In the hands of another director, the inner-workings of a magnet laboratory could have caused a whole classroom to fall asleep of boredom. No so when Leacock was hired to produce this twenty-minute version of lab mayhem. Try this: six researchers in a lab at MIT in the late 1950's show-off the power of electro-magnets, and in the process, accidentally set an experiment on fire. Or this: half way through the film the phone rings off screen, and host Francis Bitter says "tell 'em I'll call 'em back later" while he's looking at the camera, discussing bus bars. Leacock’s fleshed out all the personalities here, from "Beans" Bardo, who cranks up the generator to nearly explosive proportions, to the mysterious Mr. Lin, who barely peeks over his shoulder at us, seemingly in mockery, disdain, or curiosity. Bitter is an important historical figure, whose degaussing techniques spared many an allied vessel from destruction by magnetic underwater mines during WWII. The generator shown was from Pittsbugh's street car system, relocated to MIT for use in Bitter's lab. This film is from the landmark Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) series of films. Produced by Kevin Smith and Dr. Jerrold Zacharias.
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Reviewer:radioman714 - - September 20, 2009 Subject: Great Little Short Great short about magnetism. A good physics lesson.
Reviewer:NickRusnov - - April 3, 2009 Subject: Fun and Educational This is an fun and very educational short made by some physicists with a huge generator and a penchant for melting copper wires. They are obviously having fun with the subject matter, and explain a lot of interesting things about magnetic fields and induction. It's quite educational and amusing, and a great look at university laboratory culture in the '50s.
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- April 3, 2009![[item image]](http://ia311242.us.archive.org/2/items/magnet_laboratory_1959/magnet_laboratory_1959.gif?cnt=0 "[item image]")
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