EDIT: Thanks for all the questions! I really appreciate the positivity. I tried to answer as many questions as I could, but if you want to know more you can always find me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Sci_Phile) and I’ll be live-tweeting the premiere of MythBusters: The Search this Saturday at 9PM ET/PT on Science Channel! Stay curious, stay nerdy!

Hi, reddit, I'm Kyle Hill, science communicator, Nerdist's science guy (http://nerdist.com/author/kyle-hill/), and the host of the upcoming MythBusters: The Search on Science Channel! I went into my career as a science communicator partly because I’ve loved MythBusters for literally more than half my life, so it's crazy that I'm now hosting the reboot. Ask me about that, my YouTube show Because Science (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl4T6p7km9da1BKEAGzloOQqDVw3ZB7SF), being a geek, anything you want.

PROOF PHOTO: https://twitter.com/sci_phile/status/817049293726986240

This is my first AMA, but I've been on a redditor since high school (although with a less professional user name). Looking forward to it!

Comments: 1098 • Responses: 72  • Date: 

w1nston1384 karma

How are you going to make sure you aren't going to soil myth busters name ?

realkylehill1291 karma

I'm taking the job very seriously. When MB first aired, I was at that point in my life where I had to decide what kind of career I wanted. Obsessing over the show, I went straight into engineering, and then into science communication. I'm not exaggerating when I say that MB is a big reason why I do what I do, so coming on to this show was simultaneously a huge opportunity and hugely important to me. So before I started filming I went to Adam Savage for advice, during filming I worked directly with the showrunner of MB, as well as the original directors, producers, and camera men. It was a ton a work, but I think we made something worthy of the name MythBusters. And remember, this show exists to introduce these people to the fans and give you time to like them (or not).

IGiveFreeCompliments585 karma

I've never watched the show, but having read this, would like to wish you good luck in your new role. You sound dedicated, determined, and deserving of your position. :)

YouAllMakeMeSick330 karma

Username checks out

realkylehill167 karma

hahahaha

XaosZaleski470 karma

Hello Kyle!

Are you afraid of any fan backlash over the reboot not including the build team trio? I know that some fandoms can be very harsh on new iterations and want to know how you'd handle that if presented with unruly fans.

Thanks!

realkylehill629 karma

Yeah, I am. There's already been a lot of it.

But I understand. I get it because I'm a MythBusters fan myself -- probably why I was brought in. We grew up with Adam, Jamie, Kari, Grant and Tory. I grew up with them. And now some network comes along and says there's another show without them? I get it. But I'm hopeful.

We're doing it this way because finding another Adam or Jamie (I think the MB legacy is worth continuing given its impact) is an impossible task. So we didn't want to simply throw new people at you, we wanted to give you some time to get to know them and what they can do, like a compressed MB series.

My hope is that if/when the next full MythBusters series happens, it will be seen like Star Trek: TNG. Everyone loves TOS, Kirk and Spock, but TNG shares the same values with new characters and people learned to love it to. Maybe the next generation of MythBusters can be something we still love, because (can confirm) it looks and feels like MythBusters, and shares its values.

And then maybe someone will grow a beard in S2 and it will suddenly be the best thing ever.

albertjamo187 karma

Hi! I'm really troubled by "jumper" movie. If I 'jump' to a different location with its own height, pressure, and other environmental variables shouldn't I be killed if these variables are too extreme? e.g If I jump from Everest to the Caribbean sea. xoxo and happy new year.

realkylehill442 karma

What I'm more concerned about are the sonic booms. Every time someone teleported, there would be a literal vacuum where they once stood. Air would rush in at hundreds of miles per hour and create a noticeable shock wave. (Nightcrawler gets around this by canonically back-filling his "holes" with Hell-gas from another dimension.)

