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[ WOMAN SCREAMS ]
Narrator: ACROSS PLANET INTERNET,
SELF-APPOINTED SCIENTISTS ARE FILMING
OUTRAGEOUS ACTS OF SCIENCE.
HERE I GO. [ COUGHS ]
Narrator: THESE INTERNET HEROES ARE DOING BIZARRE EXPERIMENTS,
MAKING EXTRAORDINARY INVENTIONS,
AND CREATING AMAZING SCIENTIFIC STUNTS.
Man: NO PENETRATION!
WE'VE GATHERED A TEAM OF TOP SCIENCE BRAINS
TO ANALYZE JUST HOW THEY DO IT, WHY THEY DO IT,
AND CHOOSE THE VERY BEST.
IT'S SCIENCE, BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT.
SO, STAND BACK,
AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TRYING THIS AT HOME.
NO, WE MEAN THAT.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
IN THIS EPISODE, WE'RE SHOWBOATING WITH SHOW-OFFS...
[ BELLOWS ]
...THOSE INTERNET EXHIBITIONISTS
WHO PROVE THAT TALENT, DEDICATION, PRACTICE,
AND A LACK OF EMBARRASSMENT EQUAL AWESOME SCIENCE.
I'M LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOT AMAZING SKILLS --
THE KIND OF SKILLS THAT YOU SEE AND YOU JUST GO,
"WOW, HOW DID YOU DO THAT?"
TO BE A SHOW-OFF, YOU NEED TO HAVE AN AMAZING SKILL
AND BE ABLE TO SHOW US YOUR BEST TAKE.
[ WHIP CRACKS ]
I'M LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN DO
WHAT NO ONE ELSE IN THE WORLD CAN DO.
Narrator: SO, NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A SHOW-OFF,
LET THE EXHIBITIONISM BEGIN WITH NUMBER 20.
THIS IS ERIC NASH,
A STREET PERFORMER SHOWING OFF FOR A CROWD IN SANTA MONICA.
[ RHYTHMIC CLAPPING ]
BUT IF YOU THINK THAT'S SHOWING OFF,
THEN THIS WILL BLOW YOUR MIND.
BEHOLD THE SUPER MOONWALK.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
THIS ASTONISHING CLIP HAS EARNED HIM 6 1/2 MILLION HITS SO FAR.
[ Laughing ] WHAT'S THIS GUY DOING?
HOW IS HE DOING IT?
HOW IS ACTUALLY MOVING BACKWARDS SO QUICKLY?
Narrator: BEFORE WE BREAK IT DOWN ON THE SUPER MOONWALK,
LET'S SEE THE ORIGINAL MOONWALK.
Aas: YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW YOU'RE DISTRIBUTING YOUR WEIGHT
AT ALL TIMES.
WHEN YOU GO FORWARD, THE REASON YOU CAN LIFT YOUR FOOT
IS BECAUSE ALL YOUR WEIGHT IS ON THE OTHER FOOT.
WHEN YOU WANT TO DO MOONWALKING BACKWARDS,
YOU DO THE ILLUSION OF MAKING IT LOOK LIKE YOU'RE LIFTING A FOOT,
BUT YOU HAVE YOUR WEIGHT ON IT
SO THAT THE OTHER FOOT CAN BE SLID BACKWARDS.
THEN YOU SHIFT IT.
Narrator: OKAY, WE GOT THAT, BUT...
HE'S PHYSICALLY THROWING HIMSELF BACKWARDS WITH A LOT OF FORCE,
AND THAT'S GONNA BUILD UP,
BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING REALLY TO SLOW HIM DOWN.
HIS FOOT IS SLIDING ALONG.
JUST SLIDE MY ENTIRE LEG BY HAVING ONE LEG UP
AND THRUSTING ALL MY BODY WEIGHT BACKWARDS AND UP, LIKE THIS.
IN EFFECT, HE'S ACTUALLY ICE SKATING IN REVERSE,
WHICH IS PROBABLY MORE DIFFICULT.
IT DOESN'T SOUND AS COOL,
BUT SCIENTIFICALLY AND PHYSICALLY,
IT'S ACTUALLY FAR MORE DEMANDING.
Narrator: OKAY, THAT'S THE PHYSICS,
BUT HE STILL LOOKS LIKE HE'S GOING FORWARDS.
HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?
MOST OF WHAT HE'S DOING IS DESIGNED TO TRICK THE PERSON
INTO THINKING THAT HE'S TRAVELING FORWARD.
SO THE WAY HE MOVES HIS ARMS,
THE WAY HE MOVES ALL OF HIS BODY, ACTUALLY,
IS DESIGNED TO FOOL US THAT HE'S GOING FORWARD.
EVEN ETCHED ONTO HIS FACE
APPEARED TO BE THIS WILL TO MOVE FORWARD.
HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS RUNNING FOR A BUS,
BUT HE WAS GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
I BET HE'S MISSED LOADS OF BUSES.
Narrator: ERIC, YOU'RE A TRUE SHOW-OFF.
UH, ERIC? ERIC?
OH, WELL.
FROM A MOONWALKING MASTER CLASS TO A SHOT-DRINKING SHOW-OFF,
MEET ROBIN.
HE'S ABOUT TO DRINK A FLAMING SHOT OF ALCOHOL.
[ LAUGHTER, SHOUTING ]
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN,
BUT AT LEAST HE'S OKAY.
WHENEVER YOU'RE GOING TO MIX ALCOHOL, DRUNK PEOPLE, AND FIRE,
IT'S NEVER GONNA END WELL,
SO I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND NOT DOING THIS.
[ LAUGHTER, SHOUTING ]
NORMALLY, YOU LET IT GO OUT BEFORE YOU DRINK IT.
Narrator: SO, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?
FIRES NEED THREE THINGS TO BURN.
THEY NEED FUEL, OXYGEN, AND HEAT.
WHEN HE BREATHES OUT,
HE SUDDENLY BREATHES A WHOLE LOAD OF OXYGEN,
WHICH MIXES WITH THE FUEL THAT'S ALREADY A HEAT SOURCE,
'CAUSE IT'S ON FIRE,
AND THAT LEADS TO THE FIRE GROWING RAPIDLY.
Narrator: BUT IT'S ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL,
SO WHY DOES IT MAKE SUCH A BIG FLAME?
[ LAUGHTER, SHOUTING ]
ALCOHOL IS MUCH MORE VOLATILE THAN WATER.
IT WILL EVAPORATE VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
WHEN SOMETHING EVAPORATES,
THE PARTICLES ARE MUCH MORE SPREAD OUT,
SO THE SURFACE AREA OF THESE ALCOHOL MOLECULES
IS MUCH GREATER, MEANING THAT THEY ARE MORE FLAMMABLE.
Narrator: SO IF YOU INCREASE THE SURFACE AREA OF THE LIQUID,
THEN OXYGEN BECOMES MORE INVOLVED
AND YOU HAVE AN EPIC FLAME.
SOME SAY MEN MULTITASK BETTER THAN WOMEN,
BUT THEY'VE PROBABLY NEVER SEEN OUR NEXT EXHIBITIONIST,
WHO LANDED A MILLION HITS WITH HER ABILITY
TO WRITE WITH BOTH HANDS AT THE SAME TIME...
IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
Berebichez: I THOUGHT THIS WOMAN WAS IMPRESSIVE.
