Man Told He Can't Pour Water Down Hoover Dam Tries It Anyway, Resulting in Unexpected Blowback (Exclusive)
Man Told He Can't Pour Water Down Hoover Dam Tries It Anyway, Resulting in Unexpected Blowback (Exclusive)
Jordan GreeneWed, March 25, 2026 at 8:29 PM UTC
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Eddie Vasquez trying Hoover Dam theoryCredit: Courtesy of Eddie Vasquez (2) -
Las Vegas local Eddie Vasquez went viral after testing a popular Hoover Dam theory that pouring water over the edge won’t fall straight down because of strong updrafts
He filmed the moment for TikTok, where viewers were shocked to see the water blow upward
Vasquez says the clip is completely authentic and hopes the viral moment shows that science experiments — and anyone — can go viral online
When Eddie Vasquez visited the Hoover Dam, he decided to finally test a theory he had heard for years — that if you pour water over the side, it won’t fall straight down. Instead, the wind pushes it back up.
The 27-year-old Las Vegas local captured the moment he proved this theory to be true on video, and after posting it to TikTok, the experiment quickly went viral.
“I’ve always been curious if it actually worked, so I wanted to test it for myself,” Vasquez, who works as a lead supervisor for Coach, tells PEOPLE exclusively.
At first, the attempt didn’t go as planned, and Vasquez admits that the initial spot on the dam he conducted the experiment on didn't yield the viral-worthy results.
“I first tried it, and it did not work, and I was kind of disappointed,” he says. “But then I decided to try it from a different area, and it actually worked. I was in shock, and I was impressed, and I did it a couple of times.”
The trick happens because of strong updrafts created by the dam’s curved walls, which can push lightweight water droplets upward instead of letting them fall straight down — something many visitors have heard about but never seen in person.
After seeing it happen with his own eyes, Vasquez knew he had to share the moment online.
“I decided to post it on TikTok because I felt like it was so cool and I wanted everyone else to see that science can also be cool,” he says.
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The clip quickly spread across the platform, amassing over 76 million views, surprising viewers who weren’t sure whether the video was real.
“The comments that stood out the most were the people saying I faked the video, put the video in reverse or whatever the case may be — that’s not true,” Vasquez says. “The video is 100% authentic.”
Eddie Vasquez trying Hoover Dam theoryCredit: Courtesy of Eddie Vasquez
He says some of the funniest responses came from users joking about the science behind the moment. For Vasquez, the viral moment has been especially exciting because it’s different from the content he usually shares.
“This video going viral makes me super happy,” he says. “It’s a little bit different from the other content that I share, but I’m pleased that educational science is popular.”
“I would just like to reiterate that the video is 100% authentic, no camera tricks or optical illusions,” he says.
Eddie Vasquez after trying Hoover Dam theoryCredit: Courtesy of Eddie Vasquez
He also hopes the reaction shows that anyone can have a viral moment online.
“I want people to know that anyone can go viral. It’s not just for the top influencers with millions of followers,” Vasquez says. “If you’re consistent and passionate about creating content, everyone’s time will come.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
