Beakman's World

Beakman unveils the mysteries of evaporation and volcanoes.

Josie interviews Sir Isaac Newton while Beakman demonstrates the power of gravity and answers burning questions such as "How much ice is in Antarctica?"

Beakman portrays blood in a skit explaining its functions in the body, uses toys to illustrate the power of the unconscious mind and how it produces dreams, and answers burning questions such as "What is the longest word in the English language?"

Beakman, as vegetation chef Chlora Phyll, describes how plants "eat;" demonstrates how to recycle your own paper; and answers lingering questions such as "What is escargot?"

Beakman reveals how soap makes water "wetter" to get things clean, explains how explosions propel automobiles and answers riveting questions such as "Do birds sweat?"

Josie interrogates Thomas Edison about how light bulbs work while Beakman, with the help of the East Bay Electrons, graphically illustrates electric current and answers ubiquitous questions such as "Are carrots really good for your eyes?"

Beakman explores the nature of sound and how explosions happen.

Beakman illustrates how eyeglasses bend light to help us see, makes a compass out of a needle and a bowl of water, and answers stirring questions such as "Do penguins jump?"

Philo T. Farnsworth explains how his invention -- television -- works, while Beakman has Josie and Lester break rocks to demonstrate how levers make work easier.

Beakman demonstrates how steel boats float and airplanes fly, and answers probing questions such as "Why do woodpeckers peck?"

Special guest Louis Pearl, the world's leading "bubble-ologist," shows Beakman and the gang how to make square bubbles and Beakman performs an odoriferous experiment that explains why feet smell.

Beakman, as Zacharias Janssen, makes an appearance to discuss his brilliant invention, the compound microscope; the BEAKMAN'S WORLD gang illustrates how scabs form to help skin heal; and Beakman answers stinging questions such as "What attracts mosquitoes?"

Beakman reveals how you can make a rainbow indoors; answers questions such as "How hot is the sun-" and explains the scientific method -- the series of questions scientists use when performing experiments.

Beakman, with the help of vaccine inventor Dr. Edward Jenner, explains how getting shots when you're well can prevent you from getting sick; and builds a friction-mobile -- a hovercraft -- using an old record and a balloon full of air.

Beakman and the gospel-singing Gasses reveal why ice cream melts and hot chocolate cools off. And the BEAKMAN'S WORLD gang examines why we get pimples.

Beakman fossilizes Lester's feet, proves to Josie that everybody plays an instrument -- their own voice -- and answers questions such as "What is the largest unexplored area left on earth-"

Alexander Graham Bell buzzes by to explain how telephones transform sound energy into electrical energy; Mr. E -- for explosion -- pops a cork in a novel fashion; and Beakman answers biting questions such as "How many teeth does a lemon shark have-"

Lester plays Mr. Recording Head in a giant cassette player to show how tape recording works and Beakman lies on a bed of nails to prove that distributing force over a greater area reduces pressure on each small part of that area -- thus keeping Beakman from getting skewered.

Beakman imparts factoids and dispels myths about arachnids -- he even lets a pet tarantula walk on him. Beakman also uses the Boguscope to reveal how microwave ovens use waves of electromagnetic energy to excite electrons to heat food, water and even light fluorescent bulbs; and answers questions such as "Why do mosquito bites leave a bump-"