'Never assume that all important discoveries have already been made'

In a large room filled to the rasters, 'Mythbuster' Adam Savage held yesterday afternoon at 16:00pm his presentation on 'How to be a mythbuster' in the UT's Sports Centre. Mythbusters is a television show aired by the Discovery Channel in which Adam Savage and colleague Jamie Hyneman test the validity of popular myths or legends in the realms of science and technology. Rather than giving out concrete tips, Savage relayed stories about his career, and also listed - with the cheeky sense of humor he has become known for – some indispensable elements of his 'mythbusterhood' , including a fierce drive to discover, having a competitive edge and a wife that refuses to allow you to carry out experiments at home. He also looked back on the first demo shoot he had sent in to Discovery Channel in 2002 -although he then thought the proposed name of the show 'Mythbusters' to be a pretty silly one – in which setting things on fire, explosions, running away and returning to see what happened and clear out, played a main role. Fortunately, the following shows continued using that formula frequently on the request of the producers, a happy Savage told told the audience. Although emphasizing that neither he or his partner-in-crime Hyneman ever set out to educate the audience, Savage nevertheless talked passionately about the importance of undergoing or witnessing scientific events physically or visually rather than just hearing about it. 'It's the difference between show and tell, I guess', he added. His show ended with a message to attending science students: 'It is easy to feel when you start out and learn that everything important has already been discovered by others. But there is always room for additional recoveries or improvements within what has already been uncovered'. The subsequent question round, evoked some additional insights, with Savage confiding, in response to a kid's question, that he and Hyneman 'really don't get on', but that their struggles on Mythbusters and the interest to see whose scientific idea or assumption at least seem to underpin the show's quest for new knowledge and as such need 'continuation'. In response to an other question, Savage admitted that thus far no Dutch myth had yet been tested. 'Not even that of the famous Hans-with-his-finger-in-the-dyke', he added, twinkle in eyes. Savage's 20 minute lasting presentation took place in the context of his coming to the UT to accept an honorary doctorate, also on behalf of Hyneman. The doctorate will be granted tomorrow afternoon, as part of the celebration of the UT's 50th anniversary. The honorary doctorate is granted to the duo in recognition of the important role they play in making science more popular in society.