top 200 commentsshow all 250

[–]TheCellch 607 points608 points ago

[–]HGM_IV 93 points94 points ago

I want to see the source of this, please.

[–]Gary_the_Goatfucker 50 points51 points ago

I don't care what the product is I need it now.

I want to turn my cat into an FTL drive.

[–]CommanderpKeen 44 points45 points ago

Why don't I bring over my cat, and we duct tape our two cats together at their backs? Throw in a little antimatter, and we'll build a starship.

Just leave your goat out of it.

[–]Gary_the_Goatfucker 29 points30 points ago

The goat will be the helmsman with me, no debate.

The people will discover the efficient use of cats as FTL drives. Space travel will become almost costless. Cats will be bred for the sole purpose of creating engines. Humans will take to space on vessels designed to breed the most flippable cat. Billions of cats will suffer through tiger pis experimentation and inbreeding. FTL drives will soon become writhing masses of hair and claws, spinning its grotesque and mangled figure in circles until it burns out. Families with pry cats will have to hide them from the daily patrol of police and cat catchers.

It will be a terrible world.

[–]CommanderpKeen 11 points12 points ago

Ok, I can get on board with this.

[–]ABillyGoat 6 points7 points ago

I've been training for this day my entire life.

[–]illaqueable 5 points6 points ago

But you fuck one goat...

[–]Gary_the_Goatfucker 14 points15 points ago

I think you misspelled fifty-seven.

[–]zosoyoung 1 point2 points ago

Poor kitties! Why can't you just use 2 pieces of toast?

Or maybe you could just butter both sides of one.

[–]CommanderpKeen 0 points1 point ago

Because science.

[–]FTLTech 3 points4 points ago

I could help with that.

[–]CocoSavege 3 points4 points ago

I appreciate your interest but it requires more than one cat. Quite a few cats. You see, while the cat-toast engine is (in a myopic sense) an infinite above unity machine, there are practical power limits.

Upon initial discovery and implementation, Dr. Kreckhouser built an initial prototype with Snowball, buttered toast and several magnets to create a current. As the CatToast spun up, initial power levels were good as proof of concept but quickly to Dr. Kreckhouser's (and Snowball's) dismay, the undampened cat toast quickly led to rotational speed above the LD50 of Snowball.

Yup. Snowball died. Pretty horrifically. Terminal hemorrhaging. So, while living cats certainly enable above unity power generation, dead cats do not.

And the machine wound down soon after.

In practicallity, the machine needs to be designed to extract maximum power draw while maintaining a low enough RPM to enable cat life. Curiously, this is a very tricky speed, too low and the machine topples and stalls and too high and we have what's now known as the 'Snowball effect', named in memory.

Additionally, RPMs tend to be higher than a long term acceptable cat sustaining speed. Many more cats have sacrificed themselves for the purposes of solving the world energy crisis.

That's right. PETA got involved and those liberal cat loving faggots pretty well stopped all future development. There had been some promising developments of newer applied cat toast geometries but the mounting cat toll got the entire operation shut down.

And get your tinfoil ready - the largest contributor to PETA is 'BigOil'. Exxon and Mobile are secretly funding the PETA ops against us for obvious reasons.

Fuck PETA. Fuck Exxon.

[–]Gary_the_Goatfucker 1 point2 points ago

Fuck those guys, I have every iHop, Denny's, Sonic and bread company on earth behind me. I WILL FIND A WAY; EVEN IF I COSTS ME MY VERY SOUL! THE CAT ENGINE WILL SUCCEED!!

[–]LieutenantClone 11 points12 points ago

Anyone know where I can buy that energy drink?

[–]Gary_the_Goatfucker 29 points30 points ago

Probably the back of the greatest rave on earth.

[–]habitats 4 points5 points ago

That was... that was brilliant.

[–]Rocco427 0 points1 point ago

That youtube comment made a lot of sense, why didn't he just butter both sides of the toast?

