10 YouTube Channels that Make Science Accessible to Everyone

YouTube is a black hole of information, silliness, and cats. Sometimes the latter two take up much of our screen time. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a world of incredible science videos that can help us understand how the world works. If you’re looking for something to pique your curiosity, give you some fun facts for your next dinner party, or just good old scientific entertainment; check out some of the channels listed below. 

1. Big Think

If you’re an information junkie, this is the YouTube channel for you. Each video you scroll through is about another topic that you never even realized you wanted to learn about. And with the biggest experts on board, such as Bill Nye and Bill Clinton, there’s no topic too big or too small. Some of the subjects you’ll find include cryptocurrency, PTSD, creativity, homosexuality, and much more.

2. In a Nutshell

In a Nutshell is a great way to fill up on a daily or weekly dose of science. It’s animated, uses simple language, and zooms out to look at the bigger picture of various topics. For anyone who is interested in extraterrestrial life and “what if” scenarios this is your go-to channel. Playlists include universe and space stuff, human stuff (including the science of loneliness and consciousness), medicine and biology, plus even an existential crisis playlist for the daring among us.

3. Vsauce

This YouTube channel has well-edited videos that give a stimulating look at various scientific topics like How to Count Past Infinity and What is the Speed of Dark. At Vsauce you will find topics for both the beginner and the science geek. Some of the most successful videos on the channel are in the Mindfield series, which include topics such as isolation, conformity, and moral licensing.

4. Crash Course

This classic YouTube channel is perfect if you want to get the basics on pretty much any topic. Videos average 11 minutes long and will give you the 101 on subjects such as sociology, engineering, theater, electronic computing, and much, much more. Crash Course includes great visuals plus the language is clear and to the point. They also have a Crash Course Kids for the younger generation.

5. ASAPScience

ASAPScience is full of fun, light, and engaging videos. Their popular videos frequently reach 20 million views and include titles such as Brain Tricks, How Old Are Your Ears, and What Color is This Dress? The songs are probably some of the best content- if you haven’t checked out the Periodic Table of Elements song yet you should probably do that now.

6. The King of Random

This channel is dedicated to piquing your curiosity through life hacks, experiments, and strange DIY projects. The Kind of Random definitely speaks to its namesake, testing out combinations that you’d never think to question yourself, like ‘What Does Liquid Nitrogen Do to Your Face?’ These videos will definitely make you think twice about the strange stuff we can do with household items like ramen noodles and toilet paper. Be careful not to encourage kids to do these things alone as some of the materials can be dangerous.

7. BBC Earth Unplugged

BBC’s Earth Unplugged displays a range of videos including their popular and incredible footage of difference plant, animal, and insect species (including slow-motion and time-lapse) as well as behind the scenes footage of some of their network programs. They also have a great question and answer segment that allows you to interact with them. Fans have asked some great questions such as, How do insects breathe?

8. Healthcare Triage

For those interested in learning more about the world of health, this channel will feed your curiosity. They cover everything from national healthcare systems to common misconceptions. Videos are short (averaging about 7 minutes) so even if you don’t have a ton of free time you can catch a few of these segments and gain some new insight.

9. ElectroBOOM

Sometimes we don’t want to witness the know-it-alls of the planet explain everything. So, if you feel like watching a goofy man who doesn’t know what he’s doing and tries his luck with electricity inspired experiments you have found the place. Make sure to catch his opening song, it’s a sure-fire way to get a good laugh.

10. SciShow Kids

If you’re looking for something educational for youngsters, this channel has short, sweet, and accessible content. Visuals are animated to help kids process the information and the hostess is energetic and colorful to keep them engaged. Episodes teach about machines, the universe, physics of the playground, and include experiments, as well. There’s also a great playlist for emerging scientists to discover what kind of scientist they may want to be.

Research shows that when we learn new things, we strengthen our brain. So, go ahead and check out a topic you never dove into before; who knows where it will take you?