. After inquiries about whether penguins can jump (yes, about six feet up); how much a typical typist can type in a day (12.6 miles); and how much lead there are in pencils (none, they're made of graphite!), Beakman challenges Lester to blow a small scrap of paper into a large soda bottle. However, when Lester is unable to perform the seemingly simple task, Beakman shows how the air inside the bottle blocks anything else from entering, causing the paper to come flying out. Asked about pimples, Beakman begins by explaining how the skin is full of tiny holes (pores) that allow sweat and oil to be expelled from the body. Demonstrating how these pores can get clogged with dirt, he shows how bacteria can grow which can cause the infections known commonly as pimples or acne. Warning Lester that they should not be tampered with, Beakman uses benzoyl peroxide, the active ingredient in most acne medicines, to help Lester with a pimple.

Answering an inquiry about why vaccinations are necessary, Beakman conjures up Edward Jenner, the 19th century British doctor who invented the first vaccine to combat smallpox. Using a model of a virus, Beakman demonstrates how they latch onto the body's cells to make people sick. Explaining how vaccines trick the body into producing disease-fighting agents, he shows how these antibodies attack viruses and disable them before they can do any damage. For "Beak-Mania," Beakman tackles questions ranging from the amount of food an elephant eats (800 pounds a day); to the noises plants make when they are thirsty; to the age of the umbrella (over 3,000 years). For the "Beakman Challenge," he claims he can make a ball stay inside an upside down funnel. Although Lester is skeptical, Beakman attaches a hose to the funnel and keeps the ball suspended by a pressure differential created by the flowing water. Asked why hands get warm when rubbed together, Beakman explains that it is just one of many examples of the effects of friction. Describing some of its' many unfortunate aspects, such as causing things to wear out, Beakman goes on to say that friction also has advantages when it comes to things like car and bicycle brakes. After using the Boguscope to show how the friction of air molecules and gravity conspire to stop a Frisbee, Beakman notes that frictional forces can be minimized with lubricants such as oil and grease. Finally, with an old thread spool, a record album and a balloon, Beakman constructs a makeshift Hovercraft and creates a layer of air that acts as a lubricant.

Beakman viewers are burning to find out about flames and fires. The gang and Beakman as Robert Bunsen the flame expert, set out to answer questions on this hot topic. Beakman reveals different types of flames and how "hollow" flames, produced by Bunsen burners have helped scientists for more than one hundred years. In Beakmania, Beakman answers a question from a viewer who wants to know how many ants an anteater eats (30,000 a day) and then dives into the next question from a viewer who asks, "how deep can a seal dive?" (600 feet). Beakman also reveals a unique fact: human beings are the only species to sleep on their backs. And finally, intrigued by a viewer who asks, "how can basketball players stay up in the air so long?" Beakman jumps at the chance to explain the science behind the illusion. With spectacular game footage of Chicago Bulls Superstar Michael Jordan, Beakman discovers that the science of gravity and momentum, enable players to look like they're hanging in midair. Beakman gets down and dirty to answer a question about what happens after you're done using the toilet. Beakman is flushed down the toilet to track down the process, from raw sewage to the treatment plant and back into our homes. No journey is too far or too messy for this scientist.

With a question about the old myth of cats and their nine lives, scientist Beakman and his trusty team have a ball, untangling the facts about felines. Contrary to popular belief, cats only have one life. However, they have an amazing ability to escape serious injury or death, because of their keen instinct to land on all fours. Beakman demonstrates these safe landings with a cat in the studio, and its easy to see how the grace of cats can add a couple of years to their lives. In Beakmania, Beakman answers questions from viewers who want to know if animals ever get sunburned (yes, pigs do) and if Eskimos have refrigerators (yes, to keep things from freezing). He also discovers that the dung beetle is the world's champion eater. Nurse Phoebe gives us some helpful hints on getting rid of lice and preventing future outbreaks. The next dynamo question about dynamite, gives Beakman a chance to explain the wonders of explosive substances. Explosions happen when substances go from a small size to a much larger size in a short amount of time. Beakman demonstrates how we can create our very own "kaboom" with household products--baking soda, vinegar and a plastic bag.

The first top flight question comes from a viewer who wonders how birds know when to fly south. While Lester ponders the possibilities of traffic jams in the skies, Beakman really answers the question by unveiling the importance of food supply and climate to migrating animals. Turning to Beakmania, Beakman reveals how Greenland, which is not so green, got its name. Then, Beakman is ordered to go fly a kite to answer the next question, "who were the first people to fly kites?" (The Chinese) The "Beakman Challenge" tests Lester's animal strength. To meet the challenge, Beakman throws his scientific weight around, lifting barbells without lifting a finger. Beakman has fun answering the next urgent question, "how do astronauts go to the bathroom in space?" The humorous scientist notes that what goes down doesn't always stay down, but luckily for our astronauts, science has created special space toilets to counter microgravity.