DolitehGreat122 karma

How can we be sure you don't just take the spot all for yourself at the end of the search? I've seen those Nerdist science videos, you've been training.

realkylehill116 karma

Well if anything I do think I was a good fit for the show given my background, but I honestly don't know what's going to happen after this show ends. I'd love to continue to be a part of MythBusters' legacy, but if not, I'll just keep up my nerdy day job.

Duvangrgata1105 karma

Hey Kyle! I don't know that much about the new reboot of Mythbusters, but I absolutely loved the old one, so I'm really looking forward to it. Will you have any "assistants" like Tory, Kari, and Grant?

realkylehill189 karma

Thank you so much! It's nice to seem the open-mindedness, but I totally understand why we fans would have so many questions.

To clarify: I am not the new host of a new MythBusters series, I am simply hosting this stepping stone show because it was a really good fit. By the end of MythBusters: The Search, we will have contestants who have (hopefully) proved to you that they can carry on the next generation of great science TV.

SensibleMadness257 karma

So it's basically like The Next Food Network Star for the Science Channel? I swear to God, if you unleash another Guy Fieri on the world, there will be hell to pay.

realkylehill173 karma

Can confirm no hair gel was harmed in the making of this show.

But to clarify, yeah, by the end of this show, there will be a number of contestants left who will ostensibly feature in the next full MB series. A lot of this though, I imagine, is up to how fans actually receive it.

edenkl895 karma

Hello Kyle. First of all, I see all the "because science" episode, they are amazing, I love the calculations in particular. How did you get to host the "because science" series?

realkylehill151 karma

Thank you! Very kind.

I was brought in as the science editor at Nerdist almost 3 years ago, and shortly after I started they asked if I could do a video series. The rest was me. I write every script, joke, and camera move myself.

UndercoverDoll4983 karma

Hi there, Kyle. I'll be majoring in Physics this year, and my main interest is actually becoming a science communicator instead of a researcher (or just a researcher). My final work (I don't know the exact expression in English) is actually on communication theory applied to science popularizing.

My question is: would you have any tips on how to actually become a science communicator? What would be good first steps?

Thanks in advance

realkylehill96 karma

That's awesome! As long as you're passionate and believe that you're doing what you're "supposed" to be doing, don't let anyone tell you you're pursuing something frivolous.

I started as a freelance science writer, pitching articles to Scientific American (they have a highly read, non-paying blog you can submit to), WIRED, Pop Sci, and the like. But I got to that point after writing for my friends, family, and following on a personal blog almost once a day for 2 years. With that experience plus reading great writers, taking online courses, and practice writing helped me branch out.

But I think what really helped me was finding my "niche." I discovered pretty quickly that I like and people responded to the science in pop-culture angle. That probably set me apart, and gave me a singular focus. So find your beat and hit it hard! Be the person who defines that beat.

Metfan72279 karma

What does Dan Casey smell like?

realkylehill154 karma

I'm the only one who knows, because Dan actually lacks a sense of smell.

He smells fine.

catch22milo42 karma

So you could put a trout in his back pocket and he'd be none the wiser.

realkylehill178 karma

I farted in his car once to actually test whether or not he had a sense of smell. Zero reaction. It's true.

BabyFist_42 karma

Hi Kyle! I didn't know there was a new host of Mythbusters so this is a shock but my question is what myths are there left to really be tested? I feel like all the good ones have been done already.

realkylehill74 karma

As long as we create information, there will be misinformation, and therefore myths ripe for busting.

I had an idea on set: Smoke and Mirrors. Are smoke and mirrors really that obscuring? Put MythBusters inside a maze, a mirror maze, and then a smoke-filled mirror maze. I'm already laughing about all the smooshed faces.

sklause1337 karma

Hi Kyle! Congrats on the Mythbusters gig. Loved the show growing up and super excited about a reboot. My question is simple. Would you rather fight 1 horse sized Duck or 100 duck sized horses? And why?

realkylehill114 karma

So I've thought about this question ever since I knew what an AMA was.

Horses nip, bite, and kick, but at a duck size, that's effectively harmless, even with 100 of them.

