Available online
Description
'Richard Hammond hosts this 21st Century version of The Great Egg Race which sees the cream of British and American inventors and scientists face off in a unique challenge in which they are given 4...8 hours to design, build and fly their own craft across the mighty Fish River Canyon in Namibia, the second biggest canyon in the world. Aided by 'performance-scientist' Kal Spelletich and the inventor of the world's most flippable beer mat, Ian Johnston from the Open University, the two teams have to transport a valuable yet fragile cargo from one side of the canyon to the other and have it survive the journey intact. As fans of the original Great Egg Race will tell you - this cargo is an ordinary egg and transporting it is anything but simple! Although the idea remains the same as the original programme, no challenge was ever as exciting as this one, or in surroundings as spectacularly beautiful. The two teams are made up of three British and American men and women of various ages, temperaments and scientific backgrounds. Seeing if they are able to work together, solve problems and get their craft airborne will be as entertaining as the result itself! Stunning scenery, interesting scientific facts and a truly tense climax makes the programme a treat for all the family. To demonstrate the difficulties facing the teams, Kal and Ian perform some demonstrations of their own such as hurtling across the desert in a jeep with a wing attached to demonstrate how hard it is to control a plane in the air and they give a practical demonstration of rocket science using a pair of garden chairs and some fire extinguishers!'
'Richard Hammond hosts this 21st Century version of The Great Egg Race which sees the cream of British and American inventors and scientists face off in a unique challenge in which they are given 4...8 hours to design, build and fly their own craft across the mighty Fish River Canyon in Namibia, the second biggest canyon in the world. Aided by 'performance-scientist' Kal Spelletich and the inventor of the world's most flippable beer mat, Ian Johnston from the Open University, the two teams have to transport a valuable yet fragile cargo from one side of the canyon to the other and have it survive the journey intact. As fans of the original Great Egg Race will tell you - this cargo is an ordinary egg and transporting it is anything but simple! Although the idea remains the same as the original programme, no challenge was ever as exciting as this one, or in surroundings as spectacularly beautiful. The two teams are made up of three British and American men and women of various ages, temperaments and scientific backgrounds. Seeing if they are able to work together, solve problems and get their craft airborne will be as entertaining as the result itself! Stunning scenery, interesting scientific facts and a truly tense climax makes the programme a treat for all the family. To demonstrate the difficulties facing the teams, Kal and Ian perform some demonstrations of their own such as hurtling across the desert in a jeep with a wing attached to demonstrate how hard it is to control a plane in the air and they give a practical demonstration of rocket science using a pair of garden chairs and some fire extinguishers!'
| First transmission date: | 2006 |
|---|---|
| Published: | 2006 |
| Rights Statement: | |
| Restrictions on use: | |
| Duration: | 00:58:52 |
| + Show more... | |
| Director: | Grant Shearer |
| Producer: | Catherine McCarthy |
| Presenter: | Richard Hammond |
| Contributors: | Jim Dyke; Richard Hammond; Leila Hasan; Glyn Hughes; Ian Johnston; Jeff Lieberman; Dustyn Roberts; Kal Spelletich; James Tongue |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Link to related site: | Website: http://www.open2.net/battleofthegeeks/index.html |
| Subject terms: | Gliders (Aeronautics)--Design and construction; Rockets--Design and construction; Science--Popular works; Technology--Popular works |
| Master spool number: | LSGB640G/71 |
| Production number: | LSGB640G |
| Available to public: | no |