[–]be_more_canadian 6 points7 points ago

You'll never have butter perfectly proportioned on both sides of the toast. One side will absorb more in some spots or it won't be the exact same amount of butter. It has to be a piece of toast taped onto the back of a cat. It's the only way

[–]xrelaht 3 points4 points ago

That's a really old joke, but I'm super happy that someone made a video out of it!

[–]DubiumGuy 2 points3 points ago

It may be an old joke but that's a brilliantly constructed and directed advert.

[–]xrelaht 1 point2 points ago

Oh, absolutely. I wasn't complaining at all!

[–]SpiffySpacemanSpiff 0 points1 point ago

This is, quite possibly, the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

[–]generousone 19 points20 points ago

I love that there is a Wikipedia article on this "paradox" http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttered_cat_paradox

[–]Rayofpain 7 points8 points ago

heres another cool article with another awesome gif http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_righting_reflex

[–]BasketOfCats 2 points3 points ago

Oh, cute little CGI cat? Better throw some MATHS over it.

[–]Lizardizzle 3 points4 points ago

Good god I hadn't realized you linked to the mobile Wikipedia and was afraid Wikipedia did a ridiculously bad site change.

[–]generousone 1 point2 points ago

Haha yeah I was on my phone

[–]willmr 38 points39 points ago

[–]al0newestand 2 points3 points ago

If you do this in Scribblenauts it makes a black hole.

[–]Moovlin 2 points3 points ago

Also relevant. With the math behind it as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvRzWYCZ2e0

[–]lastseer 332 points333 points ago

That cat's face... ಠ_ಠ

[–]FatalPotato 121 points122 points ago

Did you see how focused the guy dropping the cat was?

[–]Bluestank 54 points55 points ago

Quit making me rewatch!

[–]physep 13 points14 points ago

I couldn't stop

[–]foobomatic 17 points18 points ago

You see how focused the cat was? He was like: "Bitch, please. Do I look scared?"

[–]Cup_BeaRuh 4 points5 points ago

He's going for the world champs in cat dropping

[–]YourConsciousness 1 point2 points ago

He's focused because he's an engineer and he's actually trying to observe the cat to see how it rotates.

[–]Lampmonster1 40 points41 points ago

About halfway down I read his expression as "Why have you betrayed me?!"

[–]flying-sheep 33 points34 points ago

that’s focus mixed with horror.

[–]mike413 19 points20 points ago

Oh sh***t. Put legs underneath...
Oh yeah.
Got this!

[–]chiropter 13 points14 points ago

Oh sh***t. Uhhhh...

Legs underneath...

Landing.

Confirmed for landed, proceeding to gtfo.

edit: I saw your ninja edit and preferred first version :)

[–]level32 55 points56 points ago

[–]seppuku_related 1 point2 points ago

"What the fuck are you doing, you stupid fucking human? Stop fucking dropping me." - Cat

[–]asstits 84 points85 points ago

This gif could use an explosion.

[–]Physics_Dude 85 points86 points ago

Smarter Every Day: http://youtu.be/RtWbpyjJqrU

[–]RhodiumHunter 20 points21 points ago

Thanks for doing the job OP was unwilling or unable to do.

The guy doing the cat flipping is on Reddit as /u/MrPennywhistle

This is my favorite video by him.

[–]cumfarts 6 points7 points ago

I had no idea that cats have such a deep understanding of newtonian physics.

[–]UndBeebs 10 points11 points ago

That was by far the weirdest knowledge I have ever acquired.

[–]_littlebones 2 points3 points ago

Oh, I thought it was interesting.

[–]tamarins 1 point2 points ago

Weird and interesting are not mutually exclusive

[–]phijybo 4 points5 points ago

relevant name

[–]Sknowman 0 points1 point ago

It sounds like the cat splats when he drops it!

[–]HRBLT 0 points1 point ago

this animation is a bit more successful at showing how conservation of ang momentum is achieved, visually.

