Applied Science, Veritasium, and Smarter Everyday are some of my favorites. The series Smarter Everyday did on submarines and the Kodak factory were incredible!
I sadly stopped supporting veritasium and smarter everyday on patreon because their clickbaty title failed to get me interested in watching the videos anymore.
I sure the economics work out in their favour and the actual content is still great, but for me it wasn't even a conscious decision more like a fading away.
Sad that these day giving even a hint of the actual topic in the titles seems to turn off the algorithm/viewers. That and "short" formats for videos that really need an in-depth discussion.
Back to books it is I guess.
Given the question was about channels worth following in 2024, I'm not sure about including Tom Scott, since he's sadly just now stopping his 10 year streak of releasing weekly videos.
Or the epic tale of political intrigue in "The $21,000,000,000 hole in Texas" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xSUwgg1L4g about the The Superconducting Super Collider that never was.
Sebastian Lague does some of the best programming videos I've ever watched: https://www.youtube.com/@SebastianLague He is pretty light on the actual code (it's all open to see but he doesn't spend long going over it) and is focused on the outcome, which is huge for me.
He releases weekly 40-minute episodes covering topics like far-future engineering, aliens, planetary science, and all sorts of insane questions most people would never think to ask let alone spend 40 minutes answering. I stumbled upon this channel in 2020 and am so glad I did.
He produces similar content to Isaac Arthur but in shorter chunks, generally 20 minute episodes that are the ideal content for falling asleep (in a good way).
This is a series with 60-90 minute episodes released every 2-6 weeks. The production quality is insanely high, and the content is generally related to cosmology and history of science, often presenting answers to questions in a form of narrative from early scientists to modern day cosmologists.
Most WSF videos are 2-3 hour long conversations between host Brian Greene and either a single guest (like Stephen Wolfram recently) or a panel of a few guests. Brian Greene is an excellent moderator who possesses an unrivaled ability to articulate and ask thoughtful questions about the most complex of abstract concepts, in a way that a non-expert can understand and appreciate them.
Robert Lawrence Kuhn interviews guests in multi-part 10-20 minute videos asking deep questions about topics like consciousness, cosmology, physics and philosophy. Some of these episodes are old uploads, but I believe some of them are new as well. He's had some excellent guests, like Roger Penrose, Leonard Susskind, Nick Bostrom, and many others.
This one is more of a guilty pleasure, and it's a bit of a fringe channel that built most of its following from the UFO sub-culture. But the host Curt Jaimungal is highly articulate and asks thoughtful questions of guests that might not join other more mainstream podcasts. His open-mindedness has attracted a wide range of guests, from Lue Elizondo and Steven Greer, to Noam Chomsky and Stephen Wolfram. Generally speaking the guests are more weighted toward the "Intellectual Dark Web" variety, but don't let that stop you from watching. I first encountered this podcast because it was the only one to interview Salvatore Pais, the researcher whose name is on the US Navy patents for technology so futuristic that most consider it disinformation (I agree).
Very active channel by the person who made Kirby, Super Smash Bros, and other games. If you're interested in game development or game history, it's work a look!
For some reason I've really started to enjoy watching more or less silent travel journeys on Japanese ferries. So much I'm planning to do a few trips myself.
That's a great one too! I think I've pretty much watched all that channel as well. It's a great quiet channel to have your coffee in the morning.
There's also a couple variations of the solo Japan name which have varying quality. I don't even know what the original is anymore but I grew up riding ferries so I'm partial to the ferry heavy channels.
If you like aviation-related content, check out Juan Browne: youtube.com/@blancolirio
He breaks down interesting topics, unfortunately often related to general aviation accidents. He also did some interesting videos on the California droughts in the past few years. He's also a 777 pilot for American Airlines.
I like his presentation style and overall approach.
34 comments
[ 4.0 ms ] story [ 81.7 ms ] threadI sure the economics work out in their favour and the actual content is still great, but for me it wasn't even a conscious decision more like a fading away.
Sad that these day giving even a hint of the actual topic in the titles seems to turn off the algorithm/viewers. That and "short" formats for videos that really need an in-depth discussion. Back to books it is I guess.
- Nils Berglund: https://www.youtube.com/@NilsBerglund
- Integza: https://www.youtube.com/@integza
- Nighthawk: https://www.youtube.com/@Nighthawkinlight
- SKynetic: https://www.youtube.com/@Skyentific
- The Federal File: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFederalFile
- AlphaPhoenix: https://www.youtube.com/@AlphaPhoenixChannel
The best channel about AI
- AI Explained: https://www.youtube.com/@aiexplained-official
Papers and news about AI and computer graphics
- Two Minute Papers: https://www.youtube.com/@TwoMinutePapers
Awesome channel about science.
- Veritasium: https://www.youtube.com/@veritasium
Very good and long interviews
- Lex Fridman: https://www.youtube.com/@lexfridman
The rest of the list is also for fun and science
- Mentour Pilot: https://www.youtube.com/@MentourPilot
- Tom Scott: https://www.youtube.com/@TomScottGo
- Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell: https://www.youtube.com/@kurzgesagt
- Sabine Hossenfelder: https://www.youtube.com/@SabineHossenfelder
- I Do Cars (broken engine tear downs) https://www.youtube.com/@I_Do_Cars
- Tech Moan (old tech, weird japanese tech) https://www.youtube.com/@Techmoan
- Computer Chronicles (old tech TV show) https://www.youtube.com/@ComputerChroniclesYT
+1 on Lex Fridman. Some of the guests on Joe Rogan, such as Aza RFaskin and Tristan Harris talking about AI. https://open.spotify.com/show/4rOoJ6Egrf8K2IrywzwOMk
Electronics, projects, software etc…
Documentaries about daring scientific fraud such as "The man who tried to fake an element" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe5WT22-AO8 or "The man who faked human cloning" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ett_8wLJ87U
Or the epic tale of political intrigue in "The $21,000,000,000 hole in Texas" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xSUwgg1L4g about the The Superconducting Super Collider that never was.
annotated reviews of high-level chess games: - https://www.youtube.com/@ChessNetwork
blender tutorials: - https://www.youtube.com/@blenderguru
Practical Engineering (https://www.youtube.com/@PracticalEngineeringChannel) is also very good for deep explanations of civil and other engineering.