I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME
EVEN WRITING ONE LANGUAGE WITH ONE HAND.
Narrator: CHEN SIYUAN IS A 24-YEAR-OLD TRANSLATOR
FROM HEBEI PROVINCE IN NORTHERN CHINA.
CHEN DISCOVERED SHE COULD WRITE WITH BOTH HANDS
BY ACCIDENT
WHEN SHE WAS LEARNING ENGLISH AS A YOUNG GIRL.
SO, HOW DOES SHE DO IT?
THE HUMAN BRAIN IS IN TWO HALVES.
WHEN YOU START WRITING, FOR EXAMPLE,
THAT IS ASSIGNED TO ONE HALF OF YOUR BRAIN.
FOR MOST RIGHT-HANDED PEOPLE,
THE ACTUAL RIGHT-HANDED FUNCTIONING IN YOUR BRAIN
HAPPENS ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF YOUR BRAIN.
IF WE TOOK A BRAIN SCAN OF THIS WOMAN WHILE SHE'S WRITING,
WE WOULD SEE THAT BOTH HALVES OF THE BRAIN
ARE WORKING TO GET HER HANDS MOVING.
SHE'S MUCH LIKE A PRACTICED PIANO PLAYER,
SOMEBODY WHO'S PRACTICED USING BOTH HANDS FOR DIFFERENT TASKS
AT THE SAME TIME.
WHEN YOU'RE GIVEN LINES AT SCHOOL,
I SUPPOSE IT'S A REALLY QUICK WAY OF CHEATING
AND THEN KIND OF, LIKE, KNOCKING THEM OUT IN HALF THE TIME.
Narrator: WANT TO IMPRESS YOUR DATE?
HERE'S A NEAT TRICK TO SHOW OFF.
Man: I AM GOING TO BALANCE TWO FORKS...
ON TOP OF ONE TOOTHPICK ON THE EDGE OF THIS GLASS.
Woman: PROVE IT.
AS A PHYSICIST, THIS IS THE KIND OF TRICK I USE
TO IMPRESS GUYS WHEN I'M ON A DATE.
Narrator: SO, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
OR IS IT EVEN A TRICK AT ALL?
IT LOOKS LIKE MAGIC, BUT IT IS STILL PHYSICS.
IT RELIES ON THE PIVOT THAT YOU'VE CREATED IN THE SYSTEM.
THERE'S ONE PIVOT ON THE EDGE OF THE GLASS.
THERE'S ONE PIVOT WHICH IS
WHERE THE FORKS MEET TOGETHER IN THE MIDDLE.
SO, THE COMBINATION OF THESE TWO
AND THE FACT THAT THE FORKS ARE REALLY HEAVY ON THE BOTTOM END,
OR THE HANDLES OF THE FORKS,
THAT MEANS THAT THE WHOLE THING BALANCES ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFULLY.
I THINK THE ICING ON THE CAKE HERE
IS THE BURNING OF THE TOOTHPICK.
MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT AS YOU BURN THAT MASS,
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS GONNA FALL ON THE OTHER END,
BUT IT DOESN'T.
AND THE REASON IS THAT THAT LITTLE MASS
IS INSIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO ALL THE MASS OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
Narrator: TO PROVE JUST HOW EASY IT IS,
WE ASKED SAAD TO DO IT.
HANG ON.
Sarwana: THIS MAKES ME HAPPY.
I DID THE FORK TRICK! YAY!
Narrator: NOW IT'S TIME TO TOUCH DOWN BRIEFLY
IN RHODE ISLAND WITH PILOT KENT PIETSCH,
WHO'S ABOUT TO LAND THIS PLANE ON A MOVING RV.
WAIT, REALLY? IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?
THIS STUNT REQUIRES UNIMAGINABLE SKILL.
Narrator: SO, HOW DID KENT TURN A TRUCK
INTO HIS OWN PERSONAL RUNWAY?
THE GUYS HAVE TO MATCH THE SPEED OF THE PLANE AS IT LANDS
WITH THE SPEED OF THE TRUCK.
IF THE SPEEDS AREN'T EXACTLY RIGHT,
THEN YOU'RE GONNA GET PROBLEMS.
IT'S GONNA FALL OFF THE BACK,
OR THE PLANE'S GONNA ROLL OFF THE FRONT.
Narrator: YEAH, YOU'D THINK THAT'S THE HARD PART,
BUT IT'S NOT.
THE REASON WHY THIS IS SO DANGEROUS
HAS TO DO WITH SIDE WINDS, BECAUSE WHEN THEY COME IN,
THEY CAN CREATE AERODYNAMIC INSTABILITIES
THAT COULD FLIP THE PLANE OVER.
Lee: YOU GET CROSSWIND,
AND IT'S HITTING THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK.
THAT WIND WILL DEFLECT UP
AND ACTUALLY CREATE AN EXTRA FORCE ON ONE SIDE OF HIS WING.
AND IF HE'S GOT AN IMBALANCE
IN TERMS OF AIR PRESSURE UNDERNEATH HIS WING,
IT'S GONNA MAKE HIM TURN.
SO, HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO CROSSWINDS INVOLVED.
Narrator: SO FAR, OUR SENSATIONAL SHOW-OFFS
HAVE SHOWN US SOME MONSTER MOONWALKING,
SOME SUBPAR SHOT DRINKING,
AND INCREDIBLE FORK-BASED PHYSICS.
BUT COMING UP,
OUR EXHIBITIONISTS GET EVEN MORE EXTREME.
WE'RE BLOWING UP BARRELS,
BALANCING BETWEEN TRUCKS,
AND FINDING OUT IF A MAN CAN THROW A NEEDLE THROUGH GLASS.
ALL THIS AND MORE COMING UP ON "OUTRAGEOUS ACTS OF SCIENCE."
Narrator: WELCOME BACK TO OUR COUNTDOWN
OF THE INTERNET'S BIGGEST SHOW-OFFS,
FEATURING SOME OF THE MOST ASTONISHING DISPLAYS
OF EXHIBITIONISM YOU'LL EVER SEE.
AS WE ENTER OUR TOP 15,
THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET EVEN MORE FABULOUS.
MEET BYRON FERGUSON.
HE'S BEEN SHOWING OFF WITH A BOW AND ARROW
SINCE THE AGE OF 12,
WHICH IS WHY HE CAN DO TRICKS LIKE THIS.
BYRON HAS EARNED HIMSELF
AN IMPRESSIVE HALF A MILLION HITS SO FAR
BY BOUNCING AN ARROW OFF A RAMP AND HITTING A TARGET.
BUT WHY DOESN'T THE ARROW
JUST BOUNCE OFF THE RAMP AND FLY AWAY?
YOU'D EXPECT THE ARROW TO BREAK,
OR AT LEAST BE HORRIBLY DEFLECTED,
BUT NO -- SOMEHOW, IT DOESN'T GET DAMAGED
AND IT CONTINUES ON IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION.
HE'S DONE THIS TOTAL INDIRECT SHOT.
AND YOU'RE LIKE, "WOW, PHYSICS, ANGLES."
HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HE'S DOING,
AND, JUST, BAM. HE JUST NAILS IT.
EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT SHOT, IF IT WORKS,
HAS TO BE A PERFECT SHOT.
THERE IS NO JUST GETTING IT CLOSE.
