Fascinating animation shows what actually happens when bulletproof glass is shot at

We've all seen enough action movies to know what happens when people shoot at bulletproof glass - the way the glass gets punched up without actually breaking, saving the lives of those behind it.

It seems likely that fewer of us, though, actually know how real bulletproof glass works. It's one of those pieces of technology that is far away enough from most people's lives that it might as well be magic.

A recent YouTube short from the Zack D. Films (@zackdfilms), though, has explained bulletproof glass really clearly, and in less than a minute.

It offers up a quick animation of a bullet speeding toward a bulletproof window on a car. As it does so, the bullet first hits an outer layer of glass, shattering part of it and passing through.

However, it'll then immediately hit a layer of touch plastic, carefully designed to spread the bullet's impact and force through itself, distributing it to lessen the impact of the bullet.

This layer of plastic will also catch the glass shards from the first layer itself, making it even more cleverly designed.

The plastic basically cushions the bullet's impact as it hits the window, although it might well not be enough to stop it entirely - luckily, there's another glass-and-plastic pairing right behind it, to act as a second stopping point.

This is apparently enough to stop most bullets, but theoretically, we'd imagine that you could keep adding more layers to get more protection, so long as you're able to practically accommodate.

This is part of why famous vehicles like the US President's massive limo, nicknamed The Beast, have such thick doors and windows - they have to fit some seriously chunky bulletproof glass.

When a bullet hits, one thing's for sure - you're not going to be happily looking out of that window anymore, since it'll have a huge shattering impact mark on it.

Alan Majchrowicz / Getty

But it's got to be said - even if it needs replacing once it stops a bullet, you'd probably consider that money well spent if it actually came down to it.

It's fascinating to learn a bit more about how this technology actually works, and it's left people amazed in the comments under the video.

One person wrote: "The hard glass is supposed to deform or even shatter the bullet so its easier for the softer glass to stop it", showing they already know a thing or two about the tech.

Another was more simply impressed: "I do love that such powerful stuff is often so simple in design."