Now imagine this a horse-sized this: https://vimeo.com/8342946

Yeah, explosively inflating corkscrew penis. I'll take on the horses.

ssgdbz28 karma

How the heck to you write backwards AND left handed so well? I'm stumped.

realkylehill58 karma

YouTube maaaaaagggiiiicccccc! Nah it's science but I like keeping the dumb mystique my show has alive.

rhysre26 karma

Hey Kyle, love Because Science, and I've got my 6 year old son into watching. He loves your SURPRISE LIGHTSABER!, and the science, (I hope) If you were in the Star Wars Universe, would you gravitate toward the light or the dark? A character in particular?

realkylehill51 karma

Haha that's awesome! I'm surprised that little gag has stuck with people so much. Tell your son I say hi!

I'm definitely on the Dark Side. I would test my powers constantly on everything and I'd eventually crush someone and play it off as an experiment. Sounds pretty dark to me.

Aliceww9026 karma

how long have you been rockclimbing?

realkylehill46 karma

Aside from science communication, video gaming, and Magic: The Gathering, this is my other major passion.

I've been climbing for 10 years, used to work at a gym, used to compete and coach kids. About 3 years ago, I was pulling on a crimp with two fingers and partially ruptured a pulley on my ring finger. That put me out of commission for a year, and now I'm forever with decreased strength. But I still climb twice a week in LA, and still thug through V8 if it's a good day (the setting at my gym is damn hard).

SeraphimNoted7 karma

What deck and format do you play?

realkylehill21 karma

I play EDH almost every week with a group. Current running Scion, Narset, and Aurelia, working on Nath, Malestrom Wanderer, and Breya decks

odd_ramblings21 karma

Hair routine, Kyle? Spill the beans.

Also, who inspires you the most in life?

realkylehill41 karma

Shower-Garnier Fructis shampoo and conditioner-pat dry-apply bit of argan oil-air dry (no brushing). But before all that, good genes I guess. Thanks mom.

Ryltarr20 karma

Hey! So why is Mythbusters being rebooted?
I'm all for more Mythbusters, but I don't feel like another group of people can really get the same feeling across. Without any of the original cast, I fear it'll just be fans living out a fantasy on camera and blowing shit up for fun.
The formula is easy to replicate, but the chemistry between the people on camera is what really made it work; how do you plan on addressing this?

realkylehill18 karma

I understand the hesitation. I really do.

I believe that Science Channel realizes that MythBusters has an amazing legacy, and that it can continue without the original hosts (like COSMOS without Carl Sagan, a new MB series would still ostensibly share the same look, feel, and values). And they want to make money. That's why shows get made.

But we're doing it this way because I think it would be disingenuous to the fans to just throw a group of people at you and say "love them!" So this show will hopefully give you an opportunity, albeit short, to get to know the people who may or may not go on to do good science TV.

That's my feeling anyway. I was brought in because I know MB inside and out, and I have the professional skillset, but I don't make any of the higher-up decisions.

hokieseas19 karma

Howdy hey! What was your "science trigger" that got you interested in science in general?

For myself it was all about space. Star Wars was huge in my young formative years (I was born in 1975), spending time watching original Star Trek episodes with my dad in tv syndication, and being interested in the Space Shuttle program through the 80s.

realkylehill31 karma

Hard to say. I think I was always just a nerdy kid. My days were dinosaur CD-ROM followed by LEGOs followed by catching bugs in the backyard followed by DBZ. OK, that last one isn't a science trigger but still.

That mindset combined with Bill Nye, Sagan, and of course MythBusters was a perfect storm I guess.

foxontherun15 karma

Hi Kyle!

Can you share your EDC (every day carry)? It would be interesting to see what you carry in your pockets. :)

realkylehill35 karma

I have a weird thing with this. I am abnormally sensitive to some sounds and physical feelings, and so I try to carry absolutely nothing in my pockets if I can. When something is there, I can feel its every contour and it drives me insane. When I have to carry something, it has to be just so or else I can't walk with it.