Narrator: BUT WHAT MAKES AN ARROW SO ACCURATE?
FOR THE ARROW TO FLY STRAIGHT,
IT NEEDS TO HAVE THESE FLETCHES ON THE BACK.
Parker: WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE FLETCHES,
THE FEATHERY BITS ON THE END OF THE ARROW,
IS THAT, COUNTERINTUITIVELY,
THEY'RE DESIGNED TO NOT BE AERODYNAMIC.
THEY'RE DELIBERATELY DIFFICULT TO DRAG THROUGH THE AIR.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS
IF THE ARROW STARTS TO TILT TO ONE SIDE,
THE DRAG ON THE FLETCHES WILL BRING IT BACK AROUND
SO IT CONTINUES TO FACE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
Narrator: SO, NOW THAT WE KNOW HOW IT WORKS,
WE CHALLENGED BYRON TO DO A BIT MORE SHOWBOATING
BY POPPING A BALLOON AFTER TWO DEFLECTIONS.
FIRST, HE'S GOT TO HIT A RAMP,
THEN A SECOND SURFACE, THEN THE BALLOON.
Byron: THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT HAS TO GO PERFECTLY.
YOU HAVE TO HIT THE FIRST RAMP EXACTLY,
COME UP UNDER THE OVERHEAD RAMP AND BOUNCE OFF THE BOTTOM OF IT,
AND THEN BEHIND THE HAY BALES TO BREAK THE BALLOON.
Narrator: YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE ARROW BENDING
AS IT HITS THE RAMP AND FLIES TOWARD THE TARGET.
IT ONLY TAKES ME ONE ARROW TO HIT EVERY SHOT.
IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS
HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE TO SHOOT THAT ARROW.
[ LAUGHS ]
NOW, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT WE'RE GONNA TRY.
Narrator: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, OUR NEXT SHOW-OFF, JOHN BAILEY,
IS ABOUT TO DE-HEAD A DAISY...
...FROM MORE THAN 40 FEET AWAY...
USING A WHIP.
[ WHIP CRACKS ]
YEAH, BEAUTIFUL.
John: CUT OFF.
THAT IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE,
TO CHOP THE END OFF A FLOWER AT 42 FEET, 13 METERS, AWAY,
BE ABLE TO DO FLORISTRY FROM A DISTANCE.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
[ WHIP CRACKS ]
Narrator: OUCH.
SO, HOW DO YOU TURN A FLICK OF THE WRIST
INTO A LETHAL FLOWER-CUTTING STRIKE
FROM OVER 40 FEET AWAY?
[ WHIP CRACKS ]
SO, THE KEY TO THIS IS THE SHAPE OF THE WHIP.
IT'S REALLY THICK AT THE HANDLE,
BUT IT'S REALLY THIN AT THE POINT IT GETS TO THE END,
WHERE IT CUTS THE FLOWER,
SO A LITTLE BIT OF FORCE AT ONE END
MULTIPLES TO A REALLY BIG FORCE AT THE OTHER END.
THAT'S THE CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS WHIP SO POWERFUL.
NOW, MOMENTUM IS CALCULATED
FROM THE MASS TIMES THE OBJECT'S VELOCITY.
SO, AS HE FLICKS HIS WRIST, A WAVE IS PRODUCED.
THE MASS DECREASES, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP THE SAME MOMENTUM.
THAT MEANS THE VELOCITY MUST START TO INCREASE
BY THE SAME AMOUNT,
AND WHAT THIS MEANS IS
THAT A FAIRLY SLOW WAVE AT THE START,
WHERE IT'S VERY HEAVY,
GETS FASTER AND FASTER AND FASTER
TOWARDS THE END, WHERE IT TAPERS,
UNTIL HE GETS RIDICULOUS SPEED BUILDING UP.
Narrator: SO, JUST HOW FAST IS THE END OF THE WHIP TRAVELING?
[ WHIP CRACKS ]
THERE'S A SONIC BOOM. THERE'S A CRACK AT THE END.
THAT MEANS THAT THE WHIP
MUST BE TRAVELING AT THE SPEED OF SOUND.
[ WHIP CRACKS ]
THAT'S ABOUT 700 MILES AN HOUR, OR 1,200 KILOMETERS AN HOUR.
THAT IS HOW FAST THE TIP OF THAT WHIP IS GOING.
Narrator: OKAY, THAT'S PRETTY FAST.
[ WHIP CRACKS ]
WANT TO SHOW OFF FOR YOUR BUDDIES?
THEN YOU NEED THIS AWESOME CONTRAPTION.
YES, IT BALANCES CONCRETE BLOCKS.
TRAY OF DRINKS? NO PROBLEM.
WHAT ABOUT THAT WOODEN FRAME
YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO BALANCE FOR AGES?
THAT'S RIGHT.
ALL YOU NEED IS BallIP,
A ROBOT THAT CAN BALANCE ON A BALL.
SO, I'M AN ENGINEER. I LOVE ROBOTS.
THIS STUFF IS SO COOL.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GREAT SCIENCE IN ACTION.
I CAN'T DO THAT.
HOW DID THE ROBOT MANAGE TO DO THAT?
Narrator: YES, THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
AND IT'S NOT EASY,
AS INVENTOR DR. MASAAKI KUMAGAI DEMONSTRATES HERE.
SO, THIS ROBOT IS DEFINITELY A PRETTY COMPLICATED MECHANISM.
IT HAS GYROSCOPES AND ACCELEROMETERS
TO FIGURE OUT WHERE IT IS AND WHICH WAY IT'S MOVING.
Narrator: BUT HOW EXACTLY DOES A 15-POUND ROBOT
STAY PERCHED ON A BALL?
TO BALANCE A ROBOT ON A BALL, WHAT THESE PEOPLE REALIZED IS
THEY DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE ROBOT MOVE,
BUT ACTUALLY HAVE THE BALL MOVE INSTEAD.
IT USES WHEELS TO SPIN THE BALL
SO THAT IT NEVER COMES UNBALANCED.
THEY ADJUSTED FOR THE MOVEMENT OF THE BALL
BY ROTATING THE BALL
AND ROTATING THE POSITION OF THE CENTER OF MASS
JUST TO KEEP EVERYTHING ALIGNED.
Narrator: SO, BY MOVING THE BALL,
THE ROBOT MANAGES TO KEEP ITS CENTER OF MASS
VERTICALLY STABLE
AND LOOKS REALLY COOL DOING IT.
STICK AROUND FOR MORE SHOW-OFFS ON "OUTRAGEOUS ACTS OF SCIENCE."
Narrator: WELCOME BACK TO "OUTRAGEOUS ACTS OF SCIENCE."
AT NUMBER 12 IN OUR COUNTDOWN,
MEET ASHRITA FURMAN FROM NEW YORK CITY,
WHO'S ABOUT TO SHOW OFF WITH A GIGANTIC 15-FOOT HULA HOOP.
[ GRUNTING ]
I HAVE NEVER SEEN A HULA HOOP THIS BIG IN MY LIFE.
IT MUST BE PRETTY HARD FOR HIM, BECAUSE HE'S, YOU KNOW...
[ GROANS ]
Narrator: ASHRITA GRUNTED HIS WAY
TO A WORLD RECORD 19 REVOLUTIONS.
BUT HOW DID HE DO IT?
