Science YouTube channels are a fantastic way of keeping up with new discoveries and learning more about the amazing planet we live on. And being wowed by captivating experiments, innovative research, and daring field work.
But what are the best science channels out there? Which ones are actually run by experts you can trust to give you the facts straight rather than focus on sensationalism?
We did the vetting for you. Here are the five best YouTube science channels.
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To kick things off, the best YouTube science channel is Veritasium. It’s run by Derek Muller, who fittingly has a PhD in Physics Education Research. Since 2010, he’s uploaded over 370 engrossing videos, earning him over 14 million subscribers.
At the moment, Veritasium uploads new videos every week. The focus is on awe-inspiring experiments, interviews with experts, as well as historical applications of physics and maths, such as quantum computing. Or riding a bike.
Veritasium does a great job exploring everyday assumptions. One of them is that you know how bikes work.
Plus, Derek also occasionally embarks on audacious experiments himself, such as getting himself dunked in concrete or testing a wind-powered vehicle that goes faster than the wind.
Next up, there is Kurzgesagt, a channel run by a team of illustrators, animators, a dog, and – you guessed it – number-crunching science enthusiasts. It was originally founded by designer Philipp Dettmer, on a mission to make science look beautiful.
Kurzgesagt is German for “in a nutshell” (there’s also a German and a Spanish version of the channel!). And it does exactly what it promises on the tin – give you short and snappy, animated science videos.
The Jurassic Park dinosaur aesthetic is neat – but it’s off the mark.
Typically, Kurzgesagt videos are about 10 minutes long. They cover a huge array of topics, from astronomy and biology to psychology and climate change.
The channel’s philosophy? No topic can be boring for a stellar storyteller.
Kurzgesagt has been around since 2013 and has published almost 200 videos since. You can expect a new science fix about twice a month. Join over 21 million subscribers in their excitement!
CrashCourse is one of the oldest – and still one of the best science channels on YouTube. It was launched in 2006 by John and Hank Green, AKA the Vlogbrothers, who’ve become some of the most prominent education YouTubers out there.
Today, the channel has a team of presenters, over 15 million subscribers, and more than 1,400 videos. It publishes new content about twice a week.
Generally, videos are about 15 minutes long and offer insights into topics like statistics, psychology, biology and astronomy. Also, their animations and illustrations are jaw-dropping.
An example from the botany CrashCourse series: How plants got started.
Another stand-out feature of CrashCourse: The channel offers entire series on different subjects, like their “How to College” series. Some of them are also available in Spanish. The clip above is from a botany series!
Bonus: The Green brothers also run a whole family of spin-off science niche channels, among them SciShow, which is quite famous on its own.
Coming fourth in our ranking of the best science YouTube channels is Numberphile. Run by Brady Haran, it has been around since 2011 and can boast over 4 million subscribers and almost 700 videos.
As the channel name suggests, it focuses on math and applied math, such as pyramid engineering, marriage and crime statistics, or the dynamics of red vs. gray squirrel populations. Plus, the channel also regularly features famous guests from the field of mathematics, such as Cédric Villani or Hannah Fry.
Each video is about 10–20 minutes long, and you can expect new content roughly once a week.
Finally, a scientific answer to an age-old problem.
Haran also runs two other YouTube channels, Computerphile and Periodicvideos. The latter focuses on chemistry and even features a playlist with 1 video per chemical element.
Rounding out our list of the best science channels on YouTube is AsapScience, which is run by Canadians Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown.
Since its launch in 2012, it has amassed over 10 million subscribers, and uploaded over 470 videos.
Videos on AsapScience are a little shorter than on other science channels, typically clocking in at around 5–10 minutes. New videos get posted around once a month.
In terms of topics, AsapScience’s range is broad, from healthy and eco-friendly living to drugs and wellness. One thing that makes this channel stand out are their awesome live-drawn animations that make understanding even complex topics a breeze.
AsapScience’s signature animations make the content very engaging.
Conclusion: The Best Science Channels on YouTube
No matter what science topic you want to deep-dive into, the YouTube science channels above have you covered. Subscribe to them, and you’ll be able to discover stunning facts, entertaining experiments, and inspiring researchers.
Want to learn more about the history of science? Check out our post on the best YouTube History channels.
FAQs
Overall, the best science channels on YouTube are Veritasium, Kurzgesagt, CrashCourse, Numberphile, and AsapScience. They’re all run by experts, cover a wide range of topics, and have fantastic animations to help viewers understand complex topics.
The top science channel on YouTube is Veritasium. It’s run by Derek Muller, who has a PhD in Physics Education Research, and covers a broad range of topics.
If you’re interested in mathematics and applied mathematics, Numberphile is the best YouTube channel for you. It has a huge range of application examples and regularly features prominent mathematicians as guests.
Periodicvideos is one of the best chemistry channels on YouTube. It covers a broad range of chemical topics and introduces each chemical element in a new video.
Overall, the best science channels on YouTube are Veritasium, Kurzgesagt, CrashCourse, Numberphile, and AsapScience. They’re all run by experts, cover a wide range of topics, and have fantastic animations to help viewers understand complex topics.