[–]ty8l8er 0 points1 point ago

I loled when he held up the clippers while noting that bobcats are tailless.

[–]pisdrunxrich 2 points3 points ago

..and zombies

[–]rhubarbs 2 points3 points ago

Or just a catchy tune

[–]Ezenne 0 points1 point ago

Wow...

[–]WretchedTom 48 points49 points ago

[–]BitsAndBytes 8 points9 points ago

Awesome! I was actually wondering about the exact mechanics of this!

[–]xrelaht 7 points8 points ago

This is the video the gif is from: http://youtu.be/RtWbpyjJqrU

[–]broostenq 2 points3 points ago

The video the gif is from analyzes the physics behind how/why cats always land in their feet. Definitely worth a watch. I'd grab a link if I wasn't on my phone.

[–]platitude41 5 points6 points ago

That gif is mesmerizing

[–]HGM_IV 166 points167 points ago

GG Cat owner puts a mattress down for the cat.

[–]IByrdl 198 points199 points ago

And the cat's name is Gi Gi.

[–]HGM_IV 23 points24 points ago

Well that's pretty fucking awesome.

[–]WillyWankerFagtory 65 points66 points ago

It actually is. I have no idea why people downvote you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtWbpyjJqrU&feature=youtu.be 1:43

[–][deleted] 13 points14 points ago

I actually found this incredibly interesting.

[–]Robby_Digital 13 points14 points ago

At first I was worried that he was dropping the cat from too high up :0 Then I saw the mattress and my heart was warmed :D

[–]xrelaht 17 points18 points ago

They're actually better at falling from slightly higher distances. They've got great falling reflexes, but it still helps if they've got more distance to adjust in.

[–]Tecktonik 2 points3 points ago

I seem to remember they need about 1/8 of a second to flip over. In this gif you can see that the cat has a good 2 foot clearance after flipping and before landing.

[–]yeliwofthecorn 4 points5 points ago

Considering cats can (and have) survive(d) falls from over 32 stories, there's not much cause for concern.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17492802

[–]acog 14 points15 points ago

That's a relief then. I won't bother breaking out the mattress for any drops less than 30 stories or so.

[–]MisterGone5 2 points3 points ago

Cats can fall from ridiculous heights and be okay, a 6 foot fall without a mattress won't even hurt it.

[–]IM_SHY_HERES_MY_ANUS 1 point2 points ago

not sure if this is totally true but I heard somewhere that a cat can survive a fall at terminal velocity therefore they can survive a fall from anywhere

[–]redditrobert 0 points1 point ago

i've heard the same but with the caveat that falls from under 9 stories are more dangerous. once they hit terminal velocity, they relax which helps with the landing. under 9 stories, they don't have enough time to hit terminal velocity.

typing this comment out, though, it starts to sound a little bullshitty.

[–]IM_SHY_HERES_MY_ANUS 0 points1 point ago

I've never heard the 9 stories thing but short distances are more dangerous because they may not have enough time to right themselves

[–]progeda 1 point2 points ago

Kind of unnecessary, cats can handle falls much much higher than that.

[–]LazinCajun 2 points3 points ago

But when you consider how people who don't know that might've reacted, I ca definitely see it being easier to just drag the mattress outside.

[–]mcaffrey 21 points22 points ago

First time I've ever seen "for science" used on something that was arguably actually for science.

[–]AndresDM[S] 7 points8 points ago

The mattress at the bottom definitely made it science and not cruelty

[–]Thimble 14 points15 points ago

How do cats twist so much without any leverage?

[–]TrollKy 37 points38 points ago

Same way gymnasts do. You can generate internal forces without the use of external forces.

[–]SuperMoses82 22 points23 points ago

Magnets?

[–]SantosLHalper 1 point2 points ago

If that's what you call your muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

[–]ChefBoyarDEZZNUTZZ 0 points1 point ago

But the question is how do they work?

[–]eat-your-corn-syrup 0 points1 point ago

i dropped a gymnast for science. it didn't work.