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PHYSICS OF IT,
HE FIRST HAS TO GIVE THIS SUCKER ENOUGH IMPULSE TO GET IT GOING,
RIGHT, TO GET IT MOVING.
THE SPEED OF THE HULA HOOP,
SO, THE SPEED THAT IT HAS TO GO TO COUNTERACT GRAVITY,
IS ALL TO DO WITH THE SIZE.
HE HAS TO GET THIS THING GOING AT 17 KILOMETERS PER HOUR,
WHICH IS LIKE 10 1/2 MILES PER HOUR,
WHICH IS QUITE A LOT.
[ GRUNTING ]
Oluseyi: THE ONE CHALLENGE,
ONCE HE GETS THIS HULA HOOP UP AND UP TO SPEED,
IS THAT IT'S GONNA LOSE ENERGY TO FRICTION, RIGHT?
AND SO HE HAS TO CONSTANTLY ADD ENERGY BACK INTO THE SYSTEM,
AND THAT'S WHERE HIS HULA-HOOPING GENIUS COMES IN.
ONCE IT'S MOVING, WE HAVE OUR FRIEND ANGULAR MOMENTUM,
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE CONSERVED QUANTITIES IN NATURE,
WHICH MEANS THAT IT DOESN'T LIKE TO CHANGE.
SO, AS LONG AS HE KEEPS IT MOVING,
IT'LL KEEP ITSELF UPRIGHT.
Narrator: SO THE BIG CHALLENGE HERE
IS THE STRAIN OF GETTING THIS BABY STARTED.
BUT IF ASHRITA CAN GET IT UP AND SPINNING FAST ENOUGH,
PHYSICS BEGIN TO HELP OUT...
A BIT, ANYWAY.
[ GRUNTING ]
SO, WHAT DOES HE DO? IT'S...
NO. HOW DOES HE DO IT?
I WAS LIKE, "WHAT?"
W-WHAT IS HE -- I-I CAN'T.
Narrator: PLEASE PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER
FOR OUR NEXT INCREDIBLE SHOW-OFF.
WITH ALMOST FOUR MILLION HITS,
IT'S THE INTERNET'S FASTEST CLAPPER,
KENT "TOAST" FRENCH FROM SOUTH DAKOTA.
[ CLAPPING RAPIDLY ]
ONE MORE GEAR.
Narrator: KENT CAN CLAP
AT A BRAIN-BUSTING 12 CLAPS A SECOND --
A WORLD RECORD.
BUT IS THAT REALLY CLAPPING?
WE THOUGHT CLAPPING SOUNDED LIKE THIS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
HE'S GOT HIS HANDS AND HIS ARMS WORKING IN SUCH A FLUID MOTION
THAT HE'S ABLE TO HAVE MORE CLAPS.
HE'S KIND OF WORKED AROUND
THE WHOLE THEORY OF WHAT WE CONSIDER CLAPPING
AND PUSHED IT TO ITS LIMITS.
Narrator: IT'S SO FAST, WE SLOWED IT DOWN,
AND IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
IT'S STILL SO FAST IT'S HARD TO SEE.
BUT JUST HOW FAR CAN YOU TAKE EXTREME CLAPPING?
SO, CURRENTLY, KEN IS DOING ABOUT 721 CLAPS A MINUTE,
WHICH TRANSLATES TO 12 CLAPS IN ONE SECOND,
WHICH IS PRETTY ASTOUNDING.
HE'S GOT A REALLY GOOD TECHNIQUE TO DO FAST CLAPPING,
BUT HE'S OBVIOUSLY ALSO PRACTICED IT
TO GET FASTER AND FASTER AND FASTER.
BUT THERE IS A LIMIT TO HOW FAST HE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO GET.
THE LIMIT OF CONTRACTING MUSCLES
IS SOMETHING LIKE 50 TIMES PER SECOND,
SO, THAT'S GOT TO BE THE THEORETICAL UPPER LIMIT,
BUT EACH CLAP IS NOT JUST CONTRACTING A MUSCLE.
EACH CLAP IS A COMPLICATED SERIES OF MOVEMENTS.
SO I WOULD SAY 12 PER SECOND IS PROBABLY ABOUT THE LIMIT.
Narrator: NOW THAT YOU'VE SEEN HOW IT'S DONE,
IT'S TIME TO PRACTICE ON YOUR OWN.
THANK YOU.
I THINK THAT WAS ABOUT 30 OR 40 PER SECOND.
RUN IT BACK.
[ WHIP CRACKS ]
Narrator: SO FAR, SOME ASTONISHING SHOW-OFFS
HAVE IMPRESSED OUR SCIENTISTS.
BUT AS WE ENTER THE TOP 10,
WE DISCOVER A SHOW-OFF WHO DIDN'T PRACTICE.
HE WAS SIMPLY BORN WITH HIS OUTRAGEOUS TALENT.
NOW, IF YOU THINK THIS SHOW-OFF'S MASK IS WEIRD,
AND YOU PROBABLY DO, STAY TUNED.
REALLY WEIRDED ME OUT, MAN.
I -- IT MAKES ME FEEL A BIT QUEASY WATCHING IT.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT SHOULD BE PAINFUL,
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S FASCINATING.
WHENEVER YOU SEE THE HUMAN BODY DO SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T DO,
AND IF YOU TRIED TO DO IT, IT WOULD HURT,
IT'S IMMEDIATELY FASCINATING.
Narrator: YES, THIS IS STEVE ABBAGNARO
FROM CONNECTICUT,
WHO MUST BE ONE OF THE BENDIEST DOUBLE-JOINTED MEN IN THE WORLD.
HOW DOES HE TIE HIMSELF IN KNOTS LIKE THIS?
"DOUBLE-JOINTED" SOUNDS LIKE THEY HAVE TWO JOINTS,
BUT IN FACT, THAT'S, OF COURSE, NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
SCIENTISTS REFER TO THIS AS "HYPERMOBILITY."
ABOUT 5% OF THE POPULATION HAVE THIS KIND OF JOINTS.
IN NORMAL PEOPLE, LIGAMENTS WORK MORE OR LESS LIKE RUBBER,
SO YOU CAN STRETCH THEM, BUT THEY SNAP BACK,
AND THOSE LIGAMENTS ARE MADE UP OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE,
WHICH HAS A MAIN COMPONENT -- THE COLLAGEN --
AND IF YOU HAVE A DEFECT IN THIS COLLAGEN,
IT'S MORE LIKE CHEWING GUM.
AND YOU CAN STRETCH IT
FAR MORE THAN YOU SHOULD BE STRETCHING IT.
Narrator: EVEN ONE OF OUR OWN EXPERTS IS IN THAT 5%.
WATCH HER ARMS.
I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THAT ON TV.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: AND IF YOU'RE IN THAT 5%
OF EXCEPTIONALLY ELASTIC PEOPLE,
BE CAREFUL SHOWING OFF.
MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO NOT DO THEM TOO MUCH,
BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO STRETCH IT
EVEN MORE THAN IT'S ALREADY BEEN STRETCHED.
IT COULD LEAD TO INJURY.
Narrator: SO FAR, OUR SHAMELESS SHOW-OFFS
HAVE SERVED US UP A BALL-BALANCING ROBOT,
A GLASS FULL OF PHENOMENAL PHYSICS,
AND SOME BALLISTIC BALLOON-BURSTING BRAVADO.
