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Private Notes
A sixty-second tease introduces the cast and previews some of their scientific adventures. This is followed by a four-minute film showing the recording of the 3-2-1 Contact theme. (See Quotes.) While Lisa and Marc talk on a steel-can telephone of the youth, Trini tries to fool them with "Stan the Robot." But nobody is fooled, thanks to a device that maps out sound patterns. Marc visits Bell Laboratories to see a computer that is programmed to speak. ANIMATIONS: Telephones; human voice. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Educated Pig," a one-shot mystery surrounding a pig that can supposedly answer multiple-choice questions.
Same 60-second tease as in first episode precedes an invasion of noises into Marc's world. Knowing that "noise annoys," Marc illustrates (with a decibel reader) that loud noises can damage people's hearing. Lisa shows Trini that a cactus needle can be used as a record needle. When Marc returns, he gives a private message that Trini picks up on a parabolic microphone. Lisa visits the (White Plains) New York School for the Deaf. ANIMATION: Sound vibrations. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of Princess Tomorrow, Part One." A professor introduces to a group of gamblers and The Bloodhound Gang a woman who seemingly predicts the future. She is hypnotized to write down the results of a future horse race, which the Professor seals and has mailed to The Bloodhound Gang the next day.
Lisa goes to Hawaii to see how dolphins use sonar. Another segment sees sonar of bats. Trini sees an ultrasound apparatus at work. The Bloodhound Gang finds a wrinkle in "The Case of Princess Tomorrow."
Dizzy Gillespie shows off his jazz talents. Trini checks out the behind-the-scenes work at a Kiss concert. The Bloodhound Gang cracks "The Case of Princess Tomorrow."
Lisa, Marc, and Trini are given a puzzle. They hear a bell ring and, as instructed, put the bell in a closed jar and take out some of the air with a vacuum pump. Since they don't hear the ringing, they begin to wonder: Is the bell broken?
Trini becomes concerned when and where a hurricane is projected to strike. Marc visits Six Flags Great America to learn the mechanics and design of roller-coasters and talks to Frisbee-throwing champion John Kirkland. He also checks out a stuntman-in-training. Lisa rides in a glider. Film insert: animal force in motion. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the 264-Pound Burglar, Part One." An old lady's life savings is stolen from her attic. Did the culprit weigh 264 pounds, as a found weight card suggests? (Concludes in next episode.)
Hurricane Rufus is turning inland, heading toward the workshop. This prompts Trini to give a brief description of a hurricane. Jerome Barkum of the New York Jets visits the workshop to discuss human force of football. In turn, Trini shows everyone about how a lever can be manipulated. On location, Trini sees a ten-year-old figure skater. Marc trips up a weightlifter in a tug of war, thanks to a little smarts and a lot of grease. Kurt Thomas gives Marc a pointer on gymnastics. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the 264-Pound Burglar, Part Two." Vikki reveals that the weight card reading 264 pounds, was designed to throw them off the scent. They discover the real culprits, both of whom faked the weight card in preparation for the heist.
Hurricane Rufus is now abutting the workshop. Trini prepares herself with a lifeboat. She proves to Marc and Lisa that boats will float because of their shape. Trini gets a lesson in scuba diving and why some things sink or float. She also rides the Goodyear Blimp. Marc goes on his own underwater adventure at the Miami Seaquarium. ANIMATION: "The Sinking Lesson" on how submarines can sink and float. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Flying Clock, Part One." A clock collector files an insurance claim that a precious clock has been stolen. (Concludes in next episode.)
Hurricane Rufus strikes the workshop. Calmer discussion of the Earth's forces are seen at a circus, in the paths of satellites, and at the Bay of Fundy. The Bloodhound Gang teams up to solve "The Case of the Flying Clock."
REHASHED FROM THE PREVIOUS FOUR EPISODES: Roller coaster design; stuntman; orbiting satellites. Also: what forces propel a bicycle.
Marc learns about the growth of corn and pigs at the Bakers Akers farm. Trini sits in on an expectant mother's ultrasound. At the Bronx Zoo, Lisa goes on the rounds with a young veterinarian feeding baby animals.Film inserts: Time-lapse growth of peanut plant and pea plant; kids explain the birth of tadpoles and their growth into frogs; the human embryo develops into a baby; human birth. ANIMATION: Human from conception to birth. (Concludes in next episode.) THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Secret Message, Part One." Vikki recovers a lady's purse, which contains only a message written in salt-water solution. (Concludes in next episode.)
Lisa arrives at a hospital to see treatment for a premature baby. Trini and others at Staten Island discuss adolescent changes. ANIMATIONS: Einstein images; Human from conception to birth through growth; average life spans of various species; What if kids grew at the same rate all the time? THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Secret Message, Part Two." Remembering the coded message, now surrendered to Mr. Big, the Gang heads out to Tennessee Bay to help thwart a diamond-smuggling operation.
Lisa ventures into a sewage treatment plant in Chicago.Film inserts: Msima Spring in Kenya houses a massive food chain, and it all centers around hippos; the recycling of aluminum cans; leaf-cutter ants. ANIMATION: Gloria wants to be a mechanic. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Missing Bloodhound, Part One." Mr. Bloodhound has been kidnapped prior to a trial, and he has sent a message which the gang deciphers. (Concludes in next episode.)
Lisa sees a volcano that is almost ready to erupt. Marc demonstrates a model volcano. Trini joins a group of young archaeologists uncovering fossils along the Illinois River. ANIMATIONS: The moving rocks of Earth; one billion years of Earth change is compressed into 1¾ minutes. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Missing Bloodhound, Part Two." Mr. Bloodhound has left behind another secret message for the gang, which leads them directly to the kidnappers.
REHASHED FROM THE PREVIOUS FOUR EPISODES: Lisa sees a volcano that is almost ready to erupt. Marc learns about the growth of corn and pigs at the Bakers Akers farm. ANIMATION: One billion years of Earth change is compressed into 1¾ minutes; Gloria wants to be a mechanic; the moving rocks of Earth; average life spans of various species. Film insert: Leaf-cutter ants.Fresh items for end of week: Trini discovers how old car parts are reused. Lisa and Trini discover how Marc operates his volcano.
Trini and Lisa stage a surprise birthday party for Marc. It revolves around a tape recording which Marc must play at various speeds. Features Harry Blackstone's complex magic acts (with one trick slowed down). ANIMATION: How cartoons are made. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Flying Clock, Part One." (Recycled from Forces: Buoyancy and Gravity) A clock collector files an insurance claim that a precious clock has been stolen. (Concludes in next episode.)
Lisa gets some instructions on rhythms from a professional drummer and witnesses the wicked tides at the Bay of Fundy. Trini examines migratory birds. Marc learns about human heartbeats and how a pacemaker works. ANIMATION: Heartbeat. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Flying Clock, Part Two." Vikki sees through the clock collector's claim that he could identify the burglar. Ricardo recovers the precious flying clock.
Recycled from Episode 12: Lisa arrives at a hospital to see treatment for a premature baby. A make-up artist transforms Marc into an old man, explaining human aging along the way. In a separate film sequence, members of a family remember the final stage of their grandfather's life. ANIMATIONS: Newborn baby to one-year-old; average life spans of various species. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Thing in the Trunk, Part One." The gang discovers a stolen mummy in the trunk of a car – and are locked themselves in the back of a van. (Concludes in next episode.)
Marc and Lisa give Trini a psychological boost prior to Field Day. Lisa checks out a professional motorcycle racer (filmed Oct. 1979). Marc gets a lesson on tennis serves from Arthur Ashe and visits Six Flags in Jackson, New Jersey to see a roller-coaster designed. A boy's bicycle race is also shown. ANIMATION: Speed of various animals. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Thing in the Trunk, Part Two." Using a pinhole camera effect with a piece of cardboard picking up light from a hole in the side of the van, the gang learns where the mummy is being stowed. They radio that information to the police after trapping the henchman.
REHASHED FROM THE PREVIOUS FOUR EPISODES: Lisa checks out a professional motorcycle racer (filmed Oct. 1979) and witnesses the wicked tides at the Bay of Fundy. A make-up artist transforms Marc into an old man, explaining human aging along the way. ANIMATION: Speed of various animals.Fresh items for end of week: Karate is more than fights – it can be graceful dance called kata. ANIMATION: One billion years of Earth change is compressed into 1¾ minutes.
Marc and Lisa discover too late that Trini is stranded in the desert with an empty gas tank, setting the stage for three episodes. At Shea Stadium, Marc observes the Mets' signals. Lisa visits the (White Plains) New York School for the Deaf to learn sign language. Mummenschanz performers (one of whom is called Dr. Rolls) provide messages Lisa doesn't understand.Film insert: "Ways To Say I Love You" song. ANIMATION: The history of communication. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Cackling Ghost, Part One." Mrs. Fairbanks refuses to believe that the curse of the Darjeeling Necklace, which she owns, is related to the ghost that appears outside her window. Vikki suspects the necklace will be stolen.
