MythBusters: Science Fair Book (2010) – Review

💥 Bringing Explosions and Curiosity Into Your Living Room


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📖 Non-Spoiler Rundown

The MythBusters Science Fair Book is a hands-on activity book meant to channel the energy of the Discovery Channel show into experiments you can do at home. Instead of plots or characters, this is about testing myths, tinkering, and proving (or busting) science ideas in your kitchen, garage, or backyard.

For me, as a kid who lived and breathed MythBusters, this was irresistible. Adam Savage was my favorite, and I loved the way the show made science feel chaotic and fun. I wanted to try these projects because I already trusted the brand. The problem? They require patience — and as a kid, I didn’t have much of that.


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👥 Personal Connection

MythBusters wasn’t just a show I watched — it was a show that shaped me. It made me see science as trial and error, full of explosions and “let’s see what happens if we push this too far.” That’s why I bought this book. It felt like I could join the team. Even when I couldn’t nail the projects, I still felt like I was experimenting alongside Adam and Jamie.


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🧪 Five Example Experiments Inside

Here are some of the kinds of experiments you’d find in this first book:

1. Mentos + Diet Soda Geyser – The classic. Drop Mentos into a soda bottle and watch the fizzy eruption. It’s flashy, simple, and one of the easier ones for kids.


2. Toothpick Bridge Test – Build a mini bridge out of toothpicks and glue, then see how much weight it can hold before collapsing. Great for teaching engineering principles.


3. Paper Airplane Challenge – Experiment with different folds and wing shapes to see which design flies the farthest.


4. Homemade Parachute – Use string, plastic bags, or fabric to drop objects safely from a height and test which parachute design works best.


5. Balloon Rocket – Attach a balloon to a straw on a string, inflate it, and let go to see Newton’s Third Law in action.




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🎨 Style & Design

The design mimics the show — blueprint backgrounds, safety warning stripes, diagrams, and bright photography. It’s meant to look like you just opened Jamie’s workshop notebook, with a “try this at home if you dare” vibe.


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✅ Pros

Makes science feel fun, messy, and creative.

Tons of variety — from simple projects to more elaborate builds.

Feels true to the MythBusters TV energy.

Encourages teamwork (great for kids with siblings or friends).


❌ Cons

Some projects need more materials than kids expect.

Requires patience, and not every experiment “works” the first time.

A few setups are trickier without adult supervision.



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💭 Final Thoughts

This isn’t a book you read cover-to-cover — it’s a toolkit for curiosity. As a MythBusters fan, it was like being given permission to blow things up in the name of science (on a smaller, safer scale).

Even when I couldn’t always pull the experiments off, the spirit of the show carried through: science is about trying, failing, and trying again.

⭐ Rating: 10/10

For a fan of the show, this book is pure joy. Hard? Yes. Messy? Definitely. Worth it? Absolutely.