Mishaps, unexpected reactions, hard-to-describe happenings? Sounds like you’re talking about viral videos. Ever since YouTube made it possible for everyone and anyone to easily upload their favourite footage, we’ve been treated to a non-stop (and often over-the-top) stream of visuals from around the globe.
Here, for your viewing pleasure are a hand-picked selection of some of the most viewed and shared videos from the past year. Enjoy!
10. Suspension bridge demolished
There’s just something about watching big structure being ripped to pieces by carefully-placed high-explosives that never fails to quicken the heart-rate just a little. The Fort Steuben Bridge, which spanned the Ohio River from Steubenville, Ohio to Weirton, West Virginia only took a few seconds to implode, after standing for 84 years! Make sure you’re wearing headphones for the full effect.
9. Humans fly over New York City
Okay, so there you are, minding your own business as you walk the streets of New York City when a shadow passes overhead. As you look up, you’re greeted by the sight of what looks like a person flying Superman-style overhead. Are you freaking out? No, of course not, you’re a New Yorker. It’s going to take a lot more than some flying people to make you drop your coffee. But if you lived anywhere else? Yeah, that would definitely cause a sensation.
8. Gymnastics crasher steals show
Can you believe this guy? Shows up to a women’s gymnastics competition, grabs the floor for himself, performs a whole routine and then takes a bow and skedaddles. The nerve! Actually I’m just jealous I can’t do any of the things from this video. Except the bow at the end. I can do that.
7. Whale nearly swallows surfer
Now I don’t do a lot of surfing (none, in fact) but this can’t exactly be a regular occurrence can it? Just for the record, no surfers or whales were harmed in the making of this video.
6. Costa Concordia close up
The now infamous grounding of the cruise ship Costa Concordia was an especially surreal event both for those aboard the ill-fated ship and those watching at home. A ship listing near shore, a feverish rescue effort to locate survivors and a captain that had apparently been one of the first to abandon the vessel. Very, very odd. There’s something haunting about this video as we glide past the half-submerged hulk of the ship and view deck chairs still clinging precariously to the top deck. The cruise ship ran aground after striking a reef off Isola del Giglio, Italy on January 13th, 2012.
5. Guy wins $1M, freaks out
Technically this one is from last year, but people keep playing it so it’s in! Ever wonder how some people can be so blasé upon hearing some good news like winning money? Well, not this guy. He is one pleased puppy. Too bad he completely forgets about his “new friend” after getting the good news.
4. Cargo ship crashes into harbour
Ah, just another sunny day watching the waves and the ships in port. Oh look, here comes one now. Kind of coming in fast isn’t he? And there’s something weird about that angle and uh.. what the… OH MY GOD!!! I sincerely hope there was no one aboard that white boat. Gulp.
3. UCLA marriage fail
Long walks in the park, great conversations over romantic dinners, meeting the parents. When all the signs are there, it just makes sense to take the next logical step and propose, right? And in the most public place you can think of. With a camera recording the whole thing. What could possibly go wrong?
2. Dramatic iceberg implosion
Should you ever find yourself on a cruise in Antarctica, watching the grandeur of nature pass you by, and an iceberg happens to self-destruct mere metres from your tiny tour boat, this is what you do: 1) don’t stop the camera rolling. Ever. 2) Look over to the person in charge of the tour boat and make sure that they are more focused on getting you out of harm’s way than on the iceberg. 3) Scream and holler until the mic on your camera starts to distort the sound into an incoherent noise. Like this…
1. Driver narrowly misses person on highway
I guarantee that if this is the first time you are watching this video, the first thing you will do afterwards is watch it again. It’s just crazy. Even crazier: no one died! But the craziest thing of all is that there are still people out there who don’t wear their seatbelts even after watching something like this.