Darknet Diaries https://youtube.com/@JackRhysider
LaurieWired https://youtube.com/@lauriewired
LiveOverflow https://youtube.com/@LiveOverflow
fasterthanlime https://youtube.com/@fasterthanlime
Low Level Learning https://youtube.com/@LowLevelLearning
Mark Normand (humor): https://www.youtube.com/@marknormand
- Isaac Arthur: https://www.youtube.com/@isaacarthurSFIA
He releases weekly 40-minute episodes covering topics like far-future engineering, aliens, planetary science, and all sorts of insane questions most people would never think to ask let alone spend 40 minutes answering. I stumbled upon this channel in 2020 and am so glad I did.
- John Michael Godier: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnMichaelGodier
He produces similar content to Isaac Arthur but in shorter chunks, generally 20 minute episodes that are the ideal content for falling asleep (in a good way).
- Event Horizon: https://www.youtube.com/@EventHorizonShow
This is a podcast from John Michael Godier featuring longer episodes and interviews with guests.
- History of the Universe: https://www.youtube.com/@HistoryoftheUniverse
This is a series with 60-90 minute episodes released every 2-6 weeks. The production quality is insanely high, and the content is generally related to cosmology and history of science, often presenting answers to questions in a form of narrative from early scientists to modern day cosmologists.
- PBS Space Time: https://www.youtube.com/@pbsspacetime
Host Dr. Matt O'Dowd narrates ~20 minute videos, released every 2-4 weeks, exploring questions related to cosmology and theoretical physics.
--------- More General Science ---------
- World Science Festival: https://www.youtube.com/@WorldScienceFestival
Most WSF videos are 2-3 hour long conversations between host Brian Greene and either a single guest (like Stephen Wolfram recently) or a panel of a few guests. Brian Greene is an excellent moderator who possesses an unrivaled ability to articulate and ask thoughtful questions about the most complex of abstract concepts, in a way that a non-expert can understand and appreciate them.
- Closer to Truth: https://www.youtube.com/@CloserToTruthTV
Robert Lawrence Kuhn interviews guests in multi-part 10-20 minute videos asking deep questions about topics like consciousness, cosmology, physics and philosophy. Some of these episodes are old uploads, but I believe some of them are new as well. He's had some excellent guests, like Roger Penrose, Leonard Susskind, Nick Bostrom, and many others.
- Theories of Everything (TOE) Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TheoriesofEverything
This one is more of a guilty pleasure, and it's a bit of a fringe channel that built most of its following from the UFO sub-culture. But the host Curt Jaimungal is highly articulate and asks thoughtful questions of guests that might not join other more mainstream podcasts. His open-mindedness has attracted a wide range of guests, from Lue Elizondo and Steven Greer, to Noam Chomsky and Stephen Wolfram. Generally speaking the guests are more weighted toward the "Intellectual Dark Web" variety, but don't let that stop you from watching. I first encountered this podcast because it was the only one to interview Salvatore Pais, the researcher whose name is on the US Navy patents for technology so futuristic that most consider it disinformation (I agree).
---------- Computers / Infosec ----------
- Flashback Team:
- Anton Petrov https://yewtu.be/channel/UCciQ8wFcVoIIMi-lfu8-cjQ
- Accursed Farms https://yewtu.be/channel/UCJ6KZTTnkE-s2XFJJmoTAkw
- Sabine Hossenfelder https://yewtu.be/channel/UC1yNl2E66ZzKApQdRuTQ4tw
- Louis Rossmann https://yewtu.be/channel/UCl2mFZoRqjw_ELax4Yisf6w
- ScienceClic https://yewtu.be/channel/UCWvq4kcdNI1r1jZKFw9TiUA
Beautiful and relaxing "vlogs" of his remote cabin restoration. Highly recommend.
Awesome videos about climate change and the politics behind it
---
Crime Pays but Botany Doesn't - https://www.youtube.com/@CrimePaysButBotanyDoesnt
Learn a lot about plants from a foul-mouthed guy
---
Defunctland - https://www.youtube.com/@Defunctland
Surprisingly enthralling videos about shut down amusement parks
---
Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games - https://www.youtube.com/@sora_sakurai_en
Very active channel by the person who made Kirby, Super Smash Bros, and other games. If you're interested in game development or game history, it's work a look!
---
Posy - https://www.youtube.com/@PosyMusic
Super calming videos about niche technology and designs with some great music over them.
https://www.youtube.com/@SoloTravelJapan
https://youtube.com/@kugastravel5180?si=zbpq4l7U--QN9icL
There's also a couple variations of the solo Japan name which have varying quality. I don't even know what the original is anymore but I grew up riding ferries so I'm partial to the ferry heavy channels.
He breaks down interesting topics, unfortunately often related to general aviation accidents. He also did some interesting videos on the California droughts in the past few years. He's also a 777 pilot for American Airlines.
I like his presentation style and overall approach.