Pop a popcorn kernel
Task types:
Solo
Filmed
Mental
Physical
Objective
Single brief
AdaptedMastertasks:
Locations:
Task brief
The contestants find the task brief and a single popcorn kernel on top of a wooden plinth in the garden of the Stormester house. The brief for the task is as follows:
Pop the popcorn kernel.
You may not enter the house.
Fastest popped popcorn wins.
You have a maximum of 20 minutes.
Your time starts now.
Task notes
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Task stats
Points
5
Disquals
4
Attempts
Here's a description of the contestants' attempts. Someone's probably working on collecting some images to add later!
- Julie immediately fetches a glass sphere from the shed, puts on some heavy duty gloves, and uses the sphere to focus the sun's energy on the kernel. During the process, she manages to burn a spot on the top of the wooden plinth. Despite managing to heat the kernel so much that it burns, she is unable to make it pop because she has burned a hole in it, so pressure is unable to build inside. Having failed the task, she earns no points.
- Martin runs off to the shed and returns with some thick-lensed spectacles and a magnifying glass, which he uses to focus the sun's energy on the kernel. During the process, he manages to burn a spot on the top of the wooden plinth. He also tries heating the kernel with the flame from a disposable lighter. Despite managing to heat the kernel so much that it burns, he is unable to make it pop because he has burned a hole in it, so pressure is unable to build inside. Having failed the task, he earns no points.
- Sebastian fetches his telescope, which he apparently always has with him in his car, and uses it to focus the sun's energy on the kernel. He also tries using a magnifying glass and a clothes iron to cook the kernel but, despite managing to heat it so much that it burns, he is unable to make it pop because he has burned a hole in it, so pressure is unable to build inside. Having failed the task, he earns no points.
- Eva tries to use hairstyling equipment - a hairdryer and some hair straightening tongs - to pop the popcorn. However, since there is so little friction between the surfaces of the hair tongs and the kernel, it keeps slipping out from between them, and so she spends most of her time searching around in the grass at the foot of the plinth for the missing grain (and apparently not learning from her mistakes). She eventually runs out of time and, having failed the task, earns no points.
- Simon appears to have background knowledge of the process used to make popcorn commercially, so uses a heatgun and a sieve to circulate hot air around the kernel, successfully popping it within his allotted time. As the only person to complete the task, he earns first place.
(Source credit: Karl Craven)
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