Trini is still lost in the desert, despite several attempts to get messages across. Marc illustrates his expertise on bugs. He visits a researcher determining how bees communicate. More Mummenschanz performers appear.Recycled from Episode 3: Lisa gets a lesson in dolphin research at the University of Hawaii. ANIMATION: Moths use pheromones; fireflies. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Cackling Ghost, Part Two." Townsend, Mrs. Fairbanks's gardener, is surprised that his bottle of pheromones, used to trap moths in the area, is empty. It is a key to determining what the ghost is. (Concludes in next episode.)
After two days and contact, Marc sends out the Goodyear Blimp for Trini. Marc visits Bell Laboratories to see a computer that is programmed to speak (intermixed with portion of Human Voice animation from Episode 1). FILM INSERT: "How A Television Works" song (filmed at Connecticut Public Television with some stars of Sesame Street. ANIMATIONS: Sound vibrations; telephones. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The case of the Cackling Ghost, Part Three." The gang discovers that Edmund had poured pheromones on a sheet to attract enough moths that would simulate the ghost.
Trini returns from the desert. She gets in her first segment of the week, visiting the University of Tennessee, where an ape named Chantek learns sign language. Trini also checks out a giant telescope in Puerto Rico intent on picking up sounds from the galaxy. Different Mummenschanz performers theorize the way alien beings might communicate. In the workshop, everyone listens to the soundtrack of "Earth Sounds," sent aboard Voyager I in 1977. ANIMATION: Robots from outer space observe what they think are human beings. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Dead Man's Pigeon," a one-shot adventure in which a lawyer is trying to swindle a niece from her inheritance.
Trini recounts her attempts to send distress signals from the desert. Lisa and Marc remind her that her messages had to reach somebody for a good response. REHASHED FROM THE PREVIOUS FOUR EPISODES: At Shea Stadium, Marc observes the Mets' signals. He visits a researcher determining how bees communicate. In addition, Marc visits Bell Laboratories to see a computer that is programmed to speak (intermixed with portion of Human Voice animation from Episode 1). Lisa visits the (White Plains) New York School for the Deaf to learn sign language. Trini checks out a giant telescope in Puerto Rico intent on picking up sounds from the galaxy. ANIMATIONS: Moths use pheromones; the history of communication.
Trini decides to bring a pet to the workshop, but she didn't count on a friend bringing a wolf. At the Bronx Zoo, Lisa goes on the rounds with a young veterinarian feeding baby animals. FILM INSERT: Mzima Spring in Kenya houses a massive food chain, and it all centers around the hippopotamus. ANIMATION: How much would a shrew eat if he was the size of a person? THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Educated Pig," a one-shot mystery surrounding a pig that can supposedly answer multiple-choice questions.
Marc illustrates the truth about calories while baking a pizza. A group of school kids at Staten Island learn about nutrition. Lisa's cousin, a lumberjack, visits the workshop to demonstrate the "horizontal chop." ANIMATION: A concatenatious song on all the fuels that make up a winning bicyclist. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of Mr. Q, Part One." A rare hybrid seed is under ransom. (Concludes in next episode.)
Lisa, Marc, and Trini have been invited to a canoe trek in Maine. They have difficulty at first trying to decide what food to bring. Marc learns about the growth of corn and pigs at the Bakers Akers farm. (This film is more complete than the footage found in Episode 11.) Lisa makes a loaf of bread in the shadows of a bread factory. Marc watches how a pizza is made. (More about the proprietor in Episode 60.) Film insert: Time-lapse of fruit rotting. (Wastes food, but makes great stock film.) THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of Mr. Q, Part Two." The gang keeps an all-out watch on anybody or anything slipping out of the laboratories. They follow a pigeon, who has been let out a window, and trace it to apprehend the mysterious Mr. Q.
True fuel is discussed in this episode, first with the 1980 phenomenon "gasohol" and with real gasoline at a motorcycle race. The gasohol segment takes Lisa to a rural factory where corn kernels, with enzymes and yeast, are fermented into alcohol to be mixed with gas. Lisa and the farmer then use it to drive a tractor. The Bloodhound Gang is confronted with "The Case of the Dead Man's Pigeon."
RECYCLED FROM THE PREVIOUS FOUR EPISODES: Gasohol, Baker's Akers, baking bread. Another sequence believed to be in this episode is a race of fuel efficiency between a school bus and a car (which is seen in the ehow called Big/Small: Volume & Efficiency.
Trini has been standing in the freezing cold, threatening to become almost as sick as Marc. Lisa gives a demonstration on feeling hot and cold. But the biggest surprise comes when Lisa brings in Vicky Johnson, an engineer who designs life-support systems for astronauts. On location: Lisa witnesses an infrared camera. Trini learns about protecting the human body from the cold while climbing a mountain. ANIMATION: Fahrenheit vs. Celsius. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Secret Message, Part One." Vikki recovers a lady's purse, which contains only a message written in salt-water solution. (Concludes in next episode.)
The desert and polar regions demonstrate how plants and animals react to extreme heat or cold. The Bloodhound Gang unlocks "The Case of the Secret Message."
Marc and Trini relate temperature to each other as they make ice cream and candied apples respectively. Lisa demonstrates extreme cold temperatures with liquid nitrogen. A "volcano chaser" visits the workshop to discuss volcanoes. On location, Lisa visits a glassblower. She also visits a volcano that is almost ready to erupt. (This is different from the footage used in Episode 14.) ANIMATION: Increasing heat of objects in degrees Celsius. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Professor's Fleas," a one-shot mystery surrounding a flea circus that has had all its stars stolen.
Lisa is bitter over her cold. As Marc and Trini try to warm her spirits, Lisa thinks back to her visits with the motorcyclist and the hot-air balloons. The Bloodhound Gang must work quickly to crack "The Case of The One-Ton Jewel."
A solar astronomer explains how the sun produces the seasons. He tells Marc that the sun is closer to Earth in winter than in summer, but the angle of sunlight is far different. REHASHED FROM THE PREVIOUS FOUR EPISODES: Trini learns about protecting the human body from the cold while climbing a mountain. Lisa brings in Vicky Johnson, an engineer who designs life-support systems for astronauts. Marc uses a popcorn model to show what happens when you heat any object, whether it's solid, liquid, or gas. ADDITIONAL: Lisa takes a hot-air balloon ride and learns how a motorcycle burns fuel. Marc checks out a solar-power station. Film insert: Netsilik Eskimos. ANIMATION: The evolution of home heating.
Marc wants to set up a model solar system. To simulate the sun, he and the others get the largest light bulb they can buy. Only after they blow a fuse do they learn (from a guest) that what they really need is a dimmer. Among the show's adventures: Trini goes to Kitt Peak to see a telescope that looks at the sun. "The Bloodhound Gang" must decode a message to start "The Case of the Missing Bloodhound." (Concludes in next episode.)
Lisa, Marc, and Trini all wonder what can be done to recover a plant that had been kept from windows. The Bloodhound Gang cracks "The Case of the Missing Bloodhound."
Trini follows the crew that sets up the lighting on a Kiss concert (recorded during their 1979 tour). At the workshop, Trini uses a prism to split white light into the color spectrum. Lisa witnesses an infrared camera. (Includes additional material not seen in Episode 31.) Marc learns that butterflies and flowers bear ultraviolet light. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Thing in the Trunk, Part One." (Recycled from Episode 18) The gang discovers a stolen mummy in the trunk of a car - and are locked themselves in the back of a van. (Concludes in next episode.)
Everyone celebrates Trini's birthday with a piñata. Marc visits a visually-impaired boy navigating around his school and neighborhood. Trini discovers a boy whose vision was improved with a cornea transplant. FILM INSERT: How A Television Works song (filmed at Connecticut Public Television with some stars of Sesame Street. ANIMATION: How the eye sees. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Thing in the Trunk, Part Two." (Recycled from the episode called Fast/Slow: Speed and Racing). Using a pinhole camera effect with a piece of cardboard picking up light from a hole in the side of the van, the gang learns where the mummy is being stowed. They radio that information to the police after trapping the henchman.
Marc proposes to burn a hole through a piece of cardboard using a magnifying glass and the sun. It doesn't harm the cardboard, but Lisa and Trini get the message. REHASHED FROM THE PREVIOUS FOUR EPISODES: Trini discovers a boy whose vision was improved with a cornea transplant. Trini uses a prism to split white light into the color spectrum. Lisa witnesses an infrared camera. Marc learns that butterflies and flowers bear ultraviolet light. Trini visits an observatory whose telescope studies the sun. ANIMATION: How the eye sees. ADDITIONAL: Lisa examines lasers. Marc encounters a solar-energy research lab.