BUT COMING UP, WE'RE GOING
TO THE LIMITS OF HUMAN ABILITY AND BEYOND
IN "OUTRAGEOUS ACTS OF SCIENCE."
Narrator: WELCOME BACK TO OUR COUNTDOWN
OF THE TOP 20 MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THE WORLD OF SHOW-OFFS.
SO FAR, WE'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN ALCOHOL REACTS WITH STUPIDITY,
MOONWALKED TO FAME,
AND CRACKED A WHIP AT THE SPEED OF SOUND.
[ WHIP CRACKS ]
BUT THE ANIMAL KINGDOM ALSO HAS ITS FAIR SHARE OF SHOW-OFFS,
LIKE NORMAN THE DOG.
Karen: PEDAL!
GOOD BOY, NORMAN. GOOD BOY! GOOD PEDAL!
IT'S LIKE THERE IS A LITTLE PERSON
INSIDE A LITTLE DOG OUTFIT PEDALING ON THIS BIKE.
I FIND IT A BIT WEIRD.
GOOD JOB, NORMAN!
THE DOG IS ON A BIKE. WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE ABOUT THAT?
NORMAN, BIKE. HOP UP!
GOOD.
Narrator: WE ASKED NORMAN, WHO'S A FRENCH SHEEPDOG,
HOW HE DID IT.
BUT HE'S A DOG, AND EVEN OUR EXPERTS DON'T UNDERSTAND HIM,
SO WE ASKED HIS HUMAN INSTEAD.
Karen: IT TOOK ABOUT THREE YEARS
FOR HIM TO LEARN TO RIDE THE BIKE, FROM START TO FINISH,
BUT MOSTLY IT WAS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A BICYCLE THAT FIT HIM.
AS HE WAS GROWING,
WE HAD TO KEEP CHANGING BICYCLES AND MODIFYING THINGS.
GOOD BOY. STAY.
ONCE HE WAS FULL-SIZE, WE WORKED ON IT ABOUT A YEAR
BEFORE HE WAS REALLY PEDALING ON HIS OWN.
GOOD JOB! VERY GOOD!
Narrator: TRAINING SOME DOGS TO FETCH A BALL IS HARD WORK,
BUT RIDING A BIKE?
HOW'S THAT DONE?
GOOD BOY! GOOD PEDAL!
THE DOG HAS LEARNED HOW TO DO THIS STEP BY STEP,
AND WHAT HAPPENS IS
THE DOG WILL HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TO DO THE FIRST THING --
MAYBE JUST HOP ON THAT BIKE --
AND WILL GET A POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT --
SOME FOOD, TREATS, OR SOME LOVE.
AND THIS IS HOW DOGS ARE TRAINED.
THIS IS HOW THEY LEARN TO DO THE TRICKS.
YES!
SO, THE MOMENT HE DOES WHAT I LIKE,
I'LL CLICK A DOG CLICKER AND GIVE HIM A TREAT AFTER.
THAT WAY, HE KNOWS THAT'S THE EXACT BEHAVIOR I WANTED
AND THE TREAT'S COMING.
GOOD BOY.
Narrator: AND THAT'S WHAT SCIENTISTS CALL
"OPERANT CONDITIONING."
AND NORMAN CLEARLY HAS THE ABILITY TO LEARN AND EXECUTE
A COMPLEX SERIES OF INSTRUCTIONS OVER TIME.
GOOD BOY. YOU GOT IT.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING HE CAN DO.
USING THE SAME TRAINING TECHNIQUES,
HE'S ABLE TO RIDE A SCOOTER...
GOOD JOB.
THERE YOU GO. GOOD.
...AND PLAY THE PIANO.
[ CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS ]
WELL, SORT OF.
[ DISCORDANT NOTES PLAY ]
Narrator: OKAY, THIS IS SOMETHING
YOU DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO TRY AT HOME.
WE'RE IN CROATIA WITH KRISTIJAN,
WHO'S ABOUT TO SHOW OFF WITH SOME ELEMENTARY CHEMISTRY.
THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS GET A HIGHLY REACTIVE SUBSTANCE
AND MIX IT WITH WATER, WHICH IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA.
[ CHEERING ]
THIS IS THE BEST CHEMICAL REACTION
I'VE EVER SEEN DONE IN A FIELD.
ACETYLENE -- IT'S USED IN THINGS LIKE BLOW TORCHES,
AND IT'S A REALLY TEENY-TINY LITTLE CHEMICAL MOLECULE.
BUT ACTUALLY, IT HAS GOT SO MUCH ENERGY AND POWER IN IT
THAT WHEN YOU DO SET FIRE TO IT,
IT RELEASES ALL THE ENERGY IN THOSE CHEMICAL BONDS IN ONE GO,
PRODUCING ALL THIS ENERGY AND, THEREFORE, A HUGE EXPLOSION.
[ CHEERING ]
Narrator: SO, WE KNOW WHAT THE INGREDIENTS ARE,
BUT WHAT WERE THOSE CRAZY GUYS DOING?
ONE'S JUMPING UP AND DOWN ON THIS BARREL.
THE OTHER'S GOT HIS THUMB OVER SOMETHING.
AS THIS ACETYLENE GAS IS BUILDING UP,
YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THE GUYS
JUMPING UP AND DOWN ON TOP OF THE OIL BARREL.
AND THIS MAKES THE SEAL
BETWEEN THE OIL BARREL AND THE GROUND MUCH BETTER,
AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER GUY WITH HIS THUMB ON TOP OF THE HOLE,
SO YOU'RE BUILDING UP A NICE CONCENTRATION
OF ACETYLENE GAS INSIDE THE DRUM.
Narrator: BUT WHY DOES THIS GAS-FILLED BARREL
MANAGE TO GET SUCH EPIC AIRTIME?
[ CHEERING ]
THEY LIGHT THE GAS THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE HOLE,
AND THIS STARTS A FIRE
THAT SHOOTS INSIDE THE CONTAINER.
Kundu: NOW, THE OVERALL RESULT OF THIS FORCE MEANS
THAT WHILE ALL THIS GAS WANTS TO ESCAPE DOWNWARDS,
IT CAN'T ESCAPE QUICKLY ENOUGH.
INSTEAD, THE OIL DRUM HAS TO MOVE
TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THIS GAS WANTING TO QUICKLY ESCAPE.
THEREFORE, IT SHOOTS UPWARDS INTO THE AIR,
CREATING THIS ROCKET.
IT'S AMAZING.
Narrator: AND INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, SO...
...PLEASE DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME.
[ CHEERING ]
AFTER THE BREAK, MORE SHOW-OFFS ON "OUTRAGEOUS ACTS OF SCIENCE."
Narrator: WELCOME BACK TO "OUTRAGEOUS ACTS OF SCIENCE."
EVER DECIDE TO THROW YOURSELF OFF A BALCONY
AFTER A HARD DAY AT THE OFFICE...
ONLY TO FIND OUT
SOME IDIOTS LEFT A TRAMPOLINE SITTING AROUND?
OF COURSE, IT'S NOT AN ACCIDENT.
IT'S MASTER TRAMPOLINIST OLI LEMIEUX.
[ LAUGHTER, CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE
IT WAS A FILM THAT WAS PUT IN REWIND.
