In April 2009, Somali pirates hijacked a container ship, the Maersk Alabama – but the crew disabled the ship and captured one pirate. The pirates retreated to a lifeboat, taking Captain Phillips hostage. At one point, Phillips jumped into the water in an attempt to escape. In the film Captain Phillips (2013), this was dramatized, showing him swimming away, but quickly getting recaptured under threat. However, if he knew the science, he could have escaped. Watch the video . . .
About the Video
Tested member Evan Currie wondered, “When you did the gunfire into water myth, I noted that the higher powered rifles actually penetrated less than lower powered ones, however they did it by expending all their energy much faster. I was curious if you guys ever considered testing whether the shockwave from something like a .50 BMG rifle might actually be deadly even if the bullet never reached the target?” Thank you, Evan! Here are Adam’s thoughts on the matter.
