Viral videos of the week


12 Aug 2012

We take a look at some of the most-viewed and most-shared videos on the web. This week features the science behind cats landing on their feet, a Batman short film made with action figures, Curiosity’s decent to Mars, a water-loving Corgi, and the fun that can be had with liquid nitrogen and 1,500 ping-pong balls.

More than 72 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, 500 years of video watched on Facebook every day, and more than 700 YouTube videos shared on Twitter each minute, ensuring there is always video trending on the web.

With so much video available for viewing, we take a look at some of the viral videos that have caught our eye this week.

High-speed video of flipping cats

The common phrase ‘Cats always land on their feet’ has always been accepted, but what makes our feline friends capable of this feat? The guys from Smarter Every Day explain the science behind the movement, with a little help from willing volunteer ‘GiGi’.

 

Uploaded: 8 August, 2012

Batman: Dark knightfall

With the buzz still circulating around the new Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises, it seems like the perfect time for fans to try their hands at some fan-fiction attempts. Hong Kong-based directors Derek Kwok and Henri Wong of Parabucks co have found favour this week with their stop-motion animation using nothing but action figures!

 

Uploaded: 6 August, 2012 

Curiosity’s descent

In the past 10 days, the world has been eagerly awaiting news of NASA’s Curiosity rover on ‘the red planet’. Luckily for us, The Curiosity Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) captured the rover’s descent to the surface of Mars.

 

Uploaded: 6 August, 2012

Dog in the water park

A Sunday stroll in the park, you say? Sounds like the perfect day for a dog, throw in some water fountains and it could be an epic day as this Corgi proves.

 

Uploaded: 5 August, 2012 

What happens when you take a scientist, liquid nitrogen and 1,500 table tennis balls? 

Learning can be fun, can’t it? Especially when you have liquid nitrogen and 1,500 table tennis balls. Here is Dr Roy Lowry of Plymouth University, demonstrating the explosive power of liquid nitrogen returning to its gaseous state.

 

Uploaded: 9 August , 2012