[–]Thimble 1 point2 points ago

There's something about that gif that's unnerving: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Cat_fall_150x300_6fps.gif

[–]WhoLovesLou 0 points1 point ago

[–]Pudgy_Ninja 21 points22 points ago

This is Destin - he has a YouTube channel called Smarter Every Day. I like it.

http://www.youtube.com/user/destinws2?feature=g-user-lik

[–]BloodyTrannyCock 2 points3 points ago

Congrats, that cat fucking hates you now.

[–]mredtodd 16 points17 points ago

Interesting fact: cats can't flip over in zero gravity

[–]A_wild_fusa_appeared 152 points153 points ago

They also have no need to, in zero gravity they aren't falling

[–]CMcG14 41 points42 points ago

So simple, yet I feel so stupid for not realizing it myself...

[–]phenomenomnom 3 points4 points ago

In zero gravity, they are always falling.

But never landing, so your point stands.

[–]Lampmonster1 22 points23 points ago

Um no, that's not right. No gravity, no falling.

[–]phenomenomnom 22 points23 points ago

I checked; you're right. The definition of "free fall" seems to be different than I thought. A spacecraft in free fall is in orbit, thus gravity.

I HATE MAKING MISTAKES ON THE INTERNET

Now back to correcting people's grammar.

[–]Lampmonster1 9 points10 points ago

Happens to everyone. Well, not me, but everyone else.

[–]PalermoJohn 2 points3 points ago

The thing is: zero gravity doesn't exist. Negligible gravity does, though.

[–]TheSnow7 0 points1 point ago

I hate physics sometimes. It just likes to be inconvenient.

[–]makopolo2001 1 point2 points ago

Lawyered!

[–]Jozoz 14 points15 points ago

Yay.

I'm learnding.

reference

[–]AML86 6 points7 points ago

Fuck learnding, I wanna be Super Nintendo Chalmers.

[–]smokinlawngnome 1 point2 points ago

Me fail English that's umpossible!

[–]cancercures 1 point2 points ago

Yay sleep! Thats where im a viking!

[–]runsoutofspace 1 point2 points ago

I'm Idaho!

[–]pmille31 0 points1 point ago

So, at the center of the Earth?

[–]xtfftc 10 points11 points ago

I did several experiments with my first cat to see if he would always land on his legs. He wouldn't, but he would at least manage to twist to one side, so that he wouldn't fall on his back.

Anyway, for the scientists out there: do cats flip in both directions, left and right? Or do they do mostly left, or mostly right? Or only left/right?

[–]joetromboni 41 points42 points ago

yes they do

[–]bobwaci 4 points5 points ago

It's a vestibular postural reflex, I would think that they flip to their dominant side, similar to how if I told you to walk to a point and then walk back, you would turn in the direction that you are more use to.

[–]sjmck 3 points4 points ago

You were probably dropping your cat from too low a height. You weren't giving your cat enough time to right itself, and you could have seriously harmed the cat that way.

[–]cumfarts 2 points3 points ago

PSA: always drop cats from high places

[–]mrpoops 0 points1 point ago

Or on a bed into a bunched up comforter. My beagle seems to enjoy it, but cats are assholes - so its always a crapshoot.

[–]xtfftc 2 points3 points ago

Precisely. Which is why the statement "a cat always lands on its feet" is inaccurate. It should be something in the lines of "a cat always lands on its feet, as long as it is dropped from high enough to have enough time to twist".

and you could have seriously harmed the cat that way

I know, but I was about ten and stupid. Still, I was dropping him on a mattress, and he was very tough, so he was fine.

[–]sjmck 0 points1 point ago

That's good to hear. Thank you.

[–]eat-your-corn-syrup 0 points1 point ago

Shrodingers cat do it in | left > + | right >

[–]Merrcury 0 points1 point ago

Reverse?

[–]Landpuma 0 points1 point ago

crazy how their legs act as perfect shocks and are perfectly in position right before hitting the ground.