Now that I've written it down publicly, sounds pretty weird.

Fault0815 karma

Hi Kyle. i found the Nerdist channel and subscribed to the Nerdist channel because well.. Science. I'm really happy that you're getting bigger in life but i have to ask. what will happen to your segments on Nerdist? will we expect less episodes?

Any plans on how your hosting on Mythbusters might be? would it be similar to how you do Because science? i know you cant reveal much so sorry.

Also for real congratulations man. I know you'll be great

realkylehill22 karma

Yeah, I guess this is an open question. Right now, Because Science is continuing. And I want it to for as long as it can -- I carved out time each week to work on it while filming MythBusters because I love the show so much. However, depending on how this show goes, my availability might become limited. Still I want to continue the show if possible. Right now I'm working on making it its own channel, and expanding programming. That way I can do both! (Kinda like Adam and Tested now that I think of it.)

KerafyrmPython14 karma

Why isn't this on the Discovery Channel?

realkylehill26 karma

Science Channel owns the MythBusters brand now, and wants to continue the legacy.

lostthenumbers11 karma

Hey Kyle,

As a life long Mythbuster fan, what is your earliest memory of the show? Keep up the awesome work! I can't wait for the show to start!

realkylehill24 karma

Hey I know you!

Damn, my earliest memory of the show is probably the first episode, where the editors didn't quite know what a MB show should look like, and so there was long shots of Jamie talking on the phone and urban legend experts talking slightly away from camera.

a-alzayani11 karma

So what happens if you 'win' the search, do the winners host a new show or what?

realkylehill15 karma

Yes, the idea is that whoever makes it to the end of the show will go on to be a part of a new MythBusters series. But talking honestly to you, Reddit, I'm guessing that plan has a lot to do with how the fans receive the show and the contestants.

Taedirk15 karma

My kneejerk concerns are show format (more reality TV bullshit?) and the eventual endgame (elimination format, fan voting/feedback, having folks around long enough to build on-screen chemistry). I'm hoping the show turns out to be more than Mythbusters Lite: the Reality Drama Version™, but I'm afraid that's what I'll get (kinda like Face/Off).

Damaniel214 karma

Yep - I hear 'reality show' and all I think of is fake, scripted drama, contestants chosen for looks or 'sellable' story rather than talent or relevance, and insulting 'challenges' that emphasize the previous two. I really hope that this show manages to sidestep a lot of this and stick to the science first and foremost.

realkylehill7 karma

I think I can say there is actual zero scripted drama. Everything that happens on the show is a result of how the builds are going and how the experiments or tests work out. They have a limited time to build with limited resources, so any drama springs from that. Science comes first. At least that's how I filmed it. I haven't seen the full episodes yet.

danzk19 karma

Can you recommend us any interesting science related books (or any other genres) that you enjoyed!? Cheers!!

realkylehill14 karma

My favorite of the last few years is "Spillover" by David Quammen. Incredibly well-written book about infectious diseases. Damn fascinating.

Bslo188 karma

Hi Kyle! Did you learn anything about hosting this version of Mythbusters from watching Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage (/u/mistersavage)? Also will this version of the show still have large explosions?

realkylehill16 karma

Yes! I loved watching MB growing up, but it wasn't until I started doing science communication and TV specifically that I realized how damn good Adam is at doing "stand-ups" or pieces to camera. That guy is a master of the interesting science stand-up, and I absolutely try to glean whatever I can for him watching old episodes now. I'm fortunately to call /u/mistersavage a friend now, and he's been incredibly generous with his time and advice. A definite hero of mine.

And yes, there are explosions in the new show! We tackle some old myths and new, but what I'm most excited to show you are the drone shots we got from...exploding water heaters. You've never seen what we got them to do!