Lisa and Trini enter an Eames Room to play tricks on Marc. Marc gets an up-close look at things through a scanning electron microscope. The Bloodhound Gang is called on to observe an apparent prognosticator in Part One of "The Case of Princess Tomorrow."
Marc visits a researcher determining how bees communicate. Then, in a segment previously used in Light/Dark: The Eye, Marc watches a visually-impaired boy navigate around his neighborhood. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of Princess Tomorrow, Part Two." (Recycled from Episode 3 – for the only time in the series). All of Princess Tomorrow's predictions appear to have come true. This prompts the gamblers to fork over money to Professor Diablo to get predictions on the next horse race. (Concludes in next episode.)
For the bulk of the show, a guest at the workshop is Willis Brown, a transcontinental pilot who discusses air travel. Trini examines homing pigeons. Marc goes on a sailing adventure. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of Princess Tomorrow, Part Three." (Repeat of a mystery installment from Noisy/Quiet: Music. Recycled for the only time in the series.)
This program goes to Houston to observe the space shuttle. The Bloodhound Gang has to stop a swindle in "The Case of the Educated Pig."
RECYCLED FROM THE PREVIOUS FOUR EPISODES: Marc sees a sailing ship chart its return course and observes how a blind boy finds his way around; astronauts training for navigating the space shuttle.
Lisa is looking for a quilt design, which she can't quite place. Trini suggests that Lisa use a computer to create a new quilt design. Marc sees ordinary objects look extraordinary through the scanning electron microscope. The Bloodhound Gang is called to investigate "The Case of Mr. Q." (Concludes in next episode.)
A student of neuropharmacology visits the workshop to discuss the order of the human body and all its systems. Marc observes how a pacemaker works. Trini seeks how a doctor could restore a boy's sight by replacing damaged corneas. The Bloodhound Gang puts out an APB to crack "The Case of Mr. Q."
Animals keep a semblance of order, whether they are bees in a hive or people in the Kalahari Desert searching for melons. Music and games are also part of social order, as we shall see. The Bloodhound Gang is perplexed by "The Case of the Secret Message." (Concludes in next episode.)
Marc, Lisa, and Trini become helter-skelter at the beginning, but they calm down and devise plans. In the process, Lisa finds a pattern for her quilt. On location, Lisa sees a sewage treatment plant in Chicago. The Bloodhound Gang gets to the bottom of "The Case of the Secret Message."
A composer visits the workshop to discuss writing music. Marc sees the specialized work of honey bees. Trini gets the full story on setting up a rock concert.
Clothes are humans' number-one source of protecting the skin. Trini finds out what clothing works best when climbing a mountain. The Bloodhound Gang is confronted with "The Case of the Missing Bloodhound."
Field locations include cacti in the Arizona desert, a Zamboni, and a scanning electron microscope. The Bloodhound Gang decodes Mr. Bloodhound's whereabouts in "The Case of the Missing Bloodhound."
Lisa rides a hot-air balloon and gets tips from a glassblower on making goblets. A film insert discusses bubbles and how they are used. The Bloodhound Gang is kidnapped in Part One of "The Case of the Thing in the Trunk." (Concludes in next episode.)
A geologist appears in the workshop for a discussion on the three types of Earth rock. In Hawaii, Lisa sees a volcano and takes a novice surfing lesson. Film insert: Searching for oil; inactive volcanoes. ANIMATIONS: The moving rocks of Earth; one billion years of Earth change is compressed into 1¾ minutes. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Thing in the Trunk, Part Two." (Recycled from Episodes 19 and 39). Using a pinhole camera effect with a piece of cardboard picking up light from a hole in the side of the van, the gang learns where the mummy is being stowed. They radio that information to the police after trapping the henchman.
ANIMATION: What does permeable mean? REHASHED FROM PREVIOUS FOUR EPISODES: Trini learns about protecting the human body from the cold while climbing a mountain. Marc witnesses amazing close-ups on an electron microscope. Lisa sees a glassblower. Marc informs Trini about melanin in a person's skin. In Hawaii, Lisa sees a volcano. FILM INSERT: How bubbles are used. Discussion on why bubbles are round. ANIMATIONS: The moving rocks of Earth. FRESH MATERIAL: Marc explains how an egg gets its shape.
At the Bronx Zoo, Lisa goes on the rounds with a young veterinarian feeding baby animals. Marc visits Miami Seaquarium to see whales trained.Film insert: Leaf-cutter ants; flea circus. ANIMATION: Do you know how difficult an ant would be if it were the size of an elephant? THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Professor's Fleas," a one-shot mystery surrounding a flea circus that has had all its stars stolen.
Everyone is perplexed when they find bugs living on just about everything. Trini examines a salt marsh. (Continues in Episode 59.) A guest biologist discusses water and food chains.Film insert: elephants' needs for survival. ANIMATION: Ants. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Dead Man's Pigeon," a one-shot adventure in which a lawyer is trying to swindle a niece from her inheritance.
Trini is convinced she has discovered a dinosaur bone. A visit to a American Museum of Natural History shows that she actually has the femur of a horse. Also at the museum, a young student reflects on her part-time work with paleontology. Lisa discovers a "dinosaur graveyard" in Utah, where several scientists uncover thousands of bones. ANIMATIONS: Fossilization of animal bones; stop-action assembly bones of an animal; scale replication of a dinosaur cartoon. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the 264-Pound Burglar, Part One." (Recycled from Episode 6) An old lady's life savings is stolen from her attic. Did the culprit weigh 264 pounds, as a found weight card suggests? (Concludes in next episode.)
At an aquarium, Lisa and Trini learn about volume. Marc and Lisa head out to see a supertanker. Trini stakes her case about oil spills. This includes an extension of Trini's visit to the salt marsh in Episode 57. As a final gesture, Marc and Lisa remind Trini just how many common items come from oil. Film insert: how a school bus compares to a car in transporting kids. ANIMATION: Cubes illustrate volume; the vast volume of a supertanker. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the 264-Pound Burglar, Part Two." (Recycled from Episode 7) Vikki reveals that the weight card reading 264 pounds, was designed to throw them off the scent. They discover the real culprits, both of whom faked the weight card in preparation for the heist.
REHASHED FROM THE PREVIOUS FOUR EPISODES: Trini is convinced she has discovered a dinosaur bone. A visit to a American Museum of Natural History shows that she actually has the femur of a horse. Marc visits Miami Seaquarium to see whales trained. At the Bronx Zoo, Lisa goes on the rounds with a young veterinarian feeding baby animals. Fresh items for end of week: Model train built to one-eighth scale. Film insert: New York pizzeria owner bakes the largest pizza ever made (80 feet). ANIMATIONS: The need for a standardized measuring system; a pizza baker's dilemma with a trio of customers.
The workshop welcomes a guest to discuss the human psyche of crowding. Film inserts: Building a skyscraper; the Gui people of Africa do a little minor socializing; New York City life. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the One-Ton Jewel," a one-shot mystery in which an auction is apparently selling a fragment of a white dwarf.
A wildlife expert visits the workshop to extoll on the impact humans have had on animals such as the wolf. FILM INSERT: Kudzu takes over parts of the South. The elephant struggles for survival in Africa. The Bloodhound Gang is called up to a lady's mansion in Part One of "The Case of the Cackling Ghost."
Trini pilots around New York City in the Goodyear blimp. Lisa gets to ride a hot-air balloon. The Bloodhound Gang gets an eyesight-full in Part Two of "The Case of the Cackling Ghost." (Concludes in next episode.)
Marc adds too much food coloring to the frosting on a birthday cake for his sister, starting a discussion of molecular density in solids and liquids. The Bloodhound Gang solves "The Case of the Cackling Ghost."
REHASHED FROM PREVIOUS FOUR EPISODES: Lisa rides a hot-air balloon. FILM INSERT: The elephant struggles for survival in Africa. ADDITIONAL: The black hole.
A computer program introduces the names of the new cast. Robin surprises Miguel and Kathy with a used car, but all three are surprised when the carburetor is faulty. During their ride, the tailpipe falls off.In Inglewood, California, Kathy participates at a firefighter's school.Lauren Taylor begins the New York City Marathon in the first of a five-part film story. ANIMATIONS: How birds breathe; how fish breathe. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Frozen Blob, Part One." Vikki suspects that a frozen ice sculpture has been stolen. But is it too late to save "the blob"? (Concludes in next episode.)
