When science met YouTube, it was rendered accessible — transformed from tongue-twisting jargon, ubiquitous in the pages of intimidating textbooks, to welcoming multimedia, widely available for varied audiences.
YouTube is brimming with entertaining and informative science videos, which offer a fun and innovative way to learn scientific concepts outside of the classroom. These clips make science interesting and easy, leaving you eager to learn more, and equipped with interesting facts and figures to drop into conversations.
Even the least science-inclined person can find a niche among the many different science channels offered on the platform. Along with the usual cute cat videos, take some time and check out some educational entertainment this summer.
With over 2.6 million subscribers and a few million views per video, AsapSCIENCE a powerhouse and a leading science channel on YouTube. The short weekly videos found on this channel are aimed at understanding the science of everyday life, from the science of aging to why we yawn when we are tired. This channel offers short doses of easily understandable science, cleverly illustrated and animated on a whiteboard, making even the most boring topics entertaining.
The name of this channel is derived from veritas, which is Latin for “truth.” It has over 100 videos featuring mind-blowing research, experimental demonstrations, and public discussions pertaining to various disciplines in science. Veritasium has been featured on the BBC and in Scientific American.
SciShow
This channel offers a crash course in science and is a go-to for many students for its wide selection of educational videos. A charismatic host explains common science concepts such as reproduction and evolution, making them easy to understand for all viewers. In addition to covering many common concepts, SciShow also reports on science news and the history of science.
Vsauce
With over seven million subscribers, Vsauce is one of the most popular education channels on YouTube. Not limited to science, it is sure to feed your intellectual thirst with videos covering topics across various academic fields. It also covers a lot of interesting, weird science, such as aliens, and why people kiss.
Sick Science!
Do you like doing cool at-home science experiments? Sick Science! will bring out your inner mad scientist. The easy, hands-on experiments, such as colour-changing milk and shrinking bags of chips, will fulfill your need to discover for yourself how things work.
Think “fun” and “physics” should never go in the same sentence? Then you certainly have not come across MinutePhysics. With time-lapsed drawings, this channel makes learning physics topics short and sweet. With cool topics, like explaining why pink is not a real colour and clarification about the Higgs Boson, the channel concisely covers various physics concepts.
SmarterEveryDay
This channel explores the everyday world using various scientific disciplines, including topics in physics, such as rockets and helicopter mechanics, and videos in zoology, which take a closer look at strange animals. Ever wondered what beat-boxing looks like in slow motion, or why cats are practically ninjas on their feet? Check out this channel to find out; it really can make you smarter every day.
CGP Grey
This is a channel makes videos with fun photos and animations explaining a range of academic topics. Not only covering the physical sciences, these videos also discuss phenomena in political science and economics — there’s something here for everyone.
TheBadAstronomer
Dedicated to debunking common myths in the field of astronomy, this is your go-to channel for everything related to astronomy and space. It’s a great tool to help you understand the universe and beyond.