McKeeFTW8 karma

Will the new series have the same narrator?

realkylehill10 karma

Robert Lee does in fact return!

randoman3678 karma

As a bay area resident, maker, and longtime fan of the Mythbusters, what advice would you give to someone who would love to get involved in the world of science media?

realkylehill15 karma

Find the thing that you are really passionate about, then look at other people who do something similar. Now find a way to set yourself apart from them using the same platforms. Do it with enthusiasm and expertise and sheer nerdery.

MCcoitus997 karma

Hey Kyle I just want to say thank you for Because Science, I always have a surge of excitement whenever I see a new episode. Also what was the most challenging episode to do?

realkylehill9 karma

Thank you so much! Very kind.

Any episode where I make a mistake. It's just me writing everything so it happens more than I'd like. It feels like I die a little each time.

natenatenath6 karma

Hi Kyle! Big fan here of Because Science and Natural Selection.

How often do you workout? And aside from rock climbing, are there any other sports you do?

realkylehill5 karma

Thank you so much!

Working out sucks. So when I discovered rock climbing it was perfect -- a sport where you don't have to talk to anyone with a numerical way to judge your performance that also gets you cut real quick? Awesome. So I don't work out per say, I climb twice a week. That being said, I take climbing very seriously when I do it (I used to compete before some injuries), so it doubles as a good workout.

I don't do any other sports, climbing seems to be the only thing I'm built for, or at least the only sport where I was "good".

Freyu6 karma

Good morning! Are the Nerdist offices as zany to work in as the social media potrays them to be?

Any great office prank stories?

And who would win in a Nerf War. The Geek & Sundry or The Nerdist crew?

realkylehill14 karma

Yes, I had to step out because they are riffing too much about Smash Mouth and I couldn't focus.

Once, when a colleague was on a work trip, we trapped his desk inside Minions b-day decorations. He hated it.

G&S ain't got shit on us.

spmurgemag6 karma

Will your character on Mythbusters be different than because science?

realkylehill18 karma

Well I never try to be a "character" on science shows, because expertise should be authentic I think, but I am a bit more "subdued" on MB than I am on YouTube. They wanted something a tad more serious than I get on my show, so I'll probably come across a bit more serious on camera.

Haha they actually had a code for me. If a producer said "YT" when I was doing a piece, it meant that I was being to "YouTubey."

DrunkenMudkip6 karma

What was wrong with the old hosts?

realkylehill9 karma

Nothing at all! They decided to pursue other projects.

DioramaMaker6 karma

Hey Kyle! I absolutely love Because Science - I haven't been captivated with a science show the way I have with BS since Vsauce became a thing. I find your approach to analyzing "tangible" subjects a really good way to communicate science, I try to use similar methods as a tutor. For the same reasons, I chose to present my capstone project on themes inspired by the Deus Ex franchise. Interest cultivates drive to understand, I always say.

I'm currently in my final semester to complete a biochemistry BS and have strongly considered attempting to pursue a career in science writing/communication. What tips or tricks could you offer someone who would want to explore that field, and what made you choose to take a master's science communication? Did you know early on that was where you wanted to go with your career?

realkylehill7 karma

That's incredibly nice of you, thanks /u/dioramamaker.

I think exactly the same thing. Pop-culture is a great way into science because it takes something that people are already passionate and nerdy about and adds to it rather than subtracting it or making it boring.

I love Deus Ex!

I decided to go into communication in the last year of my engineering BS. I think it was because I was writing a lot and starting to see an actual reaction from people who enjoyed the pop-culture/science angle I was taking.

So my advice would be to find your angle or your "niche," then find others who do that well (if no one does, define it yourself!). Now start reading great writing, watching great speakers, and actually take notes and nail down why they are good. It's one thing to say Adam Savage is a good communicator, it's another to know it's because he's now a master at inserting "gold coins" into his stand-ups -- words or indications of nerdery that keep you listening and remembering.

