Mark Rober and YouTube Film in Gridley

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - If this seems familiar, it’s because this is the third time former NASA engineer and YouTube sensation, Mark Rober, has come to Gridley to film one of his epic science-based videos and broadcast it world-wide.

Typically, the Rober events held in Gridley are kept quiet, those invited to attend or help build, agreeing not to leak any pictures or footage of the events until after the official release of Rober’s videos on his YouTube channel, which boasts over 21.1 million subscribers.

Owner of Sundial Orchards, Dale Leishman and his family have graciously provided the much-needed acreage for Rober’s large experiments and have rallied crews of community members to help with construction projects necessary to realize Rober’s vision. In his previous videos, Rober has praised locals for their hard work and willingness to help.

The Rober videos filmed here in Gridley have mainly had two goals: break world records and do something amazing for someone well deserving.  The main event in his last two videos attempted to break the Guinness Book of World Records record for the World’s Tallest Elephants Toothpaste"'an explosive colorful foam that is created when the correct amounts of hydrogen peroxide, potassium iodide and food coloring combine and react. Rober achieved this on his first attempt in Gridley with a blast reaching 60-feet in the air. Then, in true Rober fashion, he returned to Gridley for a second shot at beating the first record. A 10-ton Erlenmeyer flask 20 percent larger than the first was constructed from steel and concrete at the Sundial Orchards walnut huller. It would secure the new world record, funneling Elephants Toothpaste a blistering 250 feet in the air. During these experiments Rober celebrated two young men that had survived grueling battles with cancer, treating them to the experience of a lifetime. He even had a little help from fellow YouTuber, Mr. Beast.

Due to the increased fortification of the last flask, it survived the explosion and remains on site at Sundial Orchards in Gridley. Since Rober’s videos are so popular on YouTube, this allowed for YouTube and Rober to recreate the record-breaking experiment, which was featured in a live-stream video compilation of some of YouTube’s most popular videos of the year entitled “YouTube Escape 2021”. Rober’s third Elephant Toothpaste Video was part of “YouTube Escape 2021-Part 2” and begins around the 44-minute time stamp in the video.

In the video, Rober introduces the world to Gridley, “the greatest small town in the USA” and goes on to share that for this third event, he brought 20 percent more chemicals, two colors of foam"'blue and green"'and would have more drone footage from inside the flask and from the plume. A contest of sorts was set – what color foam would win out? Viewers online were invited to guess. Students, along with families and community members came out to help, donning blue or green t-shirts as “Team Blue” or “Team Green.” As the high mark to measure the plume was set via aerial drone, YouTube agreed to donate $1,000 for every foot the foam soared into the air to the organization Team Seas. Team Seas, a fundraising project run by Mr. Beast and Mark Rober, works with Ocean Conservancy and partners to remove millions of pounds of plastic from the world’s oceans and beaches.

In the end, Gridley was privy to a third explosion and another surprise variable. The foam was neither green nor blue but turned out to be yellow in color. Both Blue and Green Teams were celebrated as winners, and the explosive plume of yellow foam reached 150 feet in the air, earning Team Seas a $150,000 donation. In an amazing move, YouTube doubled that amount, and according to the video, plans to donate $300,000 to Team Seas.

Of hosting three Mark Rober video events on his property, Leishman says, “I just feel pretty fortunate to have the opportunity to do this for the community. I mean, see the smiles on all these kids’ faces and even the adults. It’s a great deal. And Mark, his goal is to try and make kids think that they can do anything…they can be creative, and they can be the next NASA engineer.” Assemblyman James Gallagher, who attended the third event said, “I think it’s awesome…I love what this guy does in terms of making science fun for kids and it’s pretty cool to just have him come out here to Gridley!”

To watch Rober’s Elephant Toothpaste experiments or any of his other videos, check out Mark Rober’s official YouTube channel at tinyurl.com/3cr9bh3k. To watch the YouTube Escape 2021-Part 2 video, please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU5-iSw-ipQ&t=3132s . For more on Mr. Beast, please visit his YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/mrbeast6000. For more information on Team Seas, and how you can help the cause, please visit https://teamseas.org/.