Skip to main content

138 Synchronized skydivers shatter vertical formation world record [Video]

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cats and dogs never actually fall out of the sky, so why do people still use such a strange expression when commenting on heavy rain? Probably because it won’t have as good a ring to say it’s raining boys and girls, even if 138 of them just simultaneously came down from the sky as part of the world’s newest record for most skydivers in a vertical formation.

Jumping from six planes over Ottawa, Ill. — a town approximately 80 miles outside of Chicago, the 138 skydivers beat the previous world record of 108 people. Despite the 2-minute duration of the actual stunt, it took 15 attempts over the span of three days before the skydivers were able to perfectly join hands for a snow flake formation. Divers also faced speeds of up to 220 mph and had to perform acrobatic moves on par with “doing a handstand at 7,000 feet,” as Rook Nelson, an organizer and the owner of Skydive Chicago, described to TIME.

Recommended Videos

In the video, you can see the divers jumping off the plane and seemingly maneuvering their way in the air to reach the main group. Then, you quickly realize the skydivers were performing this upside down until everyone was able to come together. The result is a colorful snow flake shape that lasts for only a few seconds before team members broke off separate ways to release their parachutes. Later that Friday evening, three judges from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale confirmed the stunt as the new world record. Almost as crazy as the recent record for a skydiver who landed with no parachute!

The skydiver team was also quite diverse, with 13 women selected for the world record breaking stunt and other team members hailing from France, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Russia, Italy, Belgium, Australia, and Great Britain to take part. So perhaps raining cats and dogs doesn’t make sense in this scenario, but it sure is raining men.

Watch the video below to see the actual dive and prepare to be mesmerized.

Natt Garun
An avid gadgets and Internet culture enthusiast, Natt Garun spends her days bringing you the funniest, coolest, and strangest…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more