Find your passion, make it yours, do the work, then get out there.

jaredfox165 karma

hi kyle, love your youtube series. cant wait to see what you will do with the series.

that being said, with the legacy that the original crew left on mythbusters, are you or anyone nervous that you will not be able to live up to the fans in continuing the mythbusters?

realkylehill9 karma

I'm terrified. Even though I'm personally not competing, because I'm involved, I tried my very best to capture the feeling of MB. I hope fans understand that this isn't a new MB series, just a show to find the people to make that new series with.

3DXYZ5 karma

Is the show already canceled?

realkylehill8 karma

I hope not since the first episode is on Saturday

FunkyHenryGale5 karma

What's it like dating a rainbow space alien?

realkylehill11 karma

It's pretty cool. She looks like that in real life too. But now my apartment looks like a unicorn got stuck in a giant cupcake. So. Much. Glitter. Everywhere.

Monsterfueled4 karma

Why are you doing this RIGHT when I have to go to work? Do you hate me Kyle?

Also, who is your favorite hero?

realkylehill13 karma

I don't hate you, I just like to annoy you, it's a fun game we have, you get it.

My favorite hero, that's hard. The communicator in me wants to say Iron Man, because he's proof that with science and engineering, you can become anything you want. But the nerd in me wants to say Joel from The Last of Us. Now that was a hero's journey that ended in a way that really impressed me.

VoraciousBadger4 karma

Hi, Kyle.

Something that I remember Jamie and Adam saying about the end of Mythbusters was that there really wasn't much left to test. Do you see this as a challenge for the "new" Mythbusters?

realkylehill6 karma

Big time, because I think they're wrong!

As long as we are creating information, false information will spread, leading to an endless list of myths. A lot of what you see circulate on Facebook for example can be scrutinized scientifically.

My suggestion for the full show going forward would be to remain nimble enough to respond to more current questions, not just tall tales or urban legends.

thekindlycruciatus4 karma

Is there a specific reason you grow out your hair?

realkylehill13 karma

Haha yeah, it's kinda dumb, but before I started doing videos a few years ago I was like: "The Winter Soldier looks pretty dope." And after I got there I was like: "Thor is pretty cool," so I kept growing it and dyed it before SDCC one year. I keep it because there are a lot of skinny white men talking about science on YouTube, and it's at the very least a noticeable difference.

slickyman3 karma

Hi Kyle.

What degree(s) do you have from university? How did you end up working at Nerdist?

realkylehill15 karma

BS engineering (enviro major), MA communication (science comm major).

I ran into Hardwick at a birthday party for Nathan Fillion and said, "I think I can explain how The Walking Dead virus works." He offered me a job.

Zachafinackus2 karma

I love your Because Science series and I love that you're hosting the new Mythbusters Search! It's one of the few TV shows I'm planning on watching.

Anyway. Thinking back on all of your Because Science episodes, do you have any favorites?

realkylehill3 karma

Thank you so so much!

I really enjoyed seeing the final cut of most recent Thor episode. I think it turned out really funny, which is great because I'm not funny. And the effects just get better and better. My editor Charles is a beast.

EDIT: My editor is a redditor /u/agetemplar

assyniple2 karma

Hello Kyle,

This may sound a bit harsh but I do have a legitimate question.

I watched White Rabbit Project on Netflix and I felt it was pandering to a the scientifically illiterate or youth audience, which is fine for a youth audience but I would like to be informed. I would like to learn something I didn't already know from 5th grade science class. Or is America far too stupid for such a show to be successful?

My question is, does the producer intend to dummy everything down like White Rabbit Project, or are we going to see something for the curious adult?

realkylehill3 karma

Hey, obviously I can't comment on the production of WRP as I had nothing to do with it, and I can't tell you for sure what this show is going to look like, as I wasn't involved in post.

But what I can tell you is that I was on hand, 12 hours a day for months, doing my hardest to make sure that the science came through. I tried to explain and entertain as much as I could, and make sure we got those beats from the contestants. How much of that will end up in the show? Not sure yet. But the content will hopefully be enough science to interest you, but not enough to bore you.

vaguely_relevent2 karma

How do you like pizza?

realkylehill3 karma

Made.