THE FACT THAT HE'S WEARING JUST REGULAR OFFICE CLOTHES,
THAT ALL KIND OF ADDS TO THE NONCHALANCE
OF HIM JUST FALLING AND BOUNCING ON HIS BACK.
Narrator: BUT HERE'S A MYSTERY.
HOW DOES HE MANAGE TO BOUNCE BACK TO EXACTLY WHERE HE STARTED
WITHOUT ANY EFFORT?
ISN'T HE BREAKING THE LAWS OF PHYSICS?
IN THEORY, YOU SHOULDN'T BOUNCE BACK AT THE SAME HEIGHT.
THE LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY
SAYS THAT THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY YOU PUT INTO A SYSTEM
EQUALS THE AMOUNT THAT COMES OUT.
BUT HE'S IN A WORLD WHERE ENERGY IS LOST DURING HIS BOUNCE.
ENERGY'S LOST DUE TO FRICTION
OF HIS BODY AGAINST THE AIR MOLECULES.
IT'S LOST IN SOUND. IT'S LOST IN HEAT.
SO YOU'D EXPECT
THAT HE WOULD NOT BOUNCE UP QUITE AS HIGH AS HE LEAPT FROM.
Narrator: SO, HOW'S HE DOING IT?
Lee: AS HE JUMPS OFF, HE'S PUSHING OFF HIS BODY
SO THAT HE CAN GET BACK TO THE SAME HEIGHT.
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
IF I WOULD HAVE TRIED IT, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE COME SHORT,
AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN HANGING ON TO THE EDGE WITH DEAR LIFE.
Narrator: YES, IT'S ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLE
WHEN YOU FIRST SEE IT,
BUT THERE IT IS.
YOU CAN JUST SEE HIM ADDING A BIT OF ENERGY
WITH HIS LEFT FOOT.
CLEVER.
NOW WITH A MILLION HITS AND COUNTING,
IT'S TIME TO MEET MARISKA.
SHE CAN UNBOLT HER STABLE DOOR.
SHE'S AN 8-YEAR-OLD FRIESIAN MARE FROM MICHIGAN.
THAT'S A ONE-TRICK PONY.
Narrator: NO, BECAUSE IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH,
SHE CAN ALSO UNBOLT OTHER STABLE DOORS
WITH DIFFERENT LOCKS.
THIS IS VERY SURPRISING,
BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HORSES WERE THAT SMART.
THEY CAN ACTUALLY WORK THIS STUFF OUT.
Narrator: IT IS SURPRISING, AND NO DISRESPECT TO HORSES,
BUT IT SURELY REQUIRES MASSIVE EQUINE INTELLIGENCE
TO UNLOCK SOMETHING.
Harrison: SHE IS SMART ENOUGH
TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO OPEN THE GATE,
AND TO GET MORE FOOD --
THAT'S THE ULTIMATE AIM FOR THIS HORSE,
IS TO TRY AND FIND MORE FOOD.
AS A RULE, WE TEND TO SEE HORSES AS, PERHAPS,
A LITTLE BIT MORE SEDATE AND LESS INTELLIGENT,
BUT AS WE CAN SEE WITH THIS HORSE,
SHE'S MANAGED TO FIGURE OUT NOT JUST THE SAME BOLT EACH TIME,
BUT DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF LOCKS.
HORSES HAVE HAD STUDIES DONE
WHERE THEY'VE HAD TO FIND FOOD REWARDS IN PAIRS.
AND EVEN 12 MONTHS ON, THEY CAN STILL REMEMBER THOSE,
SO THEY HAVE GOT AN EXCEPTIONAL MEMORY.
Narrator: SO SHE'S GOT THE BRAINS TO DO IT,
BUT NO OPPOSABLE DIGIT.
HORSES HAVE GOT VERY SENSITIVE MOUTHS,
AND THEIR LIPS ARE VERY SENSITIVE.
THEY ALSO HAVE PREHENSILE LIPS,
WHICH MEANS THAT THEY CAN HOLD THINGS.
MUCH LIKE WE ARE IN CONTROL OF OUR HANDS,
THE HORSE IS IN CONTROL OF THESE LIPS,
AND EVOLUTIONARILY, THIS HAS DEVELOPED
TO BE ABLE TO PULL GRASSES OUT OF THE GROUND,
OR MOSSES, TO EAT.
THIS IS HOW SHE'S ABLE TO PUSH AND PULL
AND GET THE LOCKS OPEN.
Narrator: MARISKA, THE HORSE ESCAPE ARTIST.
[ HORSE WHINNIES ]
SO FAR IN OUR SHOWDOWN OF INTERNET SHOW-OFFS,
WE'VE MARVELED AT A MAN WHO TRAVELED BACK TO THE FUTURE,
WE'VE MET A SUPER-FAST CLAPPER,
AND WE'VE DONE SOME CATACLYSMIC CHEMISTRY.
[ CHEERING ]
[ WHISTLES ]
[ BELLOWS ]
Narrator: SO, WELCOME TO THE TOP FIVE,
WHERE WE'RE ABOUT TAKE SHOWING OFF
TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.
AND NOW WE'RE OFF TO FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
IN ZURICH, SWITZERLAND,
AND THIS AWESOME MARRIAGE OF PHYSICS AND COMPUTING GENIUS
THAT GARNERED TWO MILLION HITS.
THAT IS INCREDIBLY COMPLEX AND INCREDIBLY COOL,
TO SEE ROBOTS DOING THAT.
Narrator: YES, THAT IS ONE FLYING ROBOT THROWING A POLE
AND THE OTHER FLYING ROBOT NOT ONLY CATCHING IT,
BUT MANAGING TO KEEP IT BALANCED VERTICALLY.
IF YOU'VE EVER TRIED TO BALANCE A STICK ON YOUR FINGER,
YOU'LL REALIZE IT'S REALLY, REALLY HARD.
WE'VE EVOLVED TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS
ALMOST SUBCONSCIOUSLY.
FOR A ROBOT, YOU'VE GOT TO EXPLICITLY PROGRAM EVERY STEP
FOR HOW IT'S GONNA DO IT.
Narrator: HOW IS IT DONE?
SO, THIS WHOLE ROOM IS COVERED WITH CAMERAS,
WHICH IS CONSTANTLY MONITORING THE MOTION OF THE STICK,
THE MOTION OF THE ROBOTS,
AND CONSTANTLY PROVIDING A FEEDBACK LOOP,
ALLOWING FOR MINUTE CORRECTIONS
IN THE MOVEMENT OF THE ROBOTS AND THE STICK,
ALLOWING THIS MANEUVER TO TAKE PLACE.
THESE CAMERAS ARE ABLE TO TRACK
THE TWO DOTS YOU CAN SEE ON THE STICK,
AND THEY'RE WHAT CALCULATES WHERE IT'S GONNA GO
AND HOW THE QUADROCOPTER IS ABLE TO CATCH IT.
THE KEY THING IS ACTUALLY
HOW FAST THIS INFORMATION IS BEING PROCESSED.
THERE'S ONLY 0.65 SECONDS BETWEEN THE THROW AND THE CATCH.
BECAUSE COMPUTERS HAVE BECOME EXTREMELY FAST NOW,
YOU CAN MAKE THESE MICROSCOPIC CORRECTIONS
TO CORRECT FOR THE MOVEMENT OF THE ROBOTS AT IMMENSE SPEED.
