Enemies of Captain America, take note. Apparently lava will punch through his mighty shield. Or at least a metal replica of it. YouTube channel PressTube tested out the lava versus shield for its ongoing Molten Lava Experiments playlist. And even if you’re Team Cap, it’s fun to watch.
The lava sets the paint on fire immediately. Based on the video, it could be that the shield’s shape would actually save Captain America were someone to shoot lava at him. Much of it slides off, meaning it takes a while for the lava to punch through. The process, which could be called a scientific experiment, is filmed from multiple angles so we can watch how it works.
Though the video says the shield is vibranium, that metal doesn’t actually exist. Someone knocks on it so we know it’s not simply the plastic version. Which means it’s likely aluminum, which has a melting point of 1,221 degrees Fahrenheit. Regular lava burns at over 2,000 degrees, so we’re assuming this homemade version of lava does as well.
There’s many more fun PressTube videos where lava is poured on stuff. Including the surprising result that dry ice freezes the lava before the lava can melt it. Another one we’ve seen shows what happens to a tire if you try to drive over lava. There’s also scientific experiments involving lava, like using insulators to touch the molten liquid. Don’t try any of this at home!
It turns out that you don’t have to travel far and melt a drone in order to get cool lava videos. Technically, you could do it right in your backyard. But even better is to leave it to the professionals and watch YouTube videos of other people doing it from the relative safety of your nearest device.
Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.