Ceeereal2 karma

Do watch The Big Bang Theory? If so, what do you think about it? 😀

realkylehill3 karma

I don't. I appreciate that so much nerdery and science is on TV, and that it's incredibly popular, but a lot of that show basically pathologizes being a geek.

lowendians2 karma

What book(s) are you currently reading?

realkylehill6 karma

Working on the William Gibson Neuromancer trilogy. I know, I know I should have read them years ago but damn was Gibson prophetic.

SryCaesar2 karma

Hi there Kyle, congrats on the new Gig!

I've been a lifelong Mythbusters Fan, and a fan of your Because Science series for a little while now (got into it thanks to YouTube suggestions after watching a bunch of "Tested" videos).

Here are my questions:

  1. You seem to have a strong background in science and engineering due to your current job and studies. How much practical experience and knowledge in making do you have though? Will you be learning how to build machines and props?

  2. Did you have any contact with the previous hosts (Adam and Jamie in particular) before being chosen for the show?

  3. More myths about superheroes? Will your interests drive the show or are you focusing on hosting for the first season?

realkylehill2 karma

Thank you!

  1. To be clear, I'm more like the Heidi Klum of this show more than an active participant. All of the building is up to the contestants. But I was there to advise on the science and offer input to the directors/producers where I could.

  2. I've met Jamie a few times, interviewed Adam a few times, known Grant for years, and recently worked with Kari and Tory professionally. I've very fortunate that I can call them all friends now, and they've been supremely supportive.

  3. Right now, we are just looking for the contestants that could go forward into a new series of MB. I am not currently involved in future MB projects, but I would be very open to it, obviously. IF I came onto another MB show, I would definitely push for more pop-culture experiments -- I know what the nerds want.

iambloodysavage1 karma

I've been curious. What's that red thingy hanging on your neck, necklace perhaps? Tell us a story or maybe show us?

realkylehill3 karma

Jade pendant I got from my dad shortly after my parents separated. Have had it on for over a decade now I think.

Cellowned1 karma

Hey Kyle, love your videos!

If you could have any one piece of iron man's suit to use practically or for fun, what would you choose?

Happy new year!

realkylehill6 karma

Thank you!

I would absolutely have his hover boots, probably because I always wanted Heelies but never got them.

LukeGrayson251 karma

Hey Kyle I love and appreciate all the work you do (I'm @dan_the_man_25 on Twitter if you recognize that from conversations past) and was wondering what advice you would give to yourself as you entered your second semester of senior year in high school? What would you tell yourself before going to college, the transition to college and senior year before leaving? Thanks! P.S. How is your editor for because science? There is a fair bit of After Effects in there and I love it!

realkylehill3 karma

Hey, I know you! Thanks for the kind words.

Before high school was over I'd tell myself to stop having panic attacks about what people thought of me because, outside of Facebook, I'd never see most of them again.

Before college, I would have told myself to work harder. The good thing about engineering is that it gives you a taste of many different scientific fields. But if I knew I loved talking about science a bit earlier, I would have done a lot more. Then again, I prefer staying in with cats and a glass of wine, so I don't know.

n0lan11 karma

Another question: Once "The Search" is done, will you be a part of whatever comes next with the contestants who win? If so, to what degree?

realkylehill3 karma

No idea. I've definitely thought about it, but I'm guessing that discussion will have a lot to do with how the show actually does. And I haven't seen any episodes yet so I have no idea if edited me comes across how I thought I was coming across on set. We'll see.

PseudoReason1 karma

Were you comfortable when you started "because science"? I mean, in the first videos you seemed so held back, and now a days you seem to be really free in front of the camera.

realkylehill2 karma

Yeah, I hadn't really found the voice I wanted to use yet. Now, I realize I'm talking about comic books and movies and games in a way that is kinda ridiculous, so I embrace that ridiculousness where I can.

satin_pajamas1 karma

What would you say the ratio between mythbusters and reality show is with this new show?

realkylehill1 karma

65 MB : 35 Reality

The reality show conceit definitely is the driving force for what happens, but everything looks and feels like MB. That was critical.

