The world’s largest Super Soaker. A pool filled with gelatin. A 250-foot-tall explosion of green foam. Unusual experiments like these have made Mark Rober one of YouTube’s biggest stars. His videos have been viewed nearly 18 billion times.

As a kid, Rober was curious about the way things work. He loved solving problems, even if it took many attempts.

“I grew up in a family where we were always encouraged to try new things,” Rober says. “I realized you could use creative problem-solving to totally hack everyday life.”

In 2004, Rober got a job as an engineer at NASA, the U.S. space agency. He helped design the Curiosity rover, a car-sized wheeled robot that has been exploring Mars since 2012. 

While at NASA, Rober got an idea. He would show the world how amazing engineering can be with videos that push science to the next level. 

“By making the science wacky and extreme, it proves that engineering isn’t just about formulas in a textbook,” Rober says. “It’s about having the imagination to build something mind-blowing. Boom!”

Over the past 15 years, Rober has posted more than 260 videos. Here’s a look at his process. 

The world’s biggest Super Soaker. A pool filled with gelatin. A 250-foot-tall blast of green foam. These are some of Mark Rober’s unusual experiments. They’ve helped make him a star on YouTube. His videos have been viewed nearly 18 billion times.

As a kid, Rober liked learning about how things work. He loved solving problems, even if it took many tries.

“I grew up in a family where we were always encouraged to try new things,” Rober says. “I realized you could use creative problem-solving to totally hack everyday life.”

In 2004, Rober became an engineer at NASA, the U.S. space agency. He helped design the Curiosity rover. That’s a car-sized robot that has been exploring Mars since 2012. 

While at NASA, Rober had an idea. He wanted to show the world how amazing engineering can be. He started making videos that pushed science to the next level. 

“By making the science wacky and extreme, it proves that engineering isn’t just about formulas in a textbook,” Rober says. “It’s about having the imagination to build something mind-blowing. Boom!”

Over the past 15 years, Rober has posted more than 260 videos. Here’s a look at his process.

Rober’s experiments often begin with finding a problem to solve. Sometimes that problem shows up right in his backyard (see “Man vs. Squirrels”) or outside his front door.

For example, when someone stole a package from his porch, Rober wanted revenge. But how would he get it? Then it hit him—he’d get payback by leaving future thieves a package that contained a messy, smelly surprise called a glitter bomb! 

Rober’s projects often start with finding a problem to solve. Sometimes that problem shows up right in his backyard (see “Man vs. Squirrels”). Or it might be outside his front door.

One time, someone stole a package from his porch. Rober wanted revenge. But how would he get it? Then it hit him. He would leave future thieves a special package. It would contain a messy, smelly surprise called a glitter bomb!