[–]Soap_N_Cabbage 0 points1 point ago

In a world of talkers, be a thinker and a doer.

One of the best youtubers IMO; his channel is destinws2

[–]ConvictedSexOffender 0 points1 point ago

I was expecting to see people buying cats, then fixing them up and selling them.

[–]soupdogg8 1 point2 points ago

Video for those who want the actual science part

[–]mkhc 2 points3 points ago

i thought the title said cat fapping for some odd reason...

[–]e6600 2 points3 points ago

i did this once as a kid, and on the way down my kitty clawed a huge scar into my arm
never did that again

[–]DJMuschy 3 points4 points ago

Our cat could flip 180 in a distance as little as 10 inches.

[–]down_vote_magnet 6 points7 points ago

Sorry about the person who downvoted you, who clearly has no idea about this.

I used to show my friend how cats twist onto their feet, and I would hold him upside down a foot from the ground or less and he would twist onto his feet still.

Edit: inb4 holding friend upside down

[–]Koric5733 3 points4 points ago

[–]Peacockblue11 1 point2 points ago

[–]kawfey -1 points0 points ago

For SCIENCE!

[–]bowhiker 1 point2 points ago

Moon Valley Football!

[–]thenewgray 1 point2 points ago

This video is from Youtube user destinws2's Smarter Every Day channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtWbpyjJqrU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AR4yntqLsQ

[–]rando99 1 point2 points ago

[–]Soylent_Gringo 0 points1 point ago

New field of study:

Prehensile Tail Dynamics.

[–]TypicalRunOfTheMill 0 points1 point ago

Always love how effective cats' suspension systems are.

Edit: did i use the apostrophe correctly?

[–]SkylineDriver 0 points1 point ago

Put a buttered piece of bread on his back, buttered side up, and drop him again

[–]shoobz 0 points1 point ago

Was just about to downvote this for animal cruelty, then I saw the mattress/trampoline thing. Upvoted for awesome instead.

[–]bo87 1 point2 points ago

How is this only 996kB?

[–]Random_Fandom 0 points1 point ago

It's only using a 32 color palette, which is also why it's so grainy.

[–]TheGetz 0 points1 point ago

can't. stahp. watching.

[–]acdcdave1387 0 points1 point ago

It's that damn tail man, we need tails...and no pussy vestigial stuff, I am talking full blow dinosaur tails.

[–]MickeyWallace 0 points1 point ago

Cat flipping. For shits 'n giggles

FTFY

[–]MisterAnd0 0 points1 point ago

Watched this gif for 5min while listening to this, my morning started out great.

[–]Firefighter99801 0 points1 point ago

That is a gorgeous cat

[–]Blame_The_Cats -1 points0 points ago

Kill Them All . . .

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

"What is this human doing to me? I don't really understand why he's holding me up like thiOOOHHHHHH SHHIIIIIIITTTTTTT okay I'm fine."

[–]azombiehummingbird 0 points1 point ago

I was gonna say, the kitteh looked a little miffed towards the end.. heheh. Dat ear twitch.

[–]lowgradegold 0 points1 point ago

Don't let PETA see this shit. They'll flip like the cat in this GIF.

[–]btd39 0 points1 point ago

Don't do this with your cat. If you don't give them enough time to flip over and they land on a hard surface they can break their backs.

[–]Rioth -1 points0 points ago

I am surprised it took mankind this long to come up with a slow-mo video of a cat righting itself up!

[–]SgtCherryPoppins 0 points1 point ago

Well, as long as it's for science.

[–]joeprunz420 0 points1 point ago

What if it didn't land on its feet?

[–]DalekBen 1 point2 points ago

DEPLOYING LANDING GEAR

[–]Airazz 0 points1 point ago

I did many tests on this myself. I was looking for a minimal height at which the cat still manages to flip downside down. Turns out that it works as long as cat is at least one its own height above the surface. Like, if the cat is about 5 inches tall, then before the drop the back of the cat must be at least 5 inches above the surface, otherwise it doesn't have enough time to flip.