Robin goes on a survival trek in the mountains of Wyoming.In Part Two of the New York City Marathon story, Lauren explains the importance of keeping cool.Film insert: warm-blooded vs. cold-blooded animals.Biography: How important is smell to guinea pigs? Biologist Benjamin Shepherd explains this principle to a group of schoolkids. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Frozen Blob, Part Two." Mrs. Belmont-Smith is convinced that the ice sculpture has melted. But a quick taste proves that this melted blob came from the nearby ocean. This, plus a couple of hunches, leads Vikki to find the ice sculpture at a meat locker.
Miguel, Robin, and Kathy help epidemological detectives in their investigation on a food poisoning case. Jackie searches with schoolkids for jumping frogs. In "The Bloodhound Gang," Vikki attends a séance staged by a fortune-teller.
Paco attempts to surprise the others by preparing bread–and ends up surprising himself. In The Bloodhound Gang, Vikki senses something afoul at the séance.
Miguel, Robin, and Kathy have a computer game in waiting for a contest. Can they get anything done by splitting the responsibilities? In Denver, Miguel puts a hospital's Flight for Life rescue squad to the test. Lorna Coppinger and son Tim show Robin how their sheep dog interacts so well with sheep. The New York City documentary ends with a reminder on togetherness. FILM INSERT: Loner animals. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Girl from Outer Space, Part Three." The gang reassembles to determine just how Madame Saturn is swindling the séance attendees.
Before Miguel can put together a training program for his friends, they spend the day organizing the closet. Miguel and Jackie go to a serious West Point gym drill. Robin discovers how computers begin to help in an athlete's training. In the studio experiment, Miguel shows Paco how things are balanced when the center of gravity is below the point of support.Film insert: Gymnasts.THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of X Marks the Spot, Part One." During a ten-mile run in a small village, one of the runners slips out to steal something a treasure map from an antiques store.
Robin helps Kathy and Miguel to coordinate their schedule of errands, splitting the duties among themselves to get everything done faster.Robin finds out from a pair of jockeys the basics of training thoroughbred horses (it's all about speed). Kathy gets a run-in with speed skaters. FILM INSERT: Ride-and-tie races. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of X Marks the Spot, Part Two." Only three suspects could have taken the treasure map, but all three ran the race. (Concludes in next episode.)
Carol Lewis (Carl's brother) and her trainer illustrate the mechanics of the long jump. Kathy witnesses a pole-vaulter in training. Robin discovers a variety of bicycles. Film Insert: Bryan Allen flies across the English Channel on a man-powered plane. The Bloodhound Gang: "The Case of X Marks the Spot, Part Three."
Kathy is downstairs, exercising while waiting for Miguel to return. Miguel is with Judy Clarke, who discusses the design of athletic shoes. She leads Miguel to two other researchers, ready to do measurements on Miguel's feet. Miguel weighs 135 pounds, and the impact each foot endures while he runs is twice that weight. In between the experiments and observations, Judy tells Miguel what type of athletic shoe would be best for running. Back at the basement, Kathy sprains her knee. Robin sees Sammy Duvall, a world-champion water skier. He talks about the stress a water skier meets during a jump. They meet Dr. Michael Fulton, who shows Robin the forces a knee faces when walking, jogging, and jumping. Fulton explains what kind of injury Sammy had in 1979 and how the doctors countered the injury. Sammy gives Robin a water-skiing lesson. Paco walks to the basement wearing street-hockey pads, all of which impress Kathy. Robin is at a softball game, quickly learning that she must wear a baseball helmet if she is to bat. At a nearby factory, Robin sees how the baseball helmet is assembled. She also learns the difference in the various foams used in different athletic equipment. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Magnetic Woman, Part One." Skip's friend, Billy Chatterton, is a weakling. And he's the perfect victim to a get-strong scheme. It all centers around someone calling herself "The Little Georgia Magnet" and her "magnetized Georgia stump water." She has convinced Billy's father. But the Bloodhound Gang knows this woman is pulling off magician's tricks. (Concludes in next episode.) Back in the basement, Miguel arrives. He criticizes Kathy and Paco for not exercising, but they have an answer for him.
Robin sees two synchronized swimmers in perfect coordination. The Biography segment features a neurologist discussing people's motor skills. A team of high-school boys uses information churned through a computer to assemble a basketball "dream team" and predict the score of a game. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Magnetic Woman, Part Two." The Gang exposes the "Little Georgia Magnet's" tricks.
Miguel invites Kathy and Robin to Lincoln Park Airport, where he is taking flying lessons. After a brief discussion of the four forces, Miguel acquaints himself with the plane's controls. Kathy discovers a wounded raptor in the Minnesota woods, prompting a visit from a graduate student intent on helping the raptor. Film insert: Different wings for different things. A musical number, Trying To Fly, adapted from The Bee Gees' Stayin' Alive, becomes the backbone of this theme week (it reappears in Flight: Thrust. Another musical send-up, Big Birds Don't Fly, shows up here (and again in Flight: Acceleration). THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of The Veiled Thief, Part One." Someone has broken into a beehive, where a precious coin collection had been kept. (Concludes in next episode.)
Miguel, Robin, and Kathy join the crew of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as they inflate balloons. Robin takes her first parachute jump. FILM INSERT: Air is there. ANIMATION: Falling paper demonstrates drag. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Veiled Thief, Part Two."
Paco is trying to understand how a paper airplane files. As part of the studio experiment on lift, Kathy shows the Bernoulli principle with a straw and a glass of grape juice. Jackie witnesses a 17-year-old Chris Bulger hang gliding in the North Carolina mountains. Miguel visits the Kennedy Space Center to discuss the space shuttle orbiter. FILM INSERT: Birds and mammals gliding to save muscle energy. ANIMATION: Lift. BIOGRAPHY: Wing-designer Woodrow Whitlow discusses how his ideas are tested. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Bottled Boat, Part One." What is with the strange man who had a bottled boat stolen?
Miguel has entered himself and Robin in a boomerang-throwing competition. But neither knows how to throw a boomerang properly. They get a demonstration on boomerang flight from a professional. In California, Kathy flies an ultralight with a test pilot.Film inserts: indoor airplane flying at Columbia University leads a boy to building a model airplane; the need for great amounts of energy for birds and airplanes to fly. ANIMATION: The four forces involved in flying. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Bottled Boat, Part Two." Armed with a ticket to the Maritime Museum, the gang talks to a model shipbulider who tells all he knows about the stranger with the bottled boat. He's a regular customer, buying ships every week, always with a specially-marked pennant on the mast. (Concludes in next episode.)
Kathy brings a telescope to talk about the changing constellations in the night sky. In the process, Kathy discusses Newton's Laws of Motion. Robin visits NORAD as it observes satellites in orbit. Miguel hears how planes take off and land at an aircraft carrier. FILM INSERT: Flying objects need a lot of fuel to fly. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Bottled Boat, Part Three." The Gang deduces the pennant is marked with a microdot.
Paco is trying to find out what DNA is. Not everyone has the complete answer until somebody calls the wrong number repeatedly. Robin is fortunate to talk with one of the biologists who discovered the basics of DNA.Jackie learns about the breeding of miniature horses. Miguel finds a botanist observing the wildflowers and insects populating a vacant New York City lot. FILM INSERT: The jacquard loom. ANIMATION: Life evolving through DNA. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of The Locked Safe," a one-shot surprise that trains the gang to work under pressure. Can they find the new combination to the lock?
Miguel has had it up to his ears with duplicates. He goes to a florist to get the perfect orchid for his mother's birthday. The florist tells him all the orchids in the shop are clones. That prompts Miguel to visit a cytologist for a lesson on cloning plants. Once that's done, Miguel runs into a nice girl at a copy center, for whom he wants to buy another orchid. He doesn't realize she is one of identical twins.Paco tells his dog Franklin about growth hormones. Kathy meets a biochemist who has helped a boy who has not grown as expected, but has been helped with a growth hormone. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Computer Caper, Part One." When the Twins Research Foundation finds several computer files stolen, the gang is called to help follow the directions in the ransom note. Skip must drop the ransom money in a trash barrel at the park.
While Miguel, Robin, and Kathy go off on a picnic, Paco is left to examine Miguel's ants. He then has to scramble for the ants when they get loose. Immediately, Miguel senses that his ants have escaped.A saxophonist imitates the call of a wolf in attempt to understand wolves' "music." Miguel examines spiders' webs in the Okefenokee Swamp. Kathy witnesses how the sounds of dolphins are reproduced on computers to help learn about dolphin behavior. Robin watches a monkey being trained to help a quadriplegic.Video insert: "The Amazing True Story of Tex and George" tells of a whooping crane who has been attracted to a biologist. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Computer Caper, Part Two." After a cold snap the night before, Vikki and Ricardo stake out the trash barrel in question. A strange lady pours water into the barrel a couple of minutes before Skip arrives with the money. Once the trash is dumped into a garbage truck, the order goes out: "Tail it."
