What happens if you throw sand into a jet engine?

Derek Muller’s video takes you from the basics (“How a jet engine works” and “Why are they so big?”) through the history of jet propulsion and a behind-the-scenes tour of Rolls-Royce’s precision casting facility. You’ll learn about nickel superalloys (hello, gamma prime!), crystal structures, edge dislocations and how those single-crystal turbine blades are made to withstand blistering temperatures.

After all that geeky goodness, the grand finale: tossing sand into a running engine to see what really happens when abrasive particles meet supersonic turbines. Along the way you get shout-outs to sponsors (KiwiCo, Science Alert), a space-vacation sweepstakes, a tabletop-game Kickstarter, and a roll call of everyone—from university professors to animators—who helped make it happen.

Watch on YouTube