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Mark Rober is a mechanical engineer who worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), including on mechanical design for projects such as the Curiosity Mars rover, before building a career making engineering-led videos. His best-known early viral project, the Glitter Bomb, was a custom fake package designed to expose and deter package thieves with a burst of glitter, foul-smelling spray, and hidden recording and tracking equipment. It was an inventive video project—not a commercially available kit or a proven theft-prevention system.
Was Mark Rober really a NASA engineer?
Yes. The more precise description is former NASA/JPL mechanical engineer, rather than “NASA scientist.” The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) reports that Rober earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Brigham Young University and joined JPL in Pasadena in 2004. While working there, he earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Southern California.
At JPL, Rober used computer-aided design (CAD) to design mechanical parts and instruments for projects that included the Curiosity Mars rover. Caltech’s 2023 profile says he spent nine years at JPL, followed by four years at Apple as a product designer. These roles give useful context for his videos: he was drawing on professional experience turning ideas into physical designs, not simply presenting science as a topic.
JPL group supervisor for mechanical engineering and design Brian Okerlund described Rober to ASME as “a very creative individual who brought a lot of fun to the workplace.” Rober later summarized the appeal of his field in the same profile: “That’s the cool thing about being a mechanical engineer,” he said. “If you have an idea, unlike most of the people in the population, you have a much better opportunity to build something physical that achieves a task.”
#1 Best Overall
- Over 40 grams of glitter!
- Sturdy 7 inch shipping tubes and a 9 inch spring
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How did Mark Rober move from engineering to YouTube?
His creator career began with a physical idea that could be understood immediately on screen. ASME traces one early turning point to a Halloween costume in 2011: two iPads mounted through a shirt created the illusion of an opening through the wearer’s torso. The video’s reception encouraged Rober to post regularly. In 2012, he launched Digital Dudz, a business making technology-enhanced costumes.
The through-line was already visible: design a tangible effect, make the engineering legible to a broad audience, and use video to share the result. The Glitter Bomb took that approach into a more elaborate project with a clear real-world target—packages disappearing from Rober’s Northern California home.
How did Mark Rober’s original Glitter Bomb work?
Rober built a convincing fake delivery package as a custom project intended to deter and expose package thieves. ASME’s 2019 profile describes a device loaded with a pound of glitter and foul-smelling spray, along with four hidden smartphones used for GPS tracking and recording reactions. TIME’s December 2018 account describes a six-month design process, GPS technology, four cameras, and fine glitter; it says the parcel was made to resemble an Apple HomePod.
Rank #2
- Item Weight: Weighing in at 40 grams, this cylindrical flake-form glitter bomb is packed with a powerful punch
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- End Closures: Secured with industrial staples and a tabbed-end tape for easy removal
- Dimensions: With a 2-diameter and 7-length, this glitter bomb is compact yet mighty, making it perfect for pranks and parties
The accounts use different descriptions for the recording equipment: ASME identifies four smartphones, while TIME refers to four cameras. Both describe a package designed to capture what happened after it was taken, and the sources also report GPS capability. The glitter and unpleasant-smelling spray made the theft conspicuous; the concealed recording and tracking equipment documented the reaction and helped follow the package.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThis was a bespoke invention built for a video, not evidence of a standardized consumer product. The available accounts document its reported features and media reception, but do not establish that it reduced package theft, make it a validated home-security system, or provide legal guidance for copying it.
How big was the Glitter Bomb video’s early reach?
ASME’s 2019 profile gives a dated snapshot of the video’s initial spread: it reported nearly 12 million views in one day and nearly 54 million views by late January. The profile also said Rober’s subscriber count rose by nearly one-third to six million in roughly one month. These are historical figures reported in 2019, not current channel statistics.
Rank #3
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The video’s reach helped turn a practical engineering build into a broadly shared spectacle. It also demonstrated how Rober’s format could make a technical concept—the design of a device that performs a task—part of an entertaining story.
Why do Rober’s videos connect engineering with entertainment?
Institutional profiles describe his work as more than a series of pranks or demonstrations. ASME presents the Glitter Bomb as an engineering project shaped by a specific problem, while Caltech’s 2023 profile connects Rober’s public influence to his identity as a self-described nerd. In Caltech’s account, he said: “Being a nerd and somebody who can influence is a superpower.”
The combination matters: a surprising visual hook can draw viewers in, while the underlying build shows that engineering is a way to make an idea work in the physical world. That same educational ambition appears in Rober’s current CrunchLabs work.
Rank #4
- 💌 Versatile Fun: Compatible with Joker Greeting Cards or any card of your choice.
- ✨ Glitter Surprise: Adds a sparkling twist to the ordinary card experience.
- 📬 Simple Setup: Easy to use and prepare for sending.
- 🎁 Perfect for Any Occasion: Birthdays, Anniversaries, Holidays, you name it!
How CrunchLabs extends the educational approach
CrunchLabs is Rober’s hands-on STEM education venture. In a September 29, 2026 announcement, YouTube said the first Class CrunchLabs courses—“Carnival of Collisions” and “Mission Maglev”—were being released on YouTube. The courses pair videos with supplemental teaching resources and activities for grades 6–8, extending the entertainment-plus-explanation format into classroom learning.
YouTube’s announcement described a broader program plan featuring more than 1,000 videos in 34 languages, with future courses planned alongside creators including ElectroBOOM and How Ridiculous and organizations including the National Science Teaching Association and NASA. Those figures and collaborations reflect what the announcement said was planned; they are not an independently audited statement that every course or resource is now complete.
Rober described the program’s aim in the announcement as curriculum that “exceeds all state science standards,” costs “over $60 million to make,” and would be free forever. Those are his descriptions of the initiative, not independently verified budget or standards-assessment findings. He also explained the teaching philosophy behind it: “We’re dealing with matters of the heart, getting them excited and creating visceral experiences. That’s how the learning sticks.”
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →For viewers drawn to the Glitter Bomb’s mix of invention and spectacle, CrunchLabs carries the engineering theme into structured, hands-on learning. It is an educational extension of Rober’s video work, rather than a commercial Glitter Bomb kit.
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