MythBusters · Video summary
Could Leo Have Actually Survived The Titanic Floating Door Scene? | MythBusters
The MythBusters tackle an internet sensation from none other than James Cameron, who wants them to test whether Jack and Rose could have both survived on the floating door in Titanic.
Watch on YouTube ↗Key takeaways
- 📧James Cameron was receiving dozens of emails daily from fans protesting the ending of Titanic, claiming Rose was selfish and Jack was an idiot.00:48
- 📏The MythBusters used a cube root scaling method to accurately represent the weight of miniature models for their experiments.04:23
- 🔬The small-scale test confirmed that the board from Titanic was barely buoyant enough for Rose alone, and adding Jack caused it to sink.06:08
- 🤖Jamie built a sophisticated dummy, 'Thermoboy,' with a copper coil circulatory system and gelatinous flesh to accurately simulate human hypothermia.08:08
- 🥶Historical records confirmed the water temperature during the Titanic sinking was 28-29°F, with the air temperature being almost identical at the time of rescue.15:01
- 🌡️The hypothermia tests showed that below 85°F core body temperature, a person would become immobile, and below 82°F, death is certain.17:50
Chapters
- 0:00Introduction to the Titanic Myth
- 0:39Small-Scale Buoyancy Test Setup
- 5:55Scaling and Weight Calculation
- 8:50Small-Scale Buoyancy Test Results
- 11:53Hypothermia Test Setup: Thermoboy
- 15:45Thermoboy Construction and Functionality
- 24:53Hypothermia Test Conditions and Rescue Time
- 25:35Hypothermia Test: In Water vs. On Board
- 33:44Full-Scale Buoyancy Test Setup
- 37:13Full-Scale Buoyancy Test: Initial Attempts
- 38:42Full-Scale Buoyancy Test: Solution and Success
- 41:57Conclusion and Myth Verdict
The digest
James Cameron, the legendary director of "Titanic," has been inundated with emails from fans claiming that Rose was selfish and Jack was an idiot for not sharing the floating debris, suggesting that both could have survived. The MythBusters, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, take on this internet sensation to determine if the film's ending is scientifically accurate or if the fans are right.
The Buoyancy Challenge: Small-Scale Testing
The first phase of the experiment focuses on buoyancy. Adam creates quarter-scale replicas of Rose and Jack, meticulously ensuring they are accurate in both size and weight. He also crafts a quarter-scale piece of wood, identical in type and dimensions to the original prop from the movie. This miniature setup is then placed in a bathtub filled with saltwater, replicating the ocean's salinity. The initial test with just Rose on the board shows that it is barely buoyant enough to keep her body out of the water, accurately reflecting the movie's depiction. However, when Jack is added to the board, it becomes clear that it cannot support both of them, causing it to tip over and submerge. This small-scale test suggests that the movie's portrayal of the board's buoyancy is accurate, and it could not have supported both characters.
Keep reading in The Digest
The full 3-minute article, 3 more sections, and every new episode from MythBusters and the creators you follow.
- Hypothermia: The Survival Factor
- Recreating the North Atlantic Conditions
- The Full-Scale Test: Adam and Jamie as Jack and Rose
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