Que_n_fool_STL1 karma

What's it like working with Chris Hardwick? Seems he's going full blast all the time. I hope he slows down a bit when he starts his family.

realkylehill3 karma

I've seen his schedule, it's nauseating. Hardly see Hardwick, but whenever I do, he's very gracious with his time and very kind.

J0K3R21 karma

So what has been the hardest part of this whole thing for you? What's it like knowing you're following up on possibly the greatest science-based television show ever?

Also, what's your favorite cheese?

realkylehill2 karma

No pressure right? I have said publicly that I think MythBusters was the best science programming since Carl Sagan's COSMOS, so yeah, I feel a hell of a burden.

But at least I'm prepared. I am actually a MB fan. I freaking lived that show when I was younger as my family could tell you. Now that I'm a science communicator for a living, the combination of the two made for a really good fit, and I think we made something damn interesting and fun.

I try not to think about the enormity of it all -- I just keep my head down, do my best work, and hopefully it will be something that makes a difference for someone.

monarchbala1 karma

Hi! I like your work on Because Science. Just wanted to ask that who gave you the idea of "Surprise Lightsaber" in the Star Wars themed episodes?

realkylehill3 karma

Haha that was just me being dumb. I write everything, so all the dumbness is belong to me.

NoelTrotsky1 karma

Do you have a role in the new reboot after this 'search' is finished? I guess I should have started with do you even want one but who wouldn't right?

realkylehill2 karma

I'd love to continue to be involved with MythBusters, but nothing is set right now. I think all of that if/when stuff will crystallize once the show airs, and once the network sees how fans receive it.

zadokmahir1 karma

Kyle, my girl friend and I love Because Science! We binge watched every episode about two weeks ago.

She commented on your evolution into Thor. Was this intentional or just a natural mutation?

realkylehill2 karma

That's amazing thank you! I don't deserve such kind nerds.

Half-intentional. Wanted to look like the Winter Soldier, then pushed through to Thor for SDCC and got highlights. Now it's kinda a "thing," so I've kept it. But yeah, I haven't gotten a hair cut in 3 years, so if you watch my episodes in order you can watch it slowly grow out, like when that guy drank from the wrong cup in Indiana Jones in the Last Crusade.

TheHolyCake1 karma

Favorite flavour of ice cream?

realkylehill12 karma

I'm a cookies and cream boy.

Koolkieran230 karma

Heya kyle. How are you?

realkylehill2 karma

Almost too caffeinated.

juamika0 karma

Hi Kyle! Thanks for the AMA, my question is: What shampoo do you use?

realkylehill3 karma

Haha let's get this one out of the way: Garneir Fructis sleek and shine shampoo and conditioner with a tad of argan oil after showering.

Halorin0 karma

Do you think aliens would be able to listen to our music and get a sense of context and emotion? I'm thinking classics like Bohemian Rhapsody, My Way, and Everybody Hurts.

realkylehill2 karma

I don't think so.

I like Wittgenstein's classic quote here: "If a lion could speak, we could not understand him." A lion's point of view -- what it values, what it fears, what it desires, how it biologically processes information -- is so far removed from human life that it would be impossible to understand. Now imagine that the lion is a life form from another world, that evolved under different conditions. I think our music would sound like a dial-up modem to them.

Baltimore9000000-1 karma

Hello Kyle. how are you today?

What is your favorite part about working with the myth busters crew so far? Who is your favorite person while filming? (or have you started filming yet?) Have a happy day! :D

realkylehill1 karma

I'm alright.

The behind-the-scenes crew -- the original directors, producers, camera men, etc. -- are amazing people. They've been doing the show so long that the whole production is a well oiled machine. It was a privilege to work with people who really know what the hell they're doing, because that isn't always the case.