With a viewer question about why sweat smells, Beakman and his lab assistants work up a sweat to find the answer. Beakman demonstrates the functions of perspiration by comparing our bodies to car engines. Like the radiator in a car, perspiration helps maintain a healthy body temperature. But that's only the half of it; to find out why Lester smells the way he does after a science work-out, Beakman discovers the culprit behind the odor. Millions of bacteria and their waste create that familiar scent of sweat. Turning to Beakmania, Beakman discovers how much food an average person consumes in a life time (50 tons of food and 11,000 gallons of liquid) and why people have nose hair. Then, Chef Art Burn (Beakman dressed as the culinary wizard) gives away the secrets of his recipe for paint. Using colored chalk, water, a pot and some glue, Beakman shows how easy it is to discover the artist within. The final question, "How can you find out the weight of a car?", is not as difficult as it seems. Through some calculations of pressure and tire prints, Beakman uses his own Beak-mobile to demonstrate how finding the weight of heavy objects doesn't have to be back-breaking work.

Viewers are starving to find out facts about bread and why its called "the staff of life." Bread, which is the most widely eaten food in the world, provides a larger share of our energy than nay other food. Beakman investigates different types of bread, how bread is made and the function of yeast in bread. In Beakmania, Beakman silences any doubt about clothes hangers and their noise making capabilities (hangers emit low sound when they sag) and luminates the night answering a viewer's question, "is a full moon twice as bright as a half moon?" (it's 9 times brighter than a half moon). On the game show, "What's for Lunch?" contestants gobble up facts about the food chain. Beakman sizes up his science knowledge to answer questions about measurement. Size, weight/mass, temperature and time are the basic means of measurement and Beakman reveals how important standardization is to figuring out measurements. Beakman also shows Lester how to determine the height of a palm tree using its shadow.

Beakman gives us the skinny on skin, the largest organ in the human body, to answer a viewer's question. Skin acts as a protective wall around our bodies and regulates body temperature. Beakman peels off some more facts about skin and reveals the three layers that make up this organ--the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue. In Beakmania, Beakman unveils some eye-opening answers to the question, "how far could a person see if they had the best human eyesight possible?" (a match struck at night fifty miles away). Then, Beakman explains why Mars is called the "Red Planet," (a red mineral covers the planet's surface). Nurse Phoebe gives a soothing explanation about sunburns and offers some remedies to cool off sun-baked skin. The final breath taking question, "why do we breathe?" is demonstrated by comparing breathing to a gasoline engine. Oxygen is the "gas of life" that gives our bodies the energy needed to sustain itself.

Beakman&s attraction to the first question is obvious, "what's the difference between an electromagnet and a magnet magnet?" While a typical magnet does not use electricity to function, an electromagnet uses a wire with electricity running through it. These types of magnets are used in everyday things such as television signals, radios and speakers in stereos. Beakman and his trusty sidekick, Phoebe create their own magnetic electricity by using an iron nail, copper wire and a battery. In the Beakmania section, the zany scientist finds out where the first writing ink came from (the Incas discovered it in the ink sac of an octopus) and if there is any fresh water in the ocean (yes, in the Atlantic Ocean and the mouth of the Amazon River). He also gives a little history lesson to answer the question, "where did the first silver used in America's first silver coins come from?" (Martha, George Washington's wife's silverware and silver serving dishes). Finally, Beakman as Chef Art Burn brings some dinner theater to the science of gelatin. To demonstrate the functions of gelatin, he shows how you can make your own using unflavored gelatin, a sauce pan and some apple juice. A viewer asks a very sensible question about the senses--smelling, seeing, tasting, touching and hearing. However, Beakman reveals that there are more than these five senses, we're covered from head to toe with many other sensational senses, both internally and externally.

Beakman and the science crew go ape with a question from a viewer who wants to know if apes are the closest links to humans. Humans along with apes are part of a group of mammals known as primates. Beakman monkeys around with a chimpanzee, discovering similar traits between chimps and humans. Swinging over to Beakmania, Beakman reveals the truth behind the legend of Johnny Appleseed (his real name was John Chapman and he really did plant apple trees). The next blood curdling question comes from a viewer who wonders if all animals have red blood (no). In "The Phoebe Challenge," Phoebe is asked to multiply her talents by finding a way to turn one glass of water into six glasses of water. By using a siphon and the science of pressure, Phoebe meets the challenge, much to Lester's surprise. Then Beakman explores an eye opening question from a viewer who is nervous about an eye exam. With the help of Beakman's brother, an ophthalmologist, he sheds some light on what an eye doctor does, how a healthy eye functions and why eye exams are so important.

