Inspired by this post:
If we’re reviving everything then start with Mythbusters
What are some modern channels that do similar stuff? If episodes area available, what are older shows that might work?
Some more general examples that come to mind:
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SloMoGuys - mostly seeing things in slow motion to see how it works
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How Ridiculous - For a younger audience, but it fits
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Mark Rober - Engineered stuff
Not quite related, but maybe:
- Tom Stanton - STEM -he’s been doing air powered planes lately
- DIY Perks - Projects - He does all kinds of neat projects that aren’t necessarily sciencey
- Integza - STEM - He’s been discovering better was he can build rocket thrusters *Colinfurze - Engineering - He does wacky things
- Steve Mould - Science - He gives explanations over intriguing phenomena with amazing physical models
- Practical Engineering - Engineering - He explains why our infrastructure is the way it is
I’m certain there are more; these are just the ones I watch.
BPS.space, RCtestflight, Project Air, and Wintergatan do some sciencey engineering stuff
There are also a ton of great CS YouTubers including Sebastian Lague, Acerola, AngeTheGreat, b2studios and Pezzza’s work
Some of the more rigorous scientific channels include Nighthawkinlight, CNC kitchen, RCtestflight, Wintergatan, and Major Hardware
Not a science experiment person but i like Dr Becky and PBS space time for space youtubers. They go really in depth and i love it.
Also Nileblue and his other channel Nilered are great for chenistry experiments.
PBS Space Time is the real heavyweight of science youtube, bit of a one-stop-shop for more advanced science questions.
Problem is you can’t jump straight in. It’s proper education, so it builds on itself in layers, and you need the previous layers to be able to work with future ones. You need at least a fluent HS level of physics and algebra to be able to run with them, and if you go there for the answer to one question, you might find yourself going back down a tree of their previous vids just to pick up that important background/foundational stuff that is necessary to see how it all fits together.
Otherwise it’s science-flavored word salad.
Nile, on the other hand, is immediately accessible. He’s doing hands-on laboratory stuff, and explaining particularly important basics as he goes. Chemistry background helps, but is not actually necessary. Love that dude, he’s great.
Also, if you like Dr Becky, check out Sabine Hossenfelder.
Also, props to SEA, who imo strikes the best balance of everyone in the space science community between accessibility and scientific accuracy. As opposed to someone like Astrum, who occasionally will be inaccurate, but is more science entertainment anyway.
Lastly, going to throw out Journey to the Microcosmos’ microscopy vids. Big and far away is cool, but small and right on top of you is kinda cool too. They’re basically nature documentaries, just … bacteria instead of lions and zebras and shit.
Alright, I’ll just dump:
PBS Spacetime, for answers to roughly-university-level physics and foundational science: https://youtube.com/@pbsspacetime
The Science Asylum, for quicker, more concise answers to specific physics questions in Bill Nye style: https://youtube.com/@ScienceAsylum
Sabine Hossenfelder, for science news updates: https://youtube.com/@SabineHossenfelder
Dr Becky, for astronomy/astrophysics news: https://youtube.com/@DrBecky
SEA, for more accessible astronomy/astrophysics explainers: https://youtube.com/@sea_space
Scott Manley, for space exploration/engineering analysis: https://youtube.com/@scottmanley
NileRed for hands-on chemistry: https://youtube.com/@NileRed
Journey to the Microcosmos for microscope science: https://youtube.com/@journeytomicro
Institute of Human Anatomy for physiology, with a lean towards medicine: https://youtube.com/@TheAnatomyLab
Lastly, the Godfather himself, Mark Rober for mechanical/electrical engineering, and how to use ultra-fine glitter and fart spray to fight package thieves: https://youtube.com/@MarkRober
You changed the world, Mark.
Once you start digging through enough of these, the algorithm will pick up that you like good science stuff, and will start helping you out a little. There’s thousands of them now, professionals, working fully within their areas of demonstrated expertise. I recommend googling their full names and checking their background before trusting them yourself. This is like, off the top of my head, though, just some of my favorites for evening background audio.
There’s also whole worlds of math youtubers in-line with all the above, that are outside the scope of this question.
I’ll edit if I think of more. I probably will.
edit: I do realize several of these, such as the astrophysicists, are not experimental. I’m digging for more experiment-oriented types, but neither my memory nor my algorithm is helping.
I’ll throw in Steve Mould
Are there any that are not on youtube? I’m trying to degoogle my life, and youtube is on the hardest ones to find alternatives to.
You’ll probably never find a 1:1 replacement for youtube, but Nebula has a lot of similar content on it for a reasonable price.
I mostly don’t need a 1:1 replacement, just great content. There is more great content added in a day than there are hours - even if I watch on 2x speed. Note that I reduced this great content as opposed to the junk and there is still more than enough. Just give me some of that content and I’m happy. (junk vs great is in the eye of the beholder)
Smarter Every Day is the big one for me.
For explosives there Ordnance Lab, they have the paperwork for all kinds of stuff the Mythbusters couldn’t get their hands on.
Modern History TV for medieval life. Tod’s Workshop for pre modern weapons. Grand Thumb for firearms. Townsends for colonial/revolutionary american food and lifestyle. Primative Technology. Miniminuteman, archaeology.
Chemistry YouTube: Explosions and Fire, for an Australian synthesizing explosives in a shed. Nilered for interesting chemistry in an actual lab. Various others.
How to Cook That debunking cooking myths and tiktocs.
Donut Media, car stuff.
Visual effects and debunking: Captain Disillusion Corridor Crew
Law: Legal Eagle Steve Lehto
Special mentions: Lindybeige Sabine Hossenfelder
Start looking into this and you get loads more in your recommended. For all the low effort R-ddit and meme channels there are loads of people working on high quality content. Learning YouTube is vast once you get into it. Nebula is pretty good too.
Cody’s Lab. He has been building a Mars base in the Utah desert for a couple of years now, including not being able to work on stuff without a “space suit” or Robo Cody. He also does a lot of very interesting science experiments involving chemistry, engineering, and geology.
Styropyro. Very hard to describe, seriously just watch one of his videos, your mind may be blown (by lasers or very large battery arrays, who knows!)
Followup question 2: What are some questions you have that you want to see done by someone? (In case this prompts someone to think of a channel)
How the monetization of content, even in cases where the content is good and I enjoy the creator, leads to a loss of freedoms online by contributing to laws and tools used to force other creators out of spaces and restrict access to content the was open and free in the past like archival sites. Contributing to a worsening of online services and experience for all over time. And as the generation that are early adopters we are doing a disservice to future generations by not shoring up the things that make being online great and instead allowing it to become a billboard like a NASCAR fender while “look how this bridge is created, like and subscribe” plays in the background
Followup question 1: What are some MythBusters episodes that you recommend everyone try?