Robin visits Mount St. Helens two years after its historic 1980 eruption to see where plant life in the area is attempting a comeback. In the weekly studio experiment, Miguel explains to Paco how fungus colonizes. BIOGRAPHY: Geraat Vermeij, a native of Holland, studies shells. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Computer Caper, Part Three." Vikki discovers that the woman who poured water in the trash can, is left-handed. Looking closer at the pictures, Ricardo realizes that the money–wrapped in plastic–froze to the bottom of the trash barrel. Back at the park, the gang is surprised to hear from a hot dog vendor that the "lady" came back for the trash can. In truth, the culprit is a man. (Concludes in next episode.)
Paco sets up a school report on his walk on the beach. He teams up with a chimpanzee and a biologist who studies animal locomotion. At the university, the biologist shows Paco part of the skeleton of Lucy, the great evolutionary find of 1974. Miguel goes to a dinosaur burial ground in northern Montana. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Computer Caper, Part Four." With the barest of clues, a restaurant's souvenir pen, the gang traces the man who stole the computer files.
Miguel, Robin, and Kathy are prepared for a fishing campout. On their way back from fishing, Kathy discovers she has lost the matchbook and ventures out to find it. She finds it, but has she gotten herself lost? At the University of Pennsylvania, Robin learns how taste and smell are connected (and how they differ).Kathy goes to 3M to see the production of scratch-and-sniff. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Frozen Blob, Part One." Vikki suspects that a frozen ice sculpture has been stolen. But is it too late to save "the blob"? (Concludes in next episode.)
Main Concept: In order for us to see, the eye must convert light energy to electrical energy, which is interpreted by the brain as an image. Robin learns that sight is the dominant sense in some animals. She visits the U. S. Coast Guard in San Francisco and finds how pigeons, with their acute eyesight and color vision, are used to spot survivors at sea. Miguel visits the Computer Graphics Lab in New York City and learns how forms and colors of video images are manipulated electronically to produce pictures. BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Frozen Blob, Part Two."
The kids assemble glasses with varying water amounts for a musical scale. In the process, Paco learns that certain frequencies are beyond the human hearing range. Vikki of The Bloodhound Gang is hired to begin "The Case of the Girl from Outer Space."
Paco surprises everyone with a gecko as his present for Robin's birthday. We meet a neurologist who studies the sense of touch in Brooklyn. In "The Bloodhound Gang," Vikki attends a séance as she investigates "The Case of the Girl from Outer Space." (Concludes in next episode.)
After a close call, Miguel, Robin and Kathy drill themselves (and the basement) in case of fire. The Bloodhound Gang, en masse, breaks down "The Case of the Girl from Outer Space."
Miguel and Paco start the week in the back of a pick-up truck, riding through San Diego Wild Animal Park. They see the prehensile tongue of a giraffe up close. A worker explains how giraffes evolved to its long-necked self. Kathy and Robin go to Magi, a 3-d computer animation studio. Christine Chang, a computer scientist, shows how masic shapes turn into complicated animal shapes. Back at the Wild Animal Park, Miguel and Paco see how an elephant's trunk can pick up things. FILM INSERT: Basic shapes are all over the world. ANIMATED MUSIC VIDEO: The Way It Was shows how the continents were together millions of years ago. BIOGRAPHY: Botanist Elma González reflects on her life and her inspiration for studying the cells of plants. FILM INSERT: Basic shapes are all over the universe. Back at the Wild Animal Park, Miguel and Paco emcounter a Bactrian camel. An expert explains that animal families are determined by the similarities of different animals. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Magnetic Woman, Part One." Skip's friend, Billy Chatterton, is a weakling. And he's the perfect victim to a get-strong scheme. It all centers around someone calling herself "The Little Georgia Magnet" and her "magnetized Georgia stump water." She has convinced Billy's father. But the Bloodhound Gang knows this woman is pulling off magician's tricks. (Concludes in next episode.) Back at the Wild Animal Park, Miguel and Paco have some final words.
From the San Diego Wild Animal Park, Miguel and Paco observe elephants flipping dust and dirt on their backs. An evolutionary expoert at the Wild Animal Park explains why elephants have large, sturdy legs. FILM INSERT: Gravity. Robin goes to a California logging camp see forester Becky Robertson. Robertson explains to Robin how certain trees take on some shapes due to sunlight and gravity. FILM INSERT: Building a skyscrapers. Jackie talks to Marvel Allen on the Golden Gate Bridge to learn the forces acting on a suspension bridge. Back at the Wild Animal Park, Miguel and Paco find out how ostriches have survived in their environment. The evolutionary expoert also discusses the strength of an egg, any egg. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Magnetic Woman, Part Two." Ricardo consults a magician friend to discuss the egg trick. This leads Vikki to consult Lulu Hearst's book on the real Little Georgia Magnet. It lets the Gang expose the swindle that Billy Chatterton and his father almost fall to. Back at the Wild Animal Park, Miguel and Paco have some final words.
Miguel and Robin attach a speedometer on a bicycle so they and Paco can see how fast Paco can really ride his bike. Jackie meets with MIT engineers who built a streamlined bicycle, the longest in the world. ANIMATION: Laminar flow. At Miguel's house, Kathy tells Robin about the odometer on a bicycle. They decide one of them rides 2,000 miles a year on a bicycle. FILM INSERT: Streamlining isn't the only thing that lowers air resistance in high-speed travel. Robin and Kathy find the hole in Kathy's flat tire by putting the tire in a tub full of water. Miguel talks to Diane Green, a champion windsurfer, about sailboards. Green builds a sailboard herself and gets Miguel on another sailboard (temporarily). FILM INSERT: The streamlined shape of salmon and other fish, beavers, penguins, and dolphins. Robin and Kathy patch up the tire and test it in the tub. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of X Marks the Spot, Part One." Vikki is entered in a village's ten-mile race. One of the runners, though, slips out of the track and enters an antiques store belonging to Vikki's friend Cece. When the race is over, Cece says someone has stolen the treasure map she had. ANIMATION: Drag. Miguel finishes installing the speedometer on the bicycle.
Miguel is chopping wood because he wants to play the violin. He asks Robin to take the wood to Carlene Hutchins, who makes violins, a musical acoustician. She tells how the violin's shape determines its sound. And she makes a violin from wood strips. FILM INSERT: Animals to evolve shapes that help them. In Lordstown, Ohio, Miguel meets Denby, who insists he is not a robot. He invites Miguel into the Chevrolet plant to see true robots at work. Robin, Kathy and Miguel sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat in a round as they walk from the subway to hear a string trio rehearse. At the hall, they meet the trio: Eugene Moore, Ida Kafavian and Marcus Thompson. At Miguel's request, the trio play Frere Jacques in round. All three musicians tune up to play a fugue by Bach. In a fugue, once they play the initial melody, musicians begin imitating each other. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of X Marks the Spot, Part Two." Cece explains that someone has switched a map of what may be Captain Kidd's buried treasure, with a fake. She reveals the names of her three partners in a voyage to India to try and find the treasure. The Gang talks to each of the three partners. One of them has just noticed her copy of the key to Cece's store missing. Another recognizes Cece's shop key on sight. The string trio tunes up in preparation for their fugue. All three play a sample of the fugue as the credits roll. Miguel's voice-over points out places where the individual musicians' parts stand out.
Robin has her hands full trying to develop pictures in the makeshift darkroom set up in the basement. In the field, Robin gets a first-hand look on how police use fingerprints as criminal evidence. The Bloodhound Gang cracks "The Case of X Marks the Spot."
Robin is ready to ski down a mountain. Miguel and Kathy, who have never skied before, spend their time witnessing a snow-making machine. All three discover a geologist at the mountaintop who explains the nature of glaciers.On location, Miguel flies in a weather plane. Robin goes to the Rocky Mountains to find the origin of the Colorado River.A mock commercial for water, used as a running thread through Episode 100, makes its first appearance. ANIMATION: The water cycle. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of The Locked Safe," a one-shot surprise that trains the gang to work under pressure. Can they find the new combination to the lock?
A dry tour of the solar system shows no substantial water on the other planets. Back on Earth, water contains just about all life.Miguel visits the Okefenokee Swamp, hoping to see an alligator.Robin shows Paco how to start an avocado plant. Paco then tries to help a cactus by giving it excess water. On location, Paco learns how animals and cacti survive in the desert with little water. BIOGRAPHY: Eloy RodrÃguez visits the desert to study how its natural resources can help man and industry. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Computer Caper, Part One." (Recycled from Episode 82.) When the Twins Research Foundation finds several computer files stolen, the gang is called to help follow the directions in the ransom note. Skip must drop the ransom money in a trash barrel at the park.
