In the ultimate showdown of elemental power, lasers and lightning go head-to-head to settle a burning question: which is more destructive? Hosted by the science-driven minds of Mark Rober, Science Bob Pflugfelder, and Mehdi Sadaghdar (aka ElectroBOOM), this competition explores the limits of technology and nature. Armed with tools of raw power, these contenders test their abilities against seven household objects, ranging from a humble CD to a cash-filled safe. Let the chaos begin!
Round 1: Incinerating the CD
The first challenge kicked off with a nostalgic nod to physical media: a CD-burning contest, but not in the way you might think. Representing lasers, Science Bob wielded a military-grade beam to obliterate a Rod Stewart album. With a flash of light, the laser folded the CD like a taco before reducing it to ash in a stunning visual display.
“It’s like the end of Avengers,” quipped Mark Rober, marveling at the laser’s precision.
Not to be outdone, Mehdi Sadaghdar powered up his Tesla coil, ready to channel lightning’s wrath. Although he suffered a shocking mishap (literally), the Tesla coil electrified the CD with mesmerizing arcs of energy, etching intricate patterns that lit up CrunchLabs in an electrifying spectacle.
“This is how you erase a CD,” Mehdi declared, reclaiming his composure after his earlier mishap.
The X-factor? A googly-eyed microwave set to dish out destruction. Mariah Carey’s Greatest Hits entered the microwave, and moments later, a dazzling light show erupted. While effective, it couldn’t match the dramatic flair of Mehdi’s lightning-powered display.
Winner: Lightning. Mehdi’s Tesla coil edged out the competition with its combination of destruction and artistic brilliance.
Round 2: The Ice Block Meltdown
Next, the trio turned their focus to an icy challenge: destroying a solid block of ice. Science Bob was up first, attempting to carve through with his laser. However, ice’s transparency thwarted his efforts, as the laser’s light passed through without causing much heat buildup. Eventually, he managed to bore a small bullet-like hole by concentrating on a single point.
Mehdi stepped up with a different approach—using a welding machine to heat a rebar rod until it glowed red. He attempted to slice through the ice with the molten rod, achieving some sizzling effects but ultimately bending the rebar in frustration.
“Your ice is too cold,” he muttered, undeterred by the setback. Despite his creative tactics, Mehdi’s efforts fell short of a clean cut.
The X-factor method employed a red-hot nickel ball, a fan-favorite technique known for its dramatic melting capabilities. Slowly but surely, the glowing ball turned the ice block into a steamy, watery mess, proving once again the versatility of this wildcard destruction method.
Winner: X-Factor. The nickel ball triumphed with its consistent melting power, overshadowing both laser precision and lightning ingenuity.
Stay tuned as this electrifying competition heats up in the next rounds, testing the limits of science, ingenuity, and destructive creativity!
A Refined and Dynamic Rewrite:
The sound was immensely satisfying, but the real question lingered—could I take it further than Mehdi did?
“Go, go, go!”
The nickel ball, heated to a scorching 2000 degrees, was slowly melting its way through the ice block.
“It’s going the distance!”
“Is it?”
Alas, the laws of thermodynamics had other plans.
“Oh no! It’s full of water!” I exclaimed, watching as the melted ice sapped the ball’s heat energy. “Water’s a heat thief—it takes so much energy to warm it up.”
The result was clear: thermodynamics had chosen its winner.
“Or did it?” Mehdi quipped.
In truth, no one emerged victorious in this round, so we devised a new method. A little gravity would do the trick: the block that shattered the cleanest would claim the win. And devastatingly—for the second round in a row—
“Dang it!” I groaned.
“Oh, Canada!” teased Mehdi, clearly enjoying the lead.
“Alright, 2-0. Next challenge.”
The Lamp Challenge: Creativity Over Destruction
This round was a twist—we weren’t breaking lamps but creating them.
“This is Science Bob’s lamp,” I announced.
“No, it’s a Science Bop lamp,” Bob corrected with a grin.
For my design, I went futuristic: ultraviolet-reactive slime illuminated by a laser to create a glowing, vibrant display.
“Kill the lights!”
“I can’t see, Bob.”
“Activate the laser!”
The result? A mesmerizing, dancing ultraviolet laser-slime lamp.
“It’s the prettiest slime I’ve ever seen,” Mehdi admitted, begrudgingly impressed.
Next up was lightning. Mehdi unveiled a Tesla coil paired with a fluorescent bulb to replicate Nikola Tesla’s vision of wireless energy transfer.
“Is this a safe distance for us?” I asked skeptically.
“If it’s safe for me, it’s safe for you!” Mehdi replied, with questionable confidence.
When activated, the Tesla coil’s electric field lit the bulb, creating a jaw-dropping effect straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Finally, it was my turn. My lamp? A lava lamp—filled with actual lava.