Also, one interesting thing: if a cat is dropped as in the gif, then it's all fine. However, if the cat is dropped ass-down (and its head pointing up), then it won't rotate at all. It just lands on its ass.

[–]Gr8WhiteGrammarNazi 0 points1 point ago

I was a bit miffed till I saw the squishy thing.

[–]Aory 1 point2 points ago

What happens if you put a spin to the cat?

[–]Drugerts 0 points1 point ago

Right into the garbage can

[–]BaconWrappedEnigma 0 points1 point ago

The cat is just like 'Aw shit he's doing it again. Maybe if I land on my feet, he'll stop dropping me'

[–]first_team_all_state 1 point2 points ago

he really stuck that dismount

[–]nesswithanL 1 point2 points ago

my cat fell from 29 stories.. i wish she would've landed on her feet :(

[–]Schobbo 0 points1 point ago

cats use their tails to do the flip in the air, if you had a cat without tail it couldn't do that

[–]Stefawnayy 0 points1 point ago

I was really hoping the dude was Bill Nye the Science Guy

[–]bicket6 0 points1 point ago

Watching this I had the rocky theme song stuck in my head

[–]NickTheNewbie 0 points1 point ago

THE ENEMY GATE IS DOWN

[–]Racheldkane 0 points1 point ago

Watching Puss in Boots - everytime he was falling or jumping, when he was about to hit the ground he would adopt this very same, legs straight out posture. Thought it was just a funny little detail. Turns out, very realistic.

[–]ericfig 0 points1 point ago

we did this to my friends cat and it landed on it's back. he's ok though

[–]allocater 0 points1 point ago

How can she flip?!

[–]YesNOorMaybe 0 points1 point ago

"Aww helllllll no"

[–]realfuzzhead 0 points1 point ago

And here, ladies and gentleman, is a perfect example of conservation of linear momentum.

[–]Gingersnaps69 0 points1 point ago

It's concluded, the cats made a deal with the lord of gravity and logic. Ensuring their skill of landing.

[–]shizbots 1 point2 points ago

Somewhere in the world, a redditor just shed a tear at the thought of a cat in harms way.

[–]51N3 0 points1 point ago

That cat looks truly terrified.

[–]groovyreg 0 points1 point ago

Can everyone stop dropping their fucking cats now, please? Some stoned 10-guy pricks are going cause some injuries.

[–]eat-your-corn-syrup 0 points1 point ago

that's not how Ma-Ma fell

[–]ilikeraresteak 0 points1 point ago

That cats face, haha

[–]randombroz 0 points1 point ago

Cats are so cool

[–]carrot0101 0 points1 point ago

Destin?

[–]vocherro 0 points1 point ago

Question: if the cat had no tail would it still be able to do this?

[–]MadamToulouse 0 points1 point ago

Manx cats have no tail and can still do this.

[–]zdiggler 0 points1 point ago

When are they going to take a cat up to space station for science!?

[–]NFresh6 0 points1 point ago

I've always wondered (and I've never heard of Google), if dogs do the same. Or any other animal for that matter. Anyone know?

[–]Prince_Edward_IV 0 points1 point ago

That cats face, omg lol. He's like "ShiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIiiittt"

[–]SeanBondConnery 0 points1 point ago

That face

[–]stearles 0 points1 point ago

Why was he holding that cat by it's feet D:

[–]powerharousegui 0 points1 point ago

I love how his face is like "I am an awful human being."

EDIT: Botched punctuation I believe.

[–]3ric3288 0 points1 point ago

Since cats always land on their feet and buttered toast always lands buttered side down. What if you somehow strapped down a buttered toast on the back of a cat, buttered side up, then drop the cat. Would the cat still land on its feet?

[–]IsThisMeta -1 points0 points ago

Your joking, right?

http://youtu.be/Z8yW5cyXXRc