The How Ridiculous trick-shot team, renowned for their daring stunts and world-record attempts, recently experienced an unexpected—and explosive—moment during one of their ambitious challenges. While aiming to set a world record for the highest basketball shot ever made, the team decided to conduct an intriguing experiment: what happens when an overinflated basketball is tossed from a staggering height of 415 feet? The results were nothing short of spectacular.
The Setup: A Record-Breaking Ambition
The How Ridiculous team, consisting of Scott, Kyle, Brett, and Derek, is known for their innovative and entertaining trick shots. Their stunts often blend skill, physics, and humor, earning them a dedicated following on platforms like YouTube. For their latest challenge, the team set their sights on Tasmania’s Gordon Dam, a massive structure standing 415 feet tall. Their goal was to break the record for the highest basketball shot ever made—a feat requiring precision, creativity, and just a bit of madness.
Before attempting the actual trick shot, the team decided to experiment with an overinflated basketball. Normally, a basketball is inflated to 8.5 pounds per square inch (psi), but for this experiment, they pumped the ball up to an astonishing 50 psi. The team wanted to see what would happen when the pressurized ball collided with the cement below. What followed was an explosion that nobody—except perhaps the How Ridiculous crew—could have predicted.
The Experiment: Anticipation and Impact
Standing atop the massive dam, the team launched the overinflated basketball into the void below. As the ball hurtled toward the cement surface, the tension among the team members was palpable. In the video documenting the stunt, their voices can be heard urging the ball to “blow up, blow up, blow up.” When the ball finally made contact with the ground, it delivered a spectacularly loud boom that echoed across the dam.
Fragments of the basketball flew in all directions, with some pieces rebounding as far as 50 feet. The team’s reaction was priceless—they cheered, laughed, and marveled at the sheer force of the explosion. “It’s nothing that we’ve ever had happen before,” one of the team members said, adding that the “carnage was pretty epic.”
The Science Behind the Explosion
Why did the basketball explode so dramatically? The answer lies in the physics of air pressure and material stress. At 50 psi, the air pressure inside the ball was nearly six times higher than its recommended level. This excessive pressure pushed the basketball’s material to its limits. When the ball struck the cement, the impact created a sudden spike in pressure, overwhelming the ball’s structural integrity. The result was an explosive release of energy, with the loud sound and flying fragments illustrating just how powerful air pressure can be when contained in a small space.
The team’s choice of the Gordon Dam as the site for the experiment added another layer of excitement. At 415 feet, the dam provided plenty of time for the ball to accelerate due to gravity. By the time it hit the cement, the combination of its velocity and internal pressure guaranteed a dramatic outcome.
From Chaos to Triumph: Setting a New World Record
After the thrilling detour with the overinflated basketball, the How Ridiculous team refocused on their original mission: setting a new world record for the highest basketball shot. Using a regulation basketball inflated to the standard 8.5 psi, they launched shot after shot from the top of the dam. Their determination paid off when one of the attempts found its mark, setting a new record for the greatest height from which a basketball shot was successfully made.
The successful shot was a testament to the team’s skill, patience, and dedication. It also demonstrated the extraordinary lengths they are willing to go to in pursuit of their passion for trick shots. The achievement was celebrated not only by the team but also by their fans worldwide, who applauded their ingenuity and persistence.
A Legacy of Fun and Innovation
The How Ridiculous team has built a reputation for pushing boundaries and entertaining audiences with their creative stunts. From dropping bowling balls onto trampolines to launching watermelons from skyscrapers, their videos showcase a unique blend of science, skill, and humor. The exploding basketball experiment is just one example of how they use curiosity and a willingness to take risks to create unforgettable moments.
What sets the team apart is their ability to turn even unexpected outcomes into sources of joy and entertainment. The exploding basketball wasn’t part of their original plan, but it became one of the highlights of their Gordon Dam adventure. It’s this kind of spontaneity and adaptability that has endeared them to fans around the globe.
Why We Love the How Ridiculous Team
The How Ridiculous crew embodies the spirit of experimentation and fun. They remind us that it’s okay to step outside our comfort zones and try new things, even if the results aren’t always predictable. Their stunts often serve as reminders of the wonders of physics and the joy of discovery. Whether they’re breaking records or creating “epic carnage,” their enthusiasm is infectious.
Conclusion: A Blast Worth Remembering
The exploding basketball and subsequent record-breaking shot at the Gordon Dam will go down as one of the most memorable chapters in the How Ridiculous team’s history. It’s a story of experimentation, excitement, and the occasional unexpected twist. By sharing their journey with the world, the team continues to inspire and entertain, proving that sometimes the best moments happen when things don’t go exactly as planned.
So, what’s next for the How Ridiculous team? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: whatever they attempt, it’s bound to be creative, daring, and a whole lot of fun. Until then, we’ll be rewatching the exploding basketball video and marveling at the incredible combination of science and spectacle that makes How Ridiculous so unique.
