I do hope the people "confused" by this, simply had not been shown the inlet yet. Once you see those scoops, you immediately recognise how it works. The scoops dig material from outside the pipe's footprint, and force it into the footprint. The material already inside the pipe footprint cannot escape downwards, so it's forced up the pipe. The screw is only there to overcome the headlift limitation of this de fakto pump. Without the screw, the mass of the material in the pipe would increase until it pressed down just as hard as the scoops pressed inwards.,(reply>), i think once it gets started there's also some amount of friction from the tube that works the material up the auger. but yes i saw it right away as well, it's  primed by the scoops.,(reply>), This! I remember watching this video when it came out, completely puzzled by how this thing can work. Rewatched it now expecting the same reaction, but then I saw the b-roll showing the bottom of the machine and was relieved immediately :) I guess I simply missed it back then, it's a very brief shot after all.