Miguel helps Robin complete a homework project before heading to a harbor on the Hudson River. He and Kathy are worried that a houseboat may be sinking. A marine biologist tells them the difference between an estuary (like the Hudson) and a delta (like the Mississippi).In New Orleans, Kathy discovers the channels and levees that practically crisscross the area. Two ecologists inform her how important the Mississippi is to New Orleans, and how man and Nature must work together.Robin ventures to a region poisoned by acid rain, then labeled "New York State's problem." THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Computer Caper, Part Two." After a cold snap the night before, Vikki and Ricardo stake out the trash barrel in question. A strange lady pours water into the barrel a couple of minutes before Skip arrives with the money. Once the trash is dumped into a garbage truck, the order goes out: "Tail it."
Miguel discovers a leak in the water pipes and tries valiantly to fix it. Kathy discusses Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, which supply water and electricity for Las Vegas. Robin and Jackie examine the Grand Canyon from two different angles.Film insert: Tracing the New York City water system. ANIMATION: The creation of the Grand Canyon. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Computer Caper, Part Three." Vikki discovers that the woman who poured water in the trash can, is left-handed. Looking closer at the pictures, Ricardo realizes that the money–wrapped in plastic–froze to the bottom of the trash barrel. Back at the park, the gang is surprised to hear from a hot dog vendor that the "lady" came back for the trash can. In truth, the culprit is a man. (Concludes in next episode.)
Paco, Kathy and Robin set up an aquarium to surprise Miguel. Two scientists from different fields lead Robin to study bears in the Minnesota winter. They take samples of bear blood to aid human health problems, such as kidney dialysis.Film insert: Where there's water, there's life, as demonstrated in human blood vessels and kidneys. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Computer Caper, Part Four." With the barest of clues, a restaurant's souvenir pen, the gang traces the man who stole the computer files.
Jackie gets an up-close look at the Teflon roof of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The Bloodhound Gang is called to investigate "The Case of the Veiled Thief."
Leonardo da Vinci's vision of a spring-driven car is put to the test in the "Olympics of the Mind," where youngsters test ideas. The Bloodhound Gang solves "The Case of the Veiled Thief."
Among the field visits in this program is an automobile assembly line. The Bloodhound Gang gets involved in "The Case of the Bottled Boat."
Paco envisions the concept of modular components. Among the sites visited is a video-games manufacturer. The Bloodhound Gang try to shed light on "The Case of the Bottled Boat." (Concludes in next episode.)
Broadway Video provided production facilities for 3-2-1 Contact for six seasons. In this episode, editors at Broadway Video show their work in assembling a film (later seen in its entirety) about dancers. The Bloodhound Gang cracks "The Case of the Bottled Boat."
Almost all the kids use their own ways to change the force of gravity. Paco rides a fast-rising elevator. Kathy takes a G-force scale with her on a roller coaster. Robin works a few toys while riding in the KC-135 jet. Also, Paco begins his training at Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. The Bloodhound Gang is perplexed with "The Case of the Missing Memory."
Projected into this episode: Miguel launches a model rocket in Allentown. The Bloodhound Gang begins to pick up clues in "The Case of the Missing Memory." (Concludes in next episode.)
Paco entices Kathy into a pretend space mission launching from the basement. The Bloodhound Gang solves "The Case of the Missing Memory."
Main Concept: Astronauts get special training to function in the weightlessness of space. Preview: Astronaut Sally Ride explains to Robin the function of the remote manipulator arm and the use of a special helium balloon to simulate a satellite in space. As the first female American in space, she also describes how it felt to live in a weighless condition. SPACE CAMP, DAY FOUR: Paco goes on a simulated shuttle mission. BIOGRAPHY: Black astronaut Charles F. Bolden Jr.
How would you communicate with extra-terrestrials? It's being tried out at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.
Paco enlists Miguel and the others to determine the length of string wound into a worn baseball. Mount Rushmore heads the set of field reports. The Bloodhound Gang is confronted with "The Case of the Funny Money." (Concludes in next episode.)
Miguel, Robin and Kathy begin by discussing how much paint would be needed to cover the walls in a room. Headlining the field reports is the expanding Great Salt Lake. The Bloodhound Gang cracks "The Case of the Funny Money."
Miguel helps Paco weigh his dog. Kathy gets a pointer on how to pan for gold. In "The Bloodhound Gang," a man claiming to be an ex-tennis player hires the Gang to search for a man with a shaved head.
Miguel, Robin, and Kathy are in the midst of conducting a survey on how people try to cure their hiccups. The Bloodhound Gang discovers the identities of their client and the man he seeks in Part Two of "The Case of the Human Whale."
Paco and the others stage a race between a snail, a turtle, a worm, and a millipede. Robin sees a biologist studying animal locomotion. Astronaut Charlie Bolden shows Miguel a computerized shuttle simulator. Kathy gets an elementary physics lesson riding a free-fall ride at Six Flags Over Texas. In the last installment of Paco's Bureau of Standards, Paco measures the speed of speech with fast-talker John Moschitta.Film inserts: The speeds of various animals, people, and other devices; gestation periods of selected animals.THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Human Whale, Part Three." Vikki determines that the Human Whale always centers around one parking garage. It's the key to catching both the Human Whale and Flash Jordan.
Miguel has set up something in his basement that works like a seismograph. But it's not as sensitive as the real thing.
Among the highlights of this episode: Mapping techniques are put to work at Grant's Pass, Oregon and in the orienteering expedition in Peekskill, New York.
Robin finds a lot of varying climates in Hawaii. Miguel steps into a Costa Rican rain forest. The Bloodhound Gang begins their work in "The Case of the Haunted House."
Robin and Kathy have several plants in their basement as part of a "Flora and Fauna" shop. It attracts some interest, until Paco shows up with some unusual fauna. The Bloodhound Gang learns more about Sally Starfire in Part Two of "The Case of the Haunted House."
Paco convinces Miguel and Robin to try and protect their sand castle from the rising tide. The Bloodhound Gang unravels "The Case of the Haunted House."
Coming out of a thunderstorm, the kids huddle in the basement to talk about lightning. In the field, Miguel finds out what makes neon lights work. The Bloodhound Gang confronts "The Case of the Dark Night." (Concludes in next episode.)
Robin, Kathy, and Miguel go to a junkyard in search of a car. When they see a crane use an electromagnet to pick up and move a used car, they speak directly with the crane operator. The Bloodhound Gang cracks "The Case of the Dark Night."
Not all ways of generating electricity are "conventional." Kathy goes to a dairy farm that produces its electricity from cow manure. The Bloodhound Gang is confounded with "The Case of Mr. Quickfingers." (Concludes in next episode.)
A blackout grips the entire city at a critical time for Miguel, Robin, and Kathy. The Bloodhound Gang makes quick work in "The Case of Mr. Quickfingers."
During his check-up, Paco learns that the cells of all living things generate small electric charges. Miguel learns the ins and outs of a myoelectric arm.
Paco introduces the tropics and points out that Miguel is in Malaysia. Miguel and Anitha see how rubber is tapped from trees and processed.
People use the word "tin" without really understanding it. Miguel goes to various sites in Malaysia see tin being extracted and used.
Miguel sees Malaysian rice, from planting to harvesting.
Miguel learns firsthand how elephants and monkeys can help humans in their tasks. Paco gives a little monologue on domestication.
Miguel takes a day-long observation of an orangutan rehabilitation center in Malaysia.
Light is observed through lenses such a telescope and the eye. The Bloodhound Gang is confronted with "The Case of the Missing Memory."
Kathy learns that there is more color in a green leaf than meets the eye. At the Exploratorium, Robin discovers what drives a magnificent light sculpture (the sun and many mirrors). Paco and Mary create their own light sculpture in the studio demonstration. The Bloodhound Gang tries to piece together "The Case of the Missing Memory" with a cassette tape that includes a snowy tree cricket chirping. (Concludes in next episode.)
Darlene Librero dissects a cow's eye before a class of intermediate-schoolers. Later we get to hear about Librero's scientific background. The Bloodhound Gang unmasks "The Case of the Missing Memory."
Mary gets her eyes examined. Technically, it's the second straight show on the eye, but not just the human eye. Visual effects simulate the world as other animals see it.
Diego and Robin start the day on a ship off the California coast, observing the individual patterns of a lighthouse's beam. They find out how lenses concentrate the rays of light emanating from a lighthouse or a buoy. Robin illustrates the convex lens at the Exploratorium. Also at the Exploratorium, Miguel bounces light with a curved mirror. He goes to the University of Arizona to see the grinding of a glass lens for the telescope at nearby Kitt Peak. MUSIC VIDEO: Light energy from the sun.
