We take a look at some of the most-viewed and most-shared videos on the web. This week is a Harlem Shake-free edition featuring a call for coding on the US curriculum, America’s first lady getting down, a poorly informed newsreader, Jack Nicholson flirting with Jennifer Lawrence, an extreme rope swing and a singing goat.
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.
Evolution of ‘mom dancing’
Michelle Obama appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to promote her ‘Let’s Move’ campaign, which is targeting parents and encouraging them to get moving with their kids. And what better way to move than to groove with some ‘mom dancing’ staples as demonstrated by the first lady herself.
Uploaded: 22 February 2013
World’s most insane rope swing
Ever hook yourself up with a rope swing, tied to whatever neighbourhood tree or lamppost could support it? Well take that concept and bring it to a slot canyon and you have a 400ft freefall pendulum rope swing. Gulp. This spectacular video stars YouTube star Shay Carl and has amassed over 2m views already. I’m both jealous and a little bit terrified for them.
Uploaded: 26 February 2013
What most schools don’t teach
Pay attention, viewers, because this one is important. This video talks about a ‘superpower’ that isn’t being taught in 90pc of US schools: coding. Familiar faces from tech like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey (plus an appearance from pop star Will.i.am, who has recently begun taking coding classes) explain that coding is not difficult for young students to learn, and the benefits that can stem from it are practically boundless. The video has been produced by Code.org, a non-profit that believes coding should be part of the core curriculum.
While in Ireland we have inspiring initiatives like CoderDojo teaching children to code on a voluntary basis, having these classes included in the curriculum is critical for future learning. Don’t we want our children to be the wizards of the future?
Uploaded: 26 February 2013
Mo Farah asked by US TV presenter: ‘Haven’t you run before?’
Yes, you read that title right. WDSU newsreader LaTonya Norton really needs to do her research. Not only did she ask double Olympic champion Mo Farah if he had run before, but she also seems to think that marathons and half-marathons are about the same thing. Farah, incidentally, had just completed the New Orleans half-marathon in a record 61 minutes.
Uploaded: 26 February 2013
I knew you were a goat when you walked in
We’re all caught up with the YouTube trend of replacing pop star’s auto-tuned warbles with the wails of a goat, yes? This week Taylor Swift’s immensely catchy ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ gets it, and dammit if that goat doesn’t nail it. (Alternatively, you could enjoy the chorus with bonus Nicolas Cage.)
Uploaded: 22 February 2013
When Jennifer met Jack
OK, I’m not going to turn this into a Jennifer Lawrence love-in as most of the internet has become ever since the 22-year-old actress’ Oscar win last weekend (and I’m not complaining: Team J-Law forevs). But I simply couldn’t let a viral video round-up go without featuring this moment when the Silver Linings Playbook star met veteran actor Jack Nicholson backstage at the event. At first, Lawrence plays it cool as a cucumber in the face of Nicholson’s charms, but her true reaction when she thinks he has walked away is priceless.
Uploaded: 25 February 2013
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