Kari Byron of MYTHBUSTERS Hosts HEAD RUSH on Science Channel Beginning August 23

One-Hour Commercial-Free Kids' Programming Block Aims to Inspire and Excite Kids about Science

June 29, 2010

(Silver Spring, Md.) Imagine a world where kids are as passionate about physics as they are about Facebook; where excelling in math is the coolest thing in school; and engineers and scientists are treated like rock stars. Science Channel introduces kids to this new world with the premiere of HEAD RUSH, a new one-hour, commercial-free kids' programming block hosted by Kari Byron of the hit Discovery Channel series MYTHBUSTERS. Targeted toward middle-school age students, and the curious kid in all of us, HEAD RUSH will inspire and excite kids about the wonders of science and show how science is a vital part of their everyday lives.

HEAD RUSH premieres August 23 and airs Monday-Friday from 4-5PM ET/PT and Saturdays from 7-9AM ET/PT. The programming block is the cornerstone of a fully integrated on-air, online and educational strategy to catapult science out of the classroom and crash it into the real world.

"Kari's energy and enthusiasm make her the perfect host of HEAD RUSH. She'll be putting her hands into the science, introducing children - and adults - to entertaining discoveries and mind-blowing facts," said Debbie Myers, general manager and executive vice president of programming, Science Channel. "Hosting HEAD RUSH gives me a chance to show that you don't have to be a scientist to be passionate about science," said Byron. "It combines all of my skills and passions into a high energy, informative hour that will hopefully encourage people to get excited and curious about science, technology, engineering and math."

No subject will go unexplored as Kari dives into mathematics, science, technology, engineering, natural history and space with hands-on experiments, video shorts, viewer questions and answers, games and visits from other members of the Discovery family (think STORM CHASERS and even CAKE BOSS). The dynamic and entertaining programming block will consist of three segments per hour, each addressing a specific subject, question or theme of the hour.

HEAD RUSH represents the Science Channel's contribution to The White House's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) initiative to get kids engaged in higher learning. By providing kids with relatable programming that features videos, interactive content and well-known, HEAD RUSH provides kids with an outlet for their curiosity and a resource for their ambitions.

Best known for her job as co-host of Discovery Channel's MYTHBUSTERS, Kari Byron is a born tinkerer and explorer. By the age of 5 she was experimenting on her sister and using dolls as crash test dummies. Luckily for her parents, they always caught her right before her little sister took a ride down a laundry chute or was the subject of an "around-the-world" attempt on the playground swings. Kari began her career as a sculptor and painter before finding her dream job as a MythBuster. As the host of HEAD RUSH, Kari brings a unique perspective to the programming block as an artist, a science geek and a working mom.

HEAD RUSH is produced for Science Channel by Beyond Productions. John Luscombe is executive producer and Ian Watson is co-executive producer for Beyond Productions. Tracy Rudolph is executive producer for Science Channel, and Debbie Myers is general manager and executive vice president of programming for Science Channel.

About Science Channel

Science Channel, a division of Discovery Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), is broadcast 24 hours a day and seven days a week to more than 66 million U.S. homes and simulcast on Science Channel HD. We immerse viewers in the incredible possibilities of science, from string theory and futuristic cities to accidental discoveries and outrageous inventions. We take things apart, peer inside and put things together in new and unexpected ways. We celebrate the trials, errors and brinking moments that change our lives forever. To find out more, go to sciencechannel.com.