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Ask HN: Long-form info-dense videos on YouTube you would recommend to anyone?

54 points by alin23 ↗ HN
I like watching 30-to-90 minute videos to learn about some new domain, and I feel like YouTube videos could have less fillers than Netflix documentaries in that duration range.

Examples of videos I watched and would recommend to anyone no matter their expertise:

* The Secret Life of the Electric light: https://youtu.be/W79s0PsHhDc

* Fun to Imagine with Richard Feynman: https://youtu.be/P1ww1IXRfTA

* A mind-expanding tour of the cosmos with Neil deGrasse Tyson: https://youtu.be/AyAK3QBnMGQ

* The magic of chemistry with Andrew Szydlo: https://youtu.be/0g8lANs6zpQ

* The Beauty of Bézier Curves: https://youtu.be/aVwxzDHniEw

* All about musical scales: https://youtu.be/Vq2xt2D3e3E

* Woodturning a modern chess set: https://youtu.be/bmTcWoXTxi4

* How Imaginary Numbers Were Invented: https://youtu.be/cUzklzVXJwo

39 comments

[ 2.4 ms ] story [ 98.4 ms ] thread
mardiyah
Almost nothing

it's due to (almost) all you tube educative info contents is terrible as youtuber just target the max viewers as much as possible without caring content's truthfulness and quality

happytoexplain
Yes, but "almost nothing" in a domain of millions of educational videos is still a lot. One just needs help curating, like this thread.
ericbarrett
The Biggest Ideas in the Universe by Sean Carroll, an intro to modern physics, including homotopy and quantum field theory. He does some math but you'll follow if you've finished high school. Don't miss the Q&A videos in between the 26 regular episodes.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HI09kat_GeI

alin23
Whoa, this will keep me busy for a lot of boring mornings.

There are a lot of physics concepts I struggle to understand, like what are electrons if they aren’t orbiting particles as we were taught, and what really is quantum entanglement.

This playlist will definitely help, thanks!

emerged
FYI if you watch the video and like it, he also has a great podcast (Mindscape) which often involves physics but usually combines it with some other topic being discussed with a guest.
blintz
This is a bit outside of technical stuff, but if you like political/social commentary, I think ContraPoints has really entertaining and also fairly well-researched video essays. She is definitely part of the left, but I think people of most political persuasions can find her engaging and funny, even if they don’t agree 100%.

https://m.youtube.com/user/contrapoints

alin23
Thanks a lot! I’m definitely not looking for technical stuff only. It’s just that, YouTube’s recommendation algorithm skews me in that direction.

I like watching videos about interesting bits of history, debating/solutions for various civil/political problems, seeing someone being extremely good at their craft (whether that’s woodworking, electronics, painting, building houses using old techniques, etc.).

I also like investigative videos without blockbuster content and a ton of dramatic music, but those are really hard to find.

susodapop
Her video about Envy stands out as one of the best I’ve seen on YouTube. Up there with Sagan or Harari in how it’s affected my worldview.

While her videos are enjoyable to watch, they are also quite listenable during a long trip or while cooking.

grech
How The Economic Machine Works by Ray Dalio comes to mind. It's 31 minutes long and provides a great high-level overview of basic economic principles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHe0bXAIuk0&t=3s

Jugurtha
This was my go-to video to put me to sleep, but it has sound effects and I found other videos. The two others are Clayton Christensen's talk at Google, and John Danaher's appearance on the Lex Fridman podcast. These two are just amazing as the dynamic range of everyone's voice is so narrow. They don't have ups and downs. Their voice is rather monotonic and soothing. I'm asleep in less than 5 minutes. I know because I remember the topic I slept to, and diff it with the topic I haven't listened to.

I also listen to old tool restauration videos/CNC/industrial sounds as they put me to sleep as fast if I haven't booked a hotel room on the first floor of a hotel that gives to a busy city street at peak time, or at a specific place that overlooks a mechanic shop with pneumatic tools during work hours. I can't control traffic or people's work hours, so these videos are the closest I got to reproducible, predictable, on-demand sleep.

doitLP
https://m.youtube.com/c/everyframeapainting

Every Frame A Painting. A great channel (that I wish was getting new videos) going deep on about aspects of moviemaking, editing, musical scores etc. High production quality videos and interesting even if you’re not a film buff or movie nerd.

alin23
This is marvellous! I loved when YouTube recommended me some stuff about camera angles from Vox, or how interesting old 3D cameras worked.

I didn’t really know how to search for this kind of content, this channel is gold!

oplav
Tony Zhou and Taylor Ramos (of Every Frame A Painting) are involved with Netflix's new show Voir, which seems to follow the same video essay format. Haven't watched it yet, but it's on my list.

https://www.netflix.com/title/80990130

pjc50
I'm not generally a fan of made-for-youtube, but they do have some classic documentaries on there. Including "the most expensive factual series ever made", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_at_War . Made in the 70s, it was long enough to regard it as history but recent enough that senior participants were still alive and available to be interviewed.
ftcHn
Thanks for this. Great timing as school holidays have just started in Australia and I like to get my boys watching some interesting educational content.
Isinlor
Everything from 3 blue 1 brown: https://www.youtube.com/c/3blue1brown

Visualization of Quantum Physics (Quantum Mechanics): https://youtu.be/p7bzE1E5PMY

history of the entire world, i guess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuCn8ux2gbs

TIMELAPSE OF THE FUTURE: A Journey to the End of Time (4K): https://youtu.be/uD4izuDMUQA

Humanity was born way ahead of its time. The reason is grabby aliens. and Grabby aliens: when we'll meet them, how big they are, and other predictions

https://youtu.be/l3whaviTqqg

https://youtu.be/LceY7nhi6j4

Everyday Astronaut videos (he has 90 min documentary on Soviet rocket engine): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6uKrU_WqJ1R2HMTY3LIx5Q

Cool Worlds - a lot of 25-35 min very nice astronomy explanations: https://www.youtube.com/c/CoolWorldsLab

'A Universe From Nothing' by Lawrence Krauss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ImvlS8PLIo

ricc
If you’re into guitar and specifically guitar pedals, almost any video by JHS Pedals where he talks about technology and/or history of a specific pedal type or brand/model.
rajandatta
Some History and Tech topics

Fall of Civilizations - multi-hour documentaries on historical events and, well, the fall of civilizations. The one on early Sumer is brilliant.

Kings and Generals - brilliant episodes on Military History around the world and big time span. E.g. one in Caesar's Gallic campaigns is brilliant.

Code-report - Programming, APL introduction, book workshops on books like SICP.

newacc9
"What Bitcoin Did", "The Future of Bitcoin" with Nic Carter (7 days old) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yhW5HsuNJs

When Pubs Briefly Replaced Banks, Patrick Boyle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFIQWWt4UaA

Why Jurassic Park Looks Better Than Its Sequels https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKALxKbjOaE

Animation Is Under Appreciated https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYUCzG8CgLw

CASEY NEISTAT: WHAT YOU DON'T SEE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbiJqTBCQuw

Joe Rogan, when he interviews restauranteurs and hunters

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