13th November after noon
2pm
The Science Shack - looking a little out of its depth in this futuristic forest of mushroom-shaped gizmos here at the National Grid - is being dressed not to kill. Chris and Marty are fixing what looks like copper plumbing to the roof - in an attempt to make a lightning conductor.

3.30 pm
The Shack is finally zapped by the National Grid's impulse generator. Chris' conductor saves Adam and the future of Science programming. Well, he would have done if Adam had actually risked sitting inside the shed. He chose, instead, to operate the zap button itself. Was there a thought in the back of Adam's mind, as he pressed the button, that the Shed might actually explode? Was that a manic grin we saw flicker across his face? Or was he expressing confidence in Chris' lightning conductor?

The picture shows that the electricity jumped from the bottom of the conductor to the floor without going down the earthed wire along the floor. That's because the zap is simply too much for the wire to bear and it 'spills over' by jumping to the floor. Carl Johnstone our National Grid high voltage testing expert likes, when it is relevant, to compare electricity to water. This time he excels himself: 'it's like when you flush the toilet. The water fills up the bowl because there is too much pressure'.

4.30pm
Marty's prototype Faraday cage is tested. Adam will be putting himself in a Faraday suit - which acts like this cage - and being winched 15 metres up in the air to touch a charge of 400,000 volts, making sparks fly from his fingers. Without the suit he risks death.

It is comforting to know that with this high tech model Marty has tested Faraday's assertion (in 1836) that if you put yourself in a cage which is electrically charged, even if you touch the cage, you are safe. Faraday discovered there is zero electrical interference inside. This little model has two little polystyrene balls swinging from each hand, attached by a wire to a stove lighter. When the model is standing on top of the cage and the lighter is clicked the balls swing about, affected by the charge. When it's inside the balls don't move. What more proof does Adam want that he will survive?

6pm
Jack Blackett, Laboratory chief, makes comforting noises about Adam's protective suit, it is lined with wires and even covers his feet. He will be winched up by a crane to touch an electric charge of 400,000 volts. Adam is insulated from the crane by a glass fibre rod hanging from its hook. The rod is tested to hold two tons which Adam thinks will suffice.

We climb to the top of the workshop and look down on the intrepid presenter. Adam hates heights - but for Science Shack he is prepared to face vertigo AND 400,000 volts.

Adam slowly ascends. For the purposes of filming this has to be done several times. Adam has his eyes shut for most of the journey.

As Adam reaches out to touch the charge he manages to summon up a grin, despite his nervousness. A great crackling sound accompanies the sparks and Adam feels his hair stand up on end. He is elated, electrified even, by the experience, but has decided not to get a job as a National Grid maintenance engineer. They do the same as he has just done but hanging off a helicopter.

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