The whole fun behind Rube Goldberg machines is seeing a complex series of procedures lead to an ultimately simple task. What you are about to see is what has become the new world record for the largest functional Rube Goldberg machine ever built. The 300-step complex creation is an amazing array of interconnected machines and tools all set out to achieve the ultimate goal: to pop a balloon.

Built by the Purdue Society of Professional Engineers, the team smashed their own previous record of 244 steps, set last year. The team spent more than 5,000 hours constructing the machine and selected an "end-of-the-world" theme in honor of 2012 doomsday scenarios. 5,000 hours just to pop a balloon? Crack all the nerd jokes you want, but these guys are now world record holders. Also most likely single. (Sorry!)

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