It is a special occasion when you capture that one in a million shot, when you witness an amazing spectacle and have your video camera at your side. Natural disasters and unexplained phenomena happen every day. Still, there are few videos of these events as they occur. With the expansion of personal video cameras in the last 20 years, sometimes we get a glimpse at something unusual and amazing. YouTube makes it possible for us to view these videos from all around the world. Here is a collection of 10 amazing videos you can find on YouTube. I am always on the lookout for new finds, so be sure to let me know of any other unbelievable youtube videos that are not mentioned here.
10. Ride That Mega-Tsunami
Mike Parsons is one of the most amazing athletes on the planet. He is a big wave surfer and one of the best at his profession. He was made famous by this video which shows him riding a 65 ft. wave off the beaches of Jaws, Hawaii. The footage was filmed from a helicopter and is 100% real. At the time, it was the biggest wave ever surfed, but Parson’s broke his own record in 2008 at Cortes Bank. He has numerous extreme surfing videos, including Billabong Odyssey, which I recommend.
9. Mythbusters Play with Helium and Sulfur Hexafluoride
This is an amazing and simple scientific experiment featured on the show Mythbusters. Everyone knows what happens when someone inhales helium, their voice gets high and squeaky for a couple of seconds. Adam Savage decides to see what happens when he inhales sulfur hexafluoride, which is much denser then air and has the exact opposite effect as helium. Basically, it will make your voice sound deeper and like you are from the dark side. This video demonstration is hilarious as Adam inhales both helium and sulfur hexafluoride.
8. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 Crashes
Ethiopian Flight 961 was hijacked on November 23, 1996 by three Ethiopians who were seeking political asylum. Flashing a fake bomb, the attackers demanded that the flight be re-routed to Australia. The pilot explained that there was not enough fuel on board to make that trip, but the hijackers ignored him. Secretly, the pilot headed towards the Comoro Islands, which are halfway between Madagascar and the African mainland. The plane was nearly out of fuel as it approached the Island group. The pilot was forced to ditch in the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean of the Coast of Grand Comoro Island. As the plane landed, a coral reef hit the engine causing the plane to spin to the left and break apart. Tragically, 125 of the 175 passengers and crew aboard were killed in the accident. A tourist recorded this video later proclaiming that she thought the 767 aircraft was part of a surprise air show. It might be the most clear and devastating plane crash video ever taken.
7. Route 168 Landslide in Japan
A landslide is a geological phenomenon that often plagues the country of Japan. Around 75% of land in Japan is forested, mountainous, and unsuitable for agriculture or residential use. Because of these steep elevations, levels of rainfall, earthquakes, and soft ground, Japan is extremely landslide prone. In Japan, many busy roads are built across mountain slopes. Route 168 is a national highway connecting Shingu, Wakayama to Hirakata, Osaka. Landslides like this often cause much heartache to the area. Highways routinely become blocked and many people don’t have an alternative way to get home. This has caused city officials to adopt many landslide prevention and safety programs. In the video you can see the slide abolish everything including the protective fence surrounding the highway.
6. The Ghost Car
One night the Garden City police were in pursuit of a car. The vehicle was driving sporadically and would not pull over to the side of the road. It seemed to be speeding up and slowing down at abnormally rapid levels. It was all captured by the police officers’ dash camera. As the pursuit ensues, the car enters a fenced-in parking lot and the chase seems to be coming to an end. Suddenly, the car turns directly toward the fence and seems to mysteriously drive right through it. All that you can see is a faint view of the car’s tail lights as it barrels into the fence. There are no signs of a crash on the fence or behind it. The cop cruiser comes to a stop and the car and its occupants are never located. Supernatural or not, you decide.
5. Christian the Lion
In 1969, John Rendall and Anthony Bourke purchased a baby lion from Harrods department store of London. They raised Christian for a year and then ultimately had him released back into the wild. After hearing that he had been successfully reintroduced to his natural habitat they took an expedition to Kenya to visit their lion. It was one year later and the men were accompanied by a documentary film crew. Many conservationists warned Rendall and Bourke that Christian would not remember them. The reunion that ensues is touching to the heart. Christian cautiously approaches, but then runs and jumps into the men’s arms. The documentary also shows two female lions and one foster cub that are friendly with the crew. With many tragedies on this list I figured a light-hearted story of friendship would fit nicely.
4. Challenger Explosion
It was the United States’ 25th official space shuttle launch and the Challenger’s tenth trip into space. It was a special mission and included American teacher Christa McAuliffe, who won a contest to participate in the NASA Teacher in Space Project. The Challenger mission was delayed many times and finally was set to launch on January 28, 1986. Sadly, 73 seconds into the launch the Challenger broke apart and exploded leading to the death of all seven crew members. It was later determined that the accident occurred when a faulty O-ring seal on its right rocket booster failed. The failure allowed a plume of flame to explode out of the rocket booster and damage the external fuel tank and attachment struts. By that time it was too late to save the shuttle. It was one of the most costly and tragic accidents in United States history and was all caught live on television.
3. Paul Potts sings Nessun Dorma
Paul is a British tenor who won the first series of Britain’s Got Talent. Before the competition he was a mobile phone salesman. This video shows his rendition of “Nessun Dorma,” which immediately made him the front-runner on the show. You can see Simon Cowell laughing at him before he begins and then enter into a state of shock as Potts performs. This is one of the most popular videos in YouTube history. Paul was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show whose topic was YouTube videos. After winning the competition Potts went on a massive world tour, consisting of 97 concerts in 85 cities spanning 23 countries. Paul Potts first album One Chance was a multi-platinum masterpiece. It reached the #1 spot in 13 different countries around the world, proof positive that everyone can enjoy some good opera music. A similar scenario took place with Susan Boyle.
2. 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Hits
On December 26, 2004 a 9.3 earthquake struck off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. What followed was a devastating tsunami that traveled all along most coasts of the Indian Ocean. It was one of the most deadly natural disasters in recorded history and more than 225,000 people were killed in eleven different countries. The hardest hit areas were Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand. There were many sad and terrifying videos taken of the tsunami as it struck the mainland. Beach resorts and tourist attractions were hit first in many instances. This clip shows a couple of different videos of the tsunami as it reached land. It truly gives you a sense of the deadly power of this disaster. Watch as the ocean completely engulfs a large pool at a beach-front hotel.
1. The Battle at Kruger
You know that a YouTube video has become famous when it has its own Wikipedia page. That is the case for the Battle at Kruger. The video was shot in September of 2004 at a watering hole in Kruger National Park, located in South Africa. It shows an epic real life battle between a pride of lions, a herd of Cape buffalo, and one or two crocodiles. It all begins when the lions attack one of the baby buffalo and tackle it into the river. While the lions are trying to finish off their meal, a crocodile grabs onto the buffalo and tries to take it. The lions prevail and pull the buffalo from the water only to then be attacked by the herd. It is truly an amazing clip that shows an animal’s true struggle for survival.
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