Miguel and Robin spend most of the day watchiing and learning from a sheep shearer. Paco and Mary anchor "Pig News," a gimmick that will run throughout the week.
Mass population puts heavy demands on growing and producing plans. This program looks at some advances in agriculture.
A mutt is a hybrid, as Paco and Miguel discover. Much of this show is set in the Animal Emergency Room at a veterinarian hospital. But there is time to show another hybrid, this one from cattle.
Much of this show is set in a modern dairy. Cows give milk, and that milk is turned into other foods. The Bloodhound Gang investigates a well-disguised pickpocket in Part One of "The Case of Mr. Quickfingers." (Concludes in next episode.)
Kathy talks with none other than Frank Perdue about his high-yield poultry farm. The Bloodhound Gang unmasks "The Case of Mr. Quickfingers."
Robin, Miguel, and Kathy observe different facets of the Statue of Liberty's restoration.
Paco gets the low-down on making a coffee cup out of clay. Kathy discovers how clay is used to make toilets. The Bloodhound Gang is called to investigate mass car theft in Part One of "The Case of the Dark Night."
Heat It, Beat It is the music video that sums up this episode. We see the bending of glass and (in a scene recycled from "Tropics" week) the making of a Malaysian dagger. The Bloodhound Gang cracks "The Case of the Dark Night."
In "Part 1," a makeup man gets Miguel in his chair to make a monster mask. For "Part 2," Kathy goes on a mission with a "feather detective" to see what bird made a serious impact with an Air Force jet. The Bloodhound Gang enters a greenhouse to start "The Case of the Funny Money." (Concludes in next episode.)
Schoolchildren design egg containers that prevent the egg from breaking when dropped. Miguel sees a plane that is lighter than its pilot go for a speed record. The Bloodhound Gang makes fast work in battling "The Case of the Funny Money."
This week sees the new hosts of 3-2-1 Contact gather at the Blue Sky Café in Montclair, New Jersey. David Quinn and his French friend, David (stress the last syllable), wonder why Maxine the waitress uses that cryptic luncheonette lingo. In France, Mary and Chantal discover sheepherders relaying messages to each other–by whistling. Mary and Frenchman David go to Wyoming, where they see several native tribes share common hand signals. FILM INSERTS: Signs are an international language; ways to say hello; common body-language signals.
Debra sees an anthropologist understanding a parrot's simple form of English. Chantal enters a hospital room that responds to a person's voice to open doors, etc. FILM INSERTS: Bird words, ways to say hello, animal sounds, uses of the X symbol. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Human Whale, Part One." An apparent hit-and-run victim employs the gang to find the guy who ruined his tennis career.
French-born David says his dog obeys human speech, but it's clear he is signaling the commands to the dog. Mary goes to Sea World in San Diego, where Chuck Thompkins shows the hand signals he uses in his show with Shamu. In France, Mary gains insight on visual telephones. FILM INSERTS: Ways to say hello; animal sounds; uses of the X symbol. THE BLOODHOUND GANG: "The Case of the Human Whale, Part Two." The gang uncovers the identities of both their client and the man he seeks.
Debra sees how quickly USA Today uses satellites to send information for printing in the next day's paper. David does a two-minute lecture on television signals. The Bloodhound Gang traces the Human Whale.
The final visit to the Blue Sky Café finds the hosts mystified. How does Maxine the waitress know what everyone wants if no one says anything? In Eastern France, Todd and Chantal discover towers relaying coded messages. Debra goes to Boston to observe reading machines and a voice-pattern recognition apparatus. She then goes to Berkeley to see a composer put together synthesized music. FILM INSERTS: Ways to say hello; signs are an international language.
Todd gets to see, on the shore and in a lab, the motion of waves in the ocean. There are no still waters out there. The runner for this week is "The Wreck," an underwater search taking place in the Caribbean.
Adventures include: placing artificial reefs off the coast of Florida; moving two whales from one pool to another.
There are a lot of things in the seas, such as salt and kelp. This program talks of humans surviving on sea voyages, discusses kelp in depth, and continues that probe into "The Wreck."
Oceanographer Jill Yager takes up much of this program with her studies around an island, followed by another installment of "The Wreck."
Along with some previously-broadcast bits from earlier in the week, this program includes a visit to Penguin Encounter at Sea World in San Diego. "The Wreck" investigation concludes with nothing settled.
The show begins at "Maggie's Machine Shop," where Maggie discusses pulleys. In Barre, Vermont, we see how granite is removed from a quarry and polished. In Paris, Todd and Monique examine the elevators at the Eiffel Tower. David and Chantal get a tip on riding bicycles.Film insert: a canal lock system.
David rides a bicycle with a skeleton at a Paris science museum. Robin visits veterinary radiologists in action. At Cal State Long Beach, Diego witnesses track students' video analyses.
Robin, Paco, and Mary learn about the illusion of impact in stunts. In Vitry sur Seine (near Paris), Chantal visits a collision research area to observe the buffers on high-speed trains. David explains how to measure the coefficient of restitution of several balls. Maggie explains the forces at work in bouncing on a trampoline. RECYCLED FROM EARLIER IN SEASON 5: Linus Pauling remembers his first science lesson: how to sharpen a pencil.FILM INSERTS: The principle of seat belts; how a kangaroo is like a rubber ball.
Friction is emphasized in demonstrations with snakes, TGV trains, and ice-gliding boats.
Leverage is discussed at sea, in a French village, and at Maggie's Mechanical Shop.
David's dental visit anchors a discussion on teethkinds of teeth and their uses.
The natural world is full of fussy eaters. In this program, the flea, koala bear and panda bear are singled out for their specialized dietary habits.
The bulk of this show is set in the San Diego Wild Animal Park, where certain meals are arranged for the animals. The Bloodhound Gang begins "The Case of the Haunted House."
David polls people about digestion, without success. Todd discovers what digestion means to the body. The Bloodhound Gang questions several men in continues "The Case of the Haunted House." (Concludes in next episode.)
An online stat page says this episode "explores the ways in which food is processed by the body for energy and building material." Actually, this show has remains to be seen. An archaeologist studies what ancestral humans ate by digging up those unmentionable remnants. The Bloodhound Gang cracks "The Case of the Haunted House."
David and Kaori visit the Mikimoto Pearl Farm and see the 100-year process of culturing pearls. David and Kanae Nishio go wading in a forest stream, hunting for a giant salamander.
Impeding Japanese throughout is the erosion of Mt Fuji. David sees what steps are being guarded to help the Japanese society in spite of it. Included is a building where rainstorms and landslides are simulated.
David and Kaori visit the Furutas, whose family has been making paper by hand for two centuries. They follow the Furutas as they make a batch of fine paper. David, Kaori, and Chizuru Ishizaka join a kite expert and test a kite designed to fly in little wind.
David and Kaori get a glimpse of architects designing buildings that can resist the force of some natural disasters.
How would you like to write your messages in a strictly-ordered way, knowing that one mistake could change the meaning of your sentence? It can happen in English, but it's easier to write Japanese wrong. David and Kaori visit a software researcher and test out software that is designed to read and identify handwritten Kanji characters. (David puts his skills to the test and fails.) David and Kaori also participate in a grueling judo workout, after which they learn about a computer that helps train judo students. Finally, Kaori shows David the next closest thing Japanese language has to the English alphabet.
Archaeologists are seen trying to demystify the Mayans, Egyptian mummies, and a prehistoric cave where flint was mined.
There are "archaeologists" in Arizona that are analyzing modern humans from samples of their trash! It's a far cry from the tools of ancient man, or so you would think.
This show observes owls in the wild and the ecosystems in a salt marsh.
In the centerpiece of this episode, a museum moves a large dinosaur exhibit into place.
Can you tell a pattern when you see it? A combination of new and recycled material shows all sorts of patterns in nature.
Basic architecture can be whittled down to beams and a sheet. This is seen through circus tents, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and other things.
The frame is vitally important to anything architectural. We see how animals make their perfectly-designed shelters, how the Japanese can join two boards without glue or nails, and find the traditional Kenya home.
How do you build the world's largest Gothic cathedral? It all comes down to using marble cut in certain ways. The arch and the buttress are featured in the ongoing construction of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
There is a branch of architectural science called ergonomics, which states how things are built to fit certain people. David Quinn sees if he can improve the ergonomics of a kitchen.
The shape and composition of architectural materials can prove vital for various reasons. The I-beam and the triangle brace are highlighted in this episode.
Hard to believe mice and rats are mammals, as are bats. But this program shows why rodents are classified this way.
Fur and hair are mammals' chief arsenal to stay warm. But what about sea otters?
This show witnesses the births of elephant seals and wildebeests. Also seen are young black bears and kangaroos.