Narrator: SO, PROCESSING SPEED IS VITAL,
BUT HOW DO YOU TEACH A ROBOT TO THROW AND CATCH A POLE?
WHAT'S PARTICULARLY AMAZING IS THAT THEY'VE PROGRAMMED THEM
TO LEARN HOW TO CATCH A STICK.
EACH TIME THEY TRY IT,
THEY BENEFIT FROM THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THE PREVIOUS ONES.
THEY'RE GRADUALLY LEARNING.
Narrator: WELCOME, NEW ROBOT OVERLORDS.
WE'LL NEVER HAVE TO CATCH AND BALANCE A POLE EVER AGAIN.
AT NUMBER FOUR,
IT'S A 7 MILLION HIT VIRAL SENSATION.
THIS IS WORLD CHAMPION SLACKLINER
FAITH DICKEY FROM TEXAS
ATTEMPTING TO CROSS A ROPE STRUNG BETWEEN TWO TRUCKS
MOVING AT 50 MILES PER HOUR DOWN A HIGHWAY IN CROATIA.
MAN: The cameras are in place.
COULD THEY HAVE MADE THE STUNT ANY MORE DANGEROUS?
THEY HAD MOVING TRUCKS,
SOMEONE BALANCING ON A TIGHTROPE WALKING ACROSS,
AND A TUNNEL COMING TOWARDS THEM.
Narrator: FAITH JUST MADE IT.
AND THERE SHE IS, WALKING BETWEEN TWO TRUCKS AGAIN.
AND, AH, THEY'RE NOT MOVING.
Faith: I WASN'T AFRAID.
JUMPING OFF THE LINE ONTO THE TOP OF THE TRUCK
WAS THE MOST FUN PART ABOUT THE WHOLE STUNT.
I FELT LIKE A NINJA.
Narrator: SO, WHAT'S THE SECRET TO SLACKLINING?
KEEP YOUR BACK REALLY STRAIGHT.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT
'CAUSE IT HELPS CENTER YOUR WEIGHT OVER THE LINE.
YOU ALSO WANT YOUR FEET TO BE
IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE LINE --
SO WALKING FORWARDS, NOT TO THE SIDE.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT YOUR ARMS ARE ALWAYS IN THE AIR.
THOSE ARE ACTING AS YOUR BALANCING POLE.
SO, WHEN YOUR WEIGHT SHIFTS ONE WAY,
YOU WANT TO COUNTERACT THAT
BY THROWING YOUR ARMS TO THE OTHER SIDE.
Narrator: WHAT'S IT LIKE TRYING TO BALANCE BETWEEN TWO TRUCKS
MOVING AT 50 MILES PER HOUR?
SO, WHAT MAKES THIS TRICK WORK
IS SOMETHING CALLED FRAMES OF REFERENCE.
THE TRUCKS ARE MOVING AT THE SAME SPEED, SO IS FAITH.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S NOT MOVING AT THE SAME SPEED
IS THE FORCE OF AIR, WHICH IS CONSTANTLY PUSHING AGAINST HER.
Narrator: SO IF EVERYTHING IS MOVING AT A CONSTANT SPEED,
IT'S JUST LIKE DOING IT IN A PARKING LOT,
ONLY WITH HOWLING WINDS.
THERE WAS A REALLY STRONG WIND COMING FROM THIS SIDE,
SO IT FELT LIKE IT WAS PUSHING ME OVER THIS WAY.
SO, I WAS TRYING TO STAY REALLY STRAIGHT
AND LEAN AGAINST THE WIND A LITTLE BIT --
SO, THAT I KEPT MY BODY STRAIGHT
RATHER THAN FALLING OFF THAT DIRECTION.
NOT ONLY THAT,
BUT I WASN'T THE ONE SHAKING THE LINE, LIKE THIS.
IT WAS THE TRUCKS AND THE ROAD.
IT WOULD SHAKE WITHOUT ME KNOWING
WHERE THE SHAKE WAS COMING FROM,
AND I HAD TO ADJUST REALLY QUICKLY.
Narrator: COMING UP NEXT, IT'S TIME FOR OUR TOP THREE,
WHEN "OUTRAGEOUS ACTS OF SCIENCE"
CROWNS OUR CHAMPION SHOW-OFFS FROM AMONG THE WEB'S VERY BEST.
Narrator: WELCOME BACK.
SO FAR ON "OUTRAGEOUS ACTS OF SCIENCE,"
WE'VE SEEN WHAT MADE US WINCE,
AS OUR SHOW-OFFS DEPLOYED THEIR SKILLS
TO AWESOME AND SOMETIMES ACCIDENTAL EFFECT.
Man: OH! OHH!
AND AT NUMBER THREE, IT'S E.T.
NO, NOT THE ALIEN, THE WALRUS.
AND UNLESS YOU'RE A WALRUS, TOO,
YOU'RE ABOUT TO JOIN 2 MILLION OTHER PEOPLE
WHO WITNESSED SOMETHING
THAT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE IN THE WILD.
[ GROWLING ]
[ ROARING ]
[ BELLOWING ]
HE'S SHOWING OFF TWO AMAZING SKILLS --
ONE IS THE EXTRAORDINARY DIVERSITY OF SOUNDS,
AND THE OTHER IS THAT HE CAN DO THEM ON COMMAND.
[ GROWLING ]
[ FLAPPING LIPS ]
[ GURGLING ]
[ WHISTLING ]
THE THOUGHT THAT CAME TO MIND WHEN I HEARD THAT WHISTLE IS,
"HOW DID THIS DEVELOP?"
DO THEY HAVE TO -- WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR LITTLE COLONIES,
DO THEY HAVE TO WHISTLE AT ONE ANOTHER
WHEN A CUTE-LOOKING WALRUS GOES BY?
IS THAT WHAT THIS GUY DOES?
[ BELLOWING ]
THE NOISES THAT E.T. IS MAKING ARE MATING CALLS.
THEY HAPPEN IN THE WILD DURING THE MATING SEASON.
AND THEY'RE KNOWN TO GO ON FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS.
THEY'RE NOT JUST ONE-OFF SOUNDS.
Narrator: BUT HOW DOES E.T. PRODUCE THIS INCREDIBLE RANGE OF SOUNDS?
[ ROARING ]
[ FLAPPING LIPS ]
E.T. HAS GOT A NUMBER OF FEATURES IN HIS BODY
WHICH ALLOW HIM TO MAKE THIS BROAD RANGE OF SOUNDS.
SO, HE'S GOT A LARYNX, AS HAVE WE,
WITH VOCAL FOLDS IN IT
THAT VIBRATE WITH AIR RUSHING OVER IT TO MAKE SOME SOUNDS,
BUT HE CAN ALSO CONTROL THAT.
THEY'VE GOT A VERY, VERY FLESHY MUZZLE
AND VERY, VERY FLESHY FACE,
SO THEY CAN MANIPULATE THEIR WHOLE HEAD
IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE WAY THE SOUND IS MOVING IN THAT SPACE.
THE UNIQUE PART IS THAT THEY HAVE THESE PHARYNGEAL POUCHES,
WHICH ARE A BIT LIKE AN EXTRA SET OF LUNGS,
AND THEY'RE USED TO MAKE VERY LOUD SOUNDS UNDERWATER
AND THEY CAN EVEN BE USED TO KEEP THEM AFLOAT
IF THEY'RE ASLEEP IN THE WATER.
