If you haven't witnessed the inanity and rudeness that the question can lead to, you might not understand why so many people were looking desperately forward to tonight's Mythbusters, which tested the plane on a conveyor belt question.

In fact, people were so looking forward to it, that a few weeks ago, when Discovery mistakenly listed it as the subject of a new episode, people started crying conspiracy when a different episode aired.

Anyway, the question is whether a plane, on a conveyor belt matching its speed and going the opposite direction, would take off.

In miniature, and in full size, the answer was clear:

THE PLANE TAKES OFF!

I have never seen this question raised online and had it not totally devolve into accusations of total moronitude, from both sides.

Hopefully, this episode will quell some of that. (Although Cecil at Straight Dope dealt with it, uh, straight-forwardly a while ago, and that didn't seem to help much. Only time will tell.)

(Photos of Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman courtesy of Discovery)

Update: Looks like the episode has only generated more discussion, not answered the question, judging by the 43 pages of comments (so far) on the Discovery message boards. Even though the plane took off. Sigh.