Mad Russian scientist throws boiling water over a balcony

In this photo illustration water comes to the boil on a gas stove on January 8. 2009, in Milan, Italy. (Getty Images)

"Oh those crazy Russians!" as Boney M once so astutely observed. It might be - 41 degrees outside but YouTube user lifehackertv is not sitting indoors under his slanket watching Homeland.

Instead he's experimenting with what happens when you throw boiling hot water over the balcony of an old Soviet housing block, recording the results and putting them on the internet for all to see. Isn't science wonderful?