Shooting a 1,000 MPH Baseball to a Dummy from a Cannon

We love ourselves some videos by YouTuber SmarterEveryDay as he always takes the most mundane things and turns them into something extraordinarily interesting. This time is no exception.

The YouTuber and his friends built a baseball cannon that can throw a ball faster than the speed of sound. Then, they did what any good researcher would do: They decided to test it.

The question of their research: Can a man or a baseball glove slow down the incoming ball? They didn't use an actual human for the experiment, of course. Instead, they used a plastic dummy they called Bob.

Now, one could argue that Bob is even more resilient than a human being as plastic can resist a lot more wear and tear than human skin, but the experiment still works. And what happens when they throw a ball at Bob using the supersonic cannon?

The ball goes right through the dummy leaving a big hole in the middle. Aren't you glad they didn't use a human body?

Next, the playful researchers decide to test where the ball goes using a baseball glove in front of the dummy meant to protect him. Does the glove succeed in stopping the ball, or will it also end up with a giant hole? Watch the video to find out.