Play is an important part of growing, as we see from watching babboons, chimpanzees, sheep dogs and even kids playing.
There is a price ecosystems pay when big animals are confined. This program shows the elephant, the rhinoceros and the tapir groping with spatial problems.
Models are used to test ideas before they become large-scale. A class of intermediate-school students go through modeling tactics in building a spring-driven car. We also see newsreel clips of models that produced both commonplace items and inventions that didn't pan out.
Models observed in this episode include those of Canadian ice shields, fast bicycles, and modern airplanes.
Surveyors are seen at work, as are schoolkids who devise a map of their own neighborhood.
Models are shown in museums and in the medical world.
Much of this program focuses on a zoo's constructing an uncannily accurate rain forest for its animals.
Built largely on material recycled from Season 1, this episode includes insight on how pigeons and bats negotiate their world. Bats rely on sonar, but as for pigeons and how they navigate, that's a different story.
Main Concept: Variances in wind currents can be used to create different forms of transportation such as soaring, gliding and hot air balloons. Even inanimate objects like a kite depend on the wind to function properly. Wind power is introduced with Flying Scooters at an amusement park. Hopey learns about the sport of "soaring" by taking a trip in a glider sail plane. Repeat of a sequence from the episode Hot/Cold: Temperatures on Earth/In Space: In the mountains of Colorado, Lisa participates in a balloon race to better understand why a hot-air balloon rises. David visits a local Kite Club in Tokyo where he meets a Japanese "kite doctor," who uses science to improve a kite's performance.
Jan Carter, Entymologist at the Cincinatti Zoo and Botanical Garden teaches us about the life cycles of the butterfly. David speaks with Glen Wiggins, curator at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto Canada, about Dragonflies and their wings and Moths and their Proboscis. Then there's a recycled segment from season 1, Episode 22, where Marc visits a beekeeper. Then back to David and Glen Wiggins about Beetles.
Hopey finds a hibernating ground for ladybugs. David observes beetles at the Royal Ontario Museum. Todd gets fooled by Barbara Reinalda and her softball pitches. REHASHED FROM SEASON 1 (Show 8): Trini takes rides the Goodyear Blimp around New York City. MUSIC VIDEO: Airborne.
David visits Aerovironment Inc. where they are building a full scale Pterodactyl model that has been designed based on the few clues scientists have about the real animal. Then David visits Burt Rutan, designer of the Voyager, the first plane to travel around the world without stopping. There David and Burt discuss the custom airplane designs and experimants Burt has made.
Debra learns that getting to Antarctica from the United States is no easy task, but seeing Emperor penguins makes the trip worthwhile.
Travel at the bottom of the world is difficult and dangerous, as Debra discovers by climbing out of a crevasse, flying to the South Pole, and driving over ice.
Most of Antarctica has such a harsh climate that almost nothing can live there, but Debra finds one place where penguins and seals do well: at the ice edge.
In the icy waters surrounding Antarctica is a wealth of sea life, including jellyfish and a kind of fish that has antifreeze in its body.
Debra reviews (for the last time) her plane journey to Antarctica. She defines a desert (of which Antarctica is the largest). A glimpse of the weather base at McMurdo Station gives weather reports that affect everybody on the ice. Debra flies to Taylor Valley, a dry area with little ice, to meet a geologist. MUSIC VIDEO: Arctic vs. Antarctic.
Stephanie Yu is at a twins convention. Balancing this is a filmed sequence on twins from England. The Bloodhound Gang reruns "The Case of the Educated Pig," the mystery that started 3-2-1 Contact back in 1980.
This show follows an expectant mother at ultrasound and other key moments that lead up to the birth of a new child.
David and Stephanie submit themselves to a sleep chamber to help in a scientific study of sleep. The Bloodhound Gang recycles (from Episode 6, "The Case of The 264-Pound Burglar, Part One." (Concludes in next episode.)
Dancers can't afford to be dizzy, which we see prior to discussions of the inner ear. The Bloodhound Gang solves "The Case of the 264-Pound Burglar."
Todd compares health care in New York City and Kenya where doctors and nurses may have to travel long distances to reach sick patients and prevent disease.
In an element common to all five shows of Australia week, David gives an explanation on how Australian animals evolved separately from life on the other continents. It all deals with the splitting of continents from a giant mass of land. With that explanation out of the way, David and Michele, our Australian cast member, track and examine a platypus and an echidna, two unusual animals found only in Australia.
There are strange animals in Australia with even stranger eating habits. Get a glimpse of what David discovers about moths, beetles, and Australia's aboriginies.
Both the emu and kookaburra are indigenous to Australia. David gets to see them both after reviewing how Australian animals got to be so unique.
Koalas are one of the most recognized species unique to Australia. David Quinn koalas in their natural environment: the eucalyptus tree.
G'day, mate! David discovers the life of the kangaroo, and helps take a survey of them.
Hopey and Todd see a bubble show and meet the man behind it to learn more on bubles. Included is a simple mixture for soap bubble solution.
There is surprising strength in a tube because it is hollow. We see how tubes are used in bicycles, organs, and roofs.
Stephanie Yu discusses snow crystals and their patterns, or "habits."
Just what are robots, and what are they meant to do? Miguel finds out the truth in a sequence recycled from 1983. The "running" element comes from observing animal locomotion.
Todd introduces bungie jumping the way it began. It talks about the strength of ropes.
Hopey begins her week in Greece by checking out an island formed by volcanoes.
What is the truth about cities buried in volcanic ash? Hopey finds out a few things about the ancient cities of Io, Ancient Thira, and Akrotiri.
Hopey continues her observations with archaeologists in the ancient city of Akrotiri.
Hopey sees the old and new ways sheep's milk becomes cheese. The Bloodhound Gang is trapped in "The Case of the Thing in the Trunk" from Season 1. (Concludes in next episode.)
Hopey finds engineers trying to keep The Parthenon standing, but it's not without catches. The Bloodhound Gang breaks through "The Case of the Thing in the Trunk."
Stephanie Yu greets us from Huckleberry Island in New York and describes the location of Bonaire Island in the Netherland Antilles, where Todd and Debra do their parts of the show from. SONG: It's An Island Todd and Debra visit with Jules VanRoy as he studies the Parrot Fish and its importance to the ecology of the coral reef system. Todd and Jules go diving with a special underwater computer to record the activities of the Parrot Fish. Todd and Deborah explain how SCUBA gear works. ANIMATION: How islands are formed Todd and Debra talk about island geology with Eric Nuden from the highest opint on Bonaire Island. SONG: How Do You Get To An Island? Todd and Debra discuss shoreline geology.
SONG: How Do You Get To An Island? Stephanie Yu greets us from Huckleberry Island in New York and describes the location of Bonaire Island in the Netherland Antilles, where Todd and Debra do their parts of the show from. Todd and Denise Deering, grad student from the University of Vermont, study the Blue-Tailed lizard, a plant-eating lizard. Scientist Song, recycled from weeks before. Debra and Denise Deering go looking for bats in a cave. Todd and Debra go SCUBA diving at night for nocturnal sea creatures. SONG: It's An Island
Stephanie Yu greets us from Huckleberry Island in New York and describes the location of Bonaire Island in the Netherland Antilles, where Todd and Debra do their parts of the show from. SONG: It's An Island Todd and Debra study Coral formation with Marine Biologist Eileen Morse. Todd and Debra help Mary Lasenko map a coral reef. SONG: How Do You Get To An Island? Stephanie Yu explores the remains of a burned-out house. Todd and Debra help archeologist Jay Havaser search one of Bonaire's shelled bays for archaeological artifacts and examine ancient cave paintings on the walls of a cave. Todd and Denise visit a 5th grade school in Bonaire to discover that the students speak up to 5 different languages.
Stephanie Yu greets us from Huckleberry Island in New York and describes the location of Bonaire Island in the Netherland Antilles, where Todd and Debra do their parts of the show from. SONG: How Do You Get To An Island? Stephanie Yu identifies the birds of Huckleberry Island. Debra goes counting flamingoes with a local expert. Todd goes to Bonaire Salt Flats and learns how sea salt is cultivated. Todd and Debra go diving with Dee Skar in one of Bonaire's old peirs and look for dangerous ocean life living in the garbage below. Susan Swigert shows Todd how to do good underwater photography.
Stephanie Yu greets us from Huckleberry Island in New York and describes the location of Bonaire Island in the Netherland Antilles, where Todd and Debra do their parts of the show from. Todd and Debra go diving in a coral reef. SONG: How Do You Get To An Island? Stephanie Yu teaches us that fishing is hunting. Todd and Debra help Robbie Henson, marine biologist, collect wild conch eggs and cultivate conch in the lab.