“Does Kevin the Backyard Scientist know about this?” Bob asked.
“Nope. This stays between us.”
Pouring the lava was a nail-biter. The molten rock flowed into the lamp with dramatic flair, and the result was as breathtaking as it was impractical.
“It’s beautiful, but… not exactly functional,” Bob observed.
Ultimately, Bob’s laser-slime creation took the win, putting him on the scoreboard. Lightning retained its lead at two points, and X-Factor was still at zero.
Explosive Rounds: Lipo Batteries and Crystal Balls
In the battery challenge, the laser made short work of its target, burning through the casing and revealing a smoldering wreckage.
“Bob, you kind of look like a fly right now,” Mehdi teased as Bob inspected the damage.
“Do I?”
Mehdi’s lightning approach involved a mad-scientist-style switch designed to unleash a stampede of electrons. Unfortunately for him, the battery’s built-in fail-safes outsmarted his plan.
“Maybe… use a knife?”
The X-Factor crossbow, however, delivered a spectacular first-try shot that punctured the battery, triggering flames and chaos.
“First try! Right there!” I cheered.
For the crystal ball round, Bob’s laser created a stunning light show, but it barely scratched the surface of the globe. Mehdi’s approach, leveraging a capacitor with the power of a lightning strike, ultimately obliterated the ball.
“Metallicized glass,” Bob observed, impressed.
Mehdi’s win extended his lead as we braced for the next challenge: watermelons.
Melon Madness
Bob’s plan was simple: precision lasers.
“Googly eyes suddenly seem… sinister,” I joked.
The laser made clean incisions but failed to split the melon fully, leaving Bob to finish the job with sheer determination.
“Refreshing! 100-degree watermelon!” he declared, sampling the results.
Mehdi went big, attempting to vaporize the melon with an electric burst. While dramatic, it barely cracked the surface.
“My turn,” I announced. My method? Using pressure from an ultra-cold liquid to trigger an explosive reaction.
The result? “Watermelon fireworks!”
With X-Factor gaining ground and Mehdi holding the lead, we prepared for the grand finale.
I’ve literally shown you this before in a previous video.
– I don’t recall what you’re referring to.
– Fine, let’s roll the footage.
– Wait, you can’t just call for the clip—
Cue the scene: Back at the house, while Science Bob wowed the crowd with liquid nitrogen-powered exploding watermelons—
– Stop! Stop! Cut the clip!
Anyway, before I get interrupted again, let me add the pièce de résistance: a cyclops!
Next up, the activation mixture. Then, it was time to retreat behind the safety glass because this water minion was seconds away from liftoff.
At first, nothing much happened… until it did.
– Wait, is something moving?
BOOM! Success!
– Whoa, it smells incredible in here! And the ceiling—look at it!
– Yeah, I know. No need to say it.
– Fine, fine, you win this round.
With the score at 3-2-1, it was time for the final challenge, worth double points. Anyone could still win—well, except Bob, who could only tie at best. This round? A high-stakes heist involving cracking open a reinforced vault stuffed with cash. The winner would be whoever could stack up the most money.
Finally, a challenge worthy of a laser!
– Aren’t you worried about setting the money on fire?
– Constantly. But the plan is simple: cut here, grab the cash, and walk out victorious. Let’s do this.
With only two minutes to work, Bob’s laser sliced effortlessly through the vault, sparks flying. For a moment, we weren’t sure it would handle the thicker locking mechanism—but it cut through like butter. However, sparks became our biggest concern.
– Mehdi, is something burning in there?
Turns out, yes. By the time Bob opened the door…
– There’s literally nothing left.
– Hey, not true! Look, a dollar corner survived!
So Bob’s score: 25 cents.
Next up was Mehdi’s turn with his powerhouse: 750 amps of raw current.
– Can it beat my 3,000-watt laser?
– Mine’s 31,000 watts. Step aside.
Mehdi’s machine was a real-life lightsaber, glowing hotter by the second and making quick work of the vault’s locks. But as it heated up, his gloves nearly melted, and unfortunately, so did the money.
– My cash! What are you doing?!
Mehdi managed to recover even less than Bob.
Finally, it was my turn—time for the X factor. You might notice the safe is sitting on a giant red X. That’s because I was about to bring 170 feet of unadulterated gravitational potential energy to the fight. Let’s hook it up!
With the safe hoisted high, it was go-time.
– Ten… nine… eight…
CRASH! The impact was spectacular.
– Is the door cracked? Let’s go again, just to be sure.
On the second drop, the safe door flew off like a leaf in the wind.
– That’s my money! Wait… oh no, the wind!
Hundreds scattered everywhere. Despite the chaos, I managed to recover more than a dollar, securing the championship.
– Well, there can only be one winner, and I’m glad it’s me.
– Wait, what are those electronics in the safe? Are they live?
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