Queried about cassette players, Beakman asks Lester to demonstrate how the recording and playback heads write music onto magnetic tape. Posing as English rock star Axel Bearing, Beakman then provides the music while Lester attaches notes onto a moving role of butcher paper to show how a tape player encodes sound. Then, reversing the process, Lester demonstrates how it reads this magnetic message to reproduce music. For "Beak-Mania," Beakman reveals that dog's noses are wet because of how they sweat; that spaghetti and meatballs were invented in New York City; and that the laziest animal in the world is the tropical American sloth. Turning the tables on his friend, Lester challenges Beakman to rearrange a pattern of sixteen sticks that form five squares into just four squares by moving only two sticks. Though Lester thinks he has him stumped, Beakman easily reveals the solution to his problem. Asked how to lie down on a bed of nails without getting hurt, Beakman takes the opportunity to describe the difference between force and pressure. Beginning by placing a balloon and a brick atop a pin, Beakman notes that it will pop because all of the force was concentrated on a single point. However, trying the same experiment using many pins to support its' weight, the balloon doesn't pop because the force is distributed over all the pins. Finally, in a dramatic demonstration, Beakman lies down on a bed of nails without being hurt.

Asked how a microwave oven works, Lester offers to answer the question by preparing a frozen pizza. Though agreeing that his idea is a good one, Beakman first sets out to explain electromagnetic energy and its applications, including radio, television and radar. After explaining that microwaves are defined by the size of their wavelength, Beakman continues to keep Lester at bay by using a microwave oven to heat a cup of water and light a fluorescent bulb. But, when Lester finally gets his chance, he discovers that the oven has been returned by Josie. For "Beak-Mania," Beakman explains why mosquito bites produce a bump (an allergic reaction to their saliva), the nature of most household dust (dead skin cells), and that the world's most fire safe city is La Paz, Bolivia (because of its altitude). After challenging Lester to get a pair of eggs to obey his commands, Beakman demonstrates that, by changing the density of water, he can "order" an egg to float. Responding to an inquiry about spiders, Beakman reveals that, like scorpions, mites and ticks, they are members of the Arachnid family. After noting that most spiders can be considered friendly to humans because they prey on a wide range of pests, Beakman explains that, in most cases, the female of the species is strongest, and that a pound of spider silk could stretch completely around the world. Finally, after showing how spiders use wind currents to enable them to fly, Beakman shows how their webs can be artfully displayed at home by using paper and spray paint.

Queried about the origins of earwax, Beakman notes that it serves a purpose...protecting the body from dirt and germs floating in the air. Using a model of the ear, he shows how the body's ceruminous glands produce an oil which, once it begins to dry out, turns to wax. Then, using the Boguscope, Beakman demonstrates how changes in air pressure cause ears to pop. During "Beak-Mania," Beakman explains why feet fall asleep (lack of circulation), whether blood is really thicker than water (yes, about six times thicker), and that two quarts equal a "pottle." For the "Beakman Challenge," Lester is asked to bounce a tennis ball fifteen feet in the air by gently dropping it on the floor. When he is unable to perform the seemingly impossible task, Beakman shows that it can be done by placing the tennis ball atop a basketball and then dropping them together. Asked about how rockets work, Beakman conjures up the father of modern rocketry, Dr. Robert H. Goddard. After explaining that the action caused by the fuel creates a reaction which propels it into the sky, Goddard is told that rockets were eventually used in the way he predicted they would be, including sending men to the moon. Finally, Beakman uses a large plastic soda bottle to demonstrate that, under proper supervision and with all the necessary precautions, anyone can make a rocket at home.

Asked why the ozone layer has a hole in it, Beakman begins by explaining that ozone - molecules consisting of a trio of oxygen atoms ?? protects the Earth from the harmful rays of the sun. Using a series of Mylar sheets, he demonstrates ozone's ability to filter out ultraviolet light. However, noting that chlorofluorocarbons, a common chemical in aerosol sprays, refrigerators and air conditioners, and styrofoam, have reduced the Earth's protective ozone layer, Beakman goes on to discourage their use in order to protect the Earth from harmful radiation. During "Beak-Mania," Beakman reveals how baby snails are born (very tiny eggs), the origin of the term bookworm (actual worms that grow inside books), the number of verses in the Greek national anthem (one hundred and fifty?eight), and when the first toilet paper roll was invented (1871). During the "Beakman Challenge," Lester is asked to pour water from one beaker into another while keeping them two feet apart. When his feral sidekick is unable to perform the task, Beakman shows how adhesion and cohesion enable him to pour the water along some yarn stretched from one beaker to the other. Asked about acids, Beakman begins by explaining that they do not really burn things, but rather combine with certain substances to tear their molecules apart. Placing a tooth into a beaker of cola (phosphoric acid) and a chicken bone into vinegar (acetic acid), Beakman shows how they dissolve their calcium phosphate to make each quite rubbery. Finally, after revealing that many acids are beneficial, such as those that aid in the digestion of food, Beakman uses the acid in a pickle to light a bulb.