Recently, I went to an event in which Bill Nye talked about how science is communicated to the public in the age of the Internet. He said “In the age of the internet, there is a vast amount of information about science on any number of topics. But unfortunately the quality in that information is much lower than it used be.” As much good, scientific information here is out on the Internet, there is equal amounts of bad science being spread and served up as fact. A great way to combat the spread of bad scientific information is to push good science onto the public in an entertaining and easy to digest format so that people can apply what they’ve learned in a meaningful way. One of the best ways I have seen this done is through YouTube.
Two channels that are particularly interesting are SciShow, and MinutePhysics. These two channels are prime examples of excellent scientific communication that is detailed enough, yet also explained so flawlessly and simply that your average person can understand it.
SciShow is a popular YouTube channel created by Hank Green who is also the main presenter of the channel. Him, along with two other partners aim to educate the public on a wide range of scientific topics. There is no specific theme to their channel, only that it is all about science, answering science questions, and discussing science current events. Their target audience varies; it’s mostly targeted the average person with a bit of interest in science. However, they try to get people interested in science by answering frequently asked questions, scientifically.
The lengths of Scishow videos vary but are generally short, about 2-10 minutes depending on the category of the episode. I feel this helps keep a general audience’s attention while still giving enough time to put in significant information. As far as their sources go, it’s a mix of primary and secondary sources such as, scientific articles, encyclopedias, and papers. The format of the videos are usually a single speaker talking (usually Hank Green) and trying to engage you in discussion and using pictures.
I think SciShow is one of the most successful science video series aimed at the general public. It’s interesting, engaging, and overall very informational! One of their most recent successes is a series called, “The World’s Most Asked Questions!” in which they answered 10 of the world’s most Googled scientific questions. It was a huge success and I learned a lot from watching it. I learned how to stop the hiccups, how many calories I should eat in a day and what energy is. This series and their “Quick Questions” series are some of their most successful material on YouTube purely because of the format. They are short, condensed videos that answer broad general questions using science rather than speculation. I must say that overall SciShow is a great success, there isn’t much I can say to improve upon it. Sometimes I find myself craving more information after one of their short two minute videos, but that’s really the only complaint I have. I’ve watched them religiously over the past three years they’ve been on YouTube and I continue to watch their other spin-offs like SciShow Space.
MinutePhysics is another popular YouTube channel that has a more central theme; physics. The channel was created by Henry Reich, who is the sole announcer on his videos, unlike SciShow where there can be multiple speakers. MinutePhysics really sets itself apart by virtue of the format of Reich’s videos. His main goal is to very simply explain important concepts in physics and math and how they can relate to our questions about our world. On his channel he has a quote, which sums up his goal, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t know it well enough.” He reaches this goal by keeping his videos very short. The length ranges from 10 seconds to 4 minutes. He uses time-lapsed drawings, that he does himself, to illustrate his narration throughout the video. This really keeps the watcher interested not just in what he’s saying, but how he’s illustrating it. Since he explains things so simply, his main target audience is mainly people who have little knowledge on physics and are willing to learn a little more.
As far as success, I feel MinutePhysics is really successful. I personally watch MinutePhysics on my own time and it really has taught me a lot! One of my favorite videos is “How to See Without Glasses.” I actually use the information I learned in that video in real life, and it has helped me out when I forgot my glasses. The video explained how your eyes focus light and how lenses work. He explained that if you make a really tiny hole with your fingers and you look through it, you could actually help focus the light into your eyes if you’re having trouble seeing things from far away. It was fascinating to learn the physics behind light and focusing light, and to feel I learned something applicable to my life. My only complaint is that I would like to see where his sources are listed. I’ve looked throughout his YouTube channel and couldn’t find a source list, while SciShow posts their source list below every video. But, the fact that I can learn why the sky is blue and how Radar’s work in 10 seconds is amazing! Reich really can boil down complicated physics explanations into short nuggets and that’s what I really enjoy about his channel.
Over all, I think both mediums are really successful at reaching a broad audience through their videos. Our generation would rather watch an engaging video than read a wall of text. The general public also tends to have a short attention span, so since these videos are in small doses that keep things interesting, people are much more likely to digest that information. That is really their biggest commonality, the fact that their short videos are really successful. I will continue to watch these channels, as I have been doing, and continue to learn a little more science every day.