SO, ALL THESE DIFFERENT FEATURES
ALLOW THESE WALRUSES TO MAKE THIS BROAD RANGE OF NOISES.
Woman: WHISTLE!
[ WHISTLING ]
Narrator: OKAY, CHECK THIS OUT.
THIS IS MEHMET YILMAZ, SHOWING OFF AN ASTONISHING ABILITY
TO DO SOMETHING BOTH DISGUSTING AND AMAZING.
HOW DO YOU EVEN LEARN TO SQUIRT MILK OUT OF YOUR EYE?
WHY WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
WELL, THEY SAY DON'T CRY OVER SPILLED MILK.
THIS IS CRYING VIA SPILLED MILK.
Narrator: BUT HOW EXACTLY DOES HE DO IT?
I MEAN, HAS HE SOMEHOW RE-PLUMBED HIS FACE?
YOU EVER NOTICE, IF YOU START CRYING,
TEARS COME OUT YOUR EYES -- AND THESE ARE, OF COURSE,
MEANT TO COAT YOUR EYES AND PROTECT THEM.
BUT YOUR NOSE RUNS AT THE SAME TIME.
THERE'S A DUCT BETWEEN THE EYE AND THE NOSE
THAT ALLOWS SOMETHING TO GO OUT.
IT DOESN'T USUALLY ALLOW SOMETHING TO COME BACK IN
AND OUT THE EYE THE OTHER WAY.
Narrator: SO, WE'VE ALL GOT THIS DUCT,
BUT HOW DOES MEHMET MAKE IT WORK BACKWARDS?
HE DOES IT, VERY SIMPLY, WITH PRESSURE.
SO ALL HE NEEDS TO DO IS
BASICALLY GET THE MILK INTO HIS NASAL CAVITY,
AND THEN BREATHE IN WITHOUT BREATHING OUT,
AND THEN WITH THAT EXTRA PRESSURE INSIDE HIM,
THE LIQUID CAN'T GET OUT HIS NOSE, 'CAUSE HE'S HOLDING IT,
IT CAN'T GET OUT HIS MOUTH, BECAUSE IT'S CLOSED.
THAT LIQUID HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE.
AND WHERE IT GOES IS BACK UP THROUGH THE LACRIMAL DUCT,
OUT HIS EYE, AND INTO A DISTANT TEACUP.
Bondar: THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE DANGEROUS.
IT MIGHT KIND OF WRECK THE PROCESS OF CRYING.
YOU DON'T WANT TO MESS AROUND WITH YOUR EYE.
Narrator: YOU HEARD HER, FOLKS.
PLEASE DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME.
GUYS, THIS DEFINITELY WON'T GET YOU THE GIRL.
SO FAR IN OUR COUNTDOWN OF SCIENCE-DRIVEN SHOW-OFFS,
WE'VE SEEN HOW MIND-BOGGLING DEDICATION AND PRACTICE
HELPED OUR HEROES BEND ARROWS AROUND CORNERS,
TEACH PETS TO PEDAL
AND ROBOTS TO THROW, CATCH, AND POSSIBLY RULE THE WORLD.
AND OUR NUMBER-ONE OUTRAGEOUS SHOW-OFF
IS A SHAOLIN MONK
WHO CAN DO SOMETHING UNBELIEVABLE WITH A NEEDLE,
A PANE OF GLASS, AND A BALLOON.
THIS IS SHIFU *** YAN XIU,
WHO'S BEEN STUDYING TO BE A SHAOLIN MONK
SINCE THE AGE OF 6.
NOW HE'S ABOUT TO MESS WITH YOUR HEAD,
SO WATCH CAREFULLY.
YES, YOU'VE JUST SEEN A MAN THROW A NEEDLE
THROUGH A PANE OF GLASS.
IS THIS REAL, OR IS THIS MAGIC?
I'M STILL -- I'M STILL AT A BIT OF A LOSS, REALLY.
LIKE, IT'S SO PUZZLING. IT'S SO IMPRESSIVE.
I WASN'T CONVINCED THAT HE'D REALLY DONE IT.
AS A MATERIAL SCIENTIST, I FIND IT VERY WEIRD.
Narrator: WE WENT DOWN WITH AN ULTRA-HIGH-SPEED CAMERA
TO FILM OUR ULTRA-HIGH-SPEED MONK
AND FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.
[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
Narrator: THAT'S THE PHILOSOPHY.
LET'S SEE IT IN ACTION.
Woman: WHOA!
WITH A NORMAL CAMERA,
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO IT'S TIME TO CHECK OUT
WHAT OUR HIGH-SPEED CAMERA HAS CAPTURED.
AND THERE IT IS --
THE NEEDLE ROCKETING THROUGH THE GLASS
AND OUT THE OTHER SIDE.
AMAZING.
YES!
NOW THAT WE'VE SEEN IT, WHAT EXACTLY DID WE SEE?
THE SPEED THAT HE'S THROWING IT,
HE'S THROWING IT AT 150 KILOMETERS AN HOUR.
THAT'S NEARLY 100 MILES AN HOUR.
THAT'S HOW FAST IT LEAVES HIS HAND.
THAT IS AT THE EDGES OF WHAT YOU THINK A HUMAN IS CAPABLE OF.
TO GET THROUGH THE GLASS,
YOU NEED A REALLY, REALLY BIG PRESSURE.
AND PRESSURE IS FORCE DIVIDED BY AREA.
WE KNOW HE'S GOT IMMENSE FORCE WITH THAT NEEDLE.
WE ALSO KNOW THE AREA IS TINY.
THAT MEANS HE'S CREATING THIS HUGE PRESSURE.
THAT IS ENOUGH TO BURST THROUGH THE GLASS
AND OUT THE OTHER SIDE.
IT'S INCREDIBLE.
Narrator: BUT WHY DOESN'T THE GLASS SHATTER?
NOW, THE REASON THAT IT DOES THIS
IS BECAUSE GLASS IS A LITTLE BIT FREAKY.
GLASS, DESPITE ALL APPEARANCES, IS NOT ACTUALLY A NORMAL SOLID.
IT'S WHAT'S CALLED AN AMORPHOUS SOLID.
AND THIS MEANS THAT WHEN IT GETS HIT BY A NEEDLE,
IT DOESN'T IMMEDIATELY TRANSFER THAT FORCE
ACROSS THE WHOLE PLANE.
IT MEANS IT CAN BE FOCUSED AND STAY QUITE LOCALIZED.
Narrator: AND IF YOU'RE THINKING OF TRYING THIS, DON'T.
IT TOOK SHIFU *** YAN XIU A WHOLE LOT OF PRACTICE.
HE IS QUITE RIGHTLY THE NUMBER ONE SHOW-OFF, ACTUALLY,
BECAUSE AS PARTY TRICKS GO,
THAT ONE WIPES THE FLOOR WITH ANYTHING I'VE EVER SEEN.
Narrator: SO, AS WE WATCH SHIFU PERFORM HIS PARTY TRICK
IN SUPER-SLOW MOTION,
IT'S TIME TO SAY "ZAI JIAN" UNTIL NEXT TIME
ON "OUTRAGEOUS ACTS OF SCIENCE."