15 Awesome Human Superpowers

Some people work hard, train hard, educate themselves and push themselves to the very limit to gain some kind of notoriety in life (and the money it tends comes hand-in-hand with). This video is proof that, in addition to being inherently gifted, there are other ways to become famous… be exceptionally stupid. Eating metal screws makes you an idiot. Just because you survive your diet of cars, wheelchairs and bad life choices doesn’t make you special.

Having said that, there are some incredible cases of human superpowers in this video, such as the “human calculator” and the man who learned conversational Icelandic in just one week. My only superpower is being able to make my one eye squint – actually I have two if you count the other one, but that’s far too lascivious to mention here – and so my concluding question to you is: what’s your superpower?

Video Source: “15 Real Life Human Superpowers” Uploaded by Planet Dolan to YouTube channel www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM3_s0rKBVc

Lyre Bird Pulls Off Amazing Impersonations!

If you’re a fan of impersonations like I am, then you’ve GOT to check this out! The Lyre bird copies other bird calls and sounds in an effort to impress potential mates and the mimicry is absolutely spot-on!

Video Source: “Amazing! Bird sounds from the lyre bird – David Attenborough – BBC wildlife” Uploaded by BBCWorldwide to YouTube channel www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y

World's LARGEST Cave Revealed

As awe-inspiring videos go, this is about as spell-binding as it gets. On the back of a drone, you weave your way through the world’s very largest cave, Hang Son Doong, which means “Mountain River Cave” in Vietnamese. This gorgeous cave is a yawning chasm within solid rock and, owing to the constant seepage of life-giving water into its belly, offers the local biology the most wonderful respite from the elements. As such and as you will see in this beautiful footage, life flourishes within the shelter of Hang Son Doong.

Keep an eye out for the people on the ground as the drone sweeps over the vast interior of the cave and you will develop a true appreciation of just how immense Hang Son Doong really is. If you want to see it for yourself, hop on a plane to Vietnam: Tân Trạch, Bố Trạch, Quảng Bình to be more precise.

Amazing Science Video Source: Photographer Ryan Deboodt as published by MSNBC on YouTube channel youtu.be/nzoLZoTqQa8

How Was It Formed?

Hang Son Doong is a solutional cave formed in the calcium-rich limestone of the Phone Nka-Ke Bang National Park. Over the eons, a weak acid formed from the mixture of water and carbon dioxide gas released by plants (carbonic acid) has slowly eaten away at the alkaline rock, carving out this gigantic chamber beneath the mountainside. Hang Son Doong now houses its own rushing river, some of the biggest stalagmites in the world (70 meters tall) and a natural inner chamber that is in excess of five kilometres (or 3.1 miles) in length!

Scientific Songs of Praise: Ho Ho Ho!

It doesn’t matter whether you’re Christian or not; if you have a sense of humour, you’ll LOVE these. Scientific Songs of Praise applies sciencey lyrics and spectacular space imagery to those boring old stuffy Christmas carols we all know, turning them into something magnificent. I’ll be sharing a few of their videos leading up to Christmas, just to get you into the yuletide spirit!

Solar Light (Silent Night) Gospel – Scientific Songs of Praise #6

Video Source: By Scientific Songs of Praise, YouTube channel https://youtu.be/3OnyiR2CKBU?list=PLqAaxjrofZ64FCCyUJVce-75uFQpXXYXP

Want more, daddy? You can check out their Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/scientificsongs

Bioluminescence Caught in the Act!

Just to add a little illustration to the recent TED Talks video post on bioluminescence, here are some pretty spectacular ocean creatures fluorescing under water!

Video Source: “Bioluminescence on Camera” by National Geographic on YouTube channel  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HXXQBz6Vv0

Bioluminescence: Because Shining Out Your Butt Is Cool

I was going to write a blog post about bioluminescence – the ability of certain critters to create their own light – and then I came across this brilliant video by (who else?) the people behind TED Talks! If you are yet to spend the time you should be working skipping through the fathomless coffers of YouTube TED Talks, you haven’t lived, man. Check it out – you’ll find a handsome suite of live science and technology presentations given by people who, for scientists, actually have a personality and a sense of humour!

In this particular animated video, you’ll come to learn what bioluminescence is, why it’s a useful personality trait to have and how this special adaptation benefits the creature in question.

The brilliance of bioluminescence – Leslie Kenna

Video Source: Ted-Ed on YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKjFVBVGad0. Lesson by Leslie Kenna, narrated by Michelle Snow, animation by Cinematic Sweden

Five Experiments You Weren't Taught At School

For a quick and entertaining peak at the world of chemicals and one man’s death wish to get his hands blown clean off, watch this pretty cool video of five relatively easy experiments you were never taught at school for reasons that will become blatantly obvious to you once you’ve seen them…

Video Source: Grant Thompson – “The King of Random” Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1zZE_kJ8rQHgLTVfobLi_g