Massive Mousetrap Hunts Taxi Crab Prey

Looks like the Make Faire had a taxi problem this weekend, which is probably why organisers invited Life Size Mousetrap creator Mark Perez to the event to do what he does best: Destroy them as elaborately as possible.

Now, you remember the original Mousetrap game, of course. The one with the dozens of colorful plastic pieces that players assembled into a mini Rube Goldberg machine so they could trap each other’s mouse game pieces? It never really worked. Unlike this one, which crushes just fine, thank you.

Perez’s vision took about 15 years to complete. It takes five days to set up and two more to take down. It weighs 22,600kg, which seems like a lot until you consider components like the two-ton safe that crushes the car at the end, or the ship’s anchor and 160kg bathtub. They add up.

Today, Perez travels to fairs and such with his merry band of life-size mousetrap-constructing assistants and drops two-ton safes on cars to the amusement of many. This past weekend, four out of the six tries were successful—and just like the original, there was someone ready and waiting to give the little ball a helping hand when it got stuck. [CNET]