Mirjam Guesgen

Freelance Science Writer

I am a freelance science writer currently based in Toronto, Canada, with a particular interest in animal welfare.

I love communicating complex, scientific ideas in an engaging, balanced, thought-out and informative way.

My favourite science-related YouTube channels

1. VSauce

This is probably the first science-related channel I ever subscribed to on YouTube. The narrater (Michael) has a unique way of speaking that just draws you in. The videos can jump topics quite quickly, but always bring all the concepts back together. With titles like: How many calories are on a smudgy screen, why don’t we taxidermy humans, how much does a shadow weigh, and why don’t animals have wheels; you’re sure to find a topic that fascinates you!

Bonus: This channel also has Lut (cool stuff to buy online), leanback (playlists covering a specific topic), IMG (cool pictures) and DONG (do online now guys).

 

2. Charlieissocoollike

Not strictly speaking a science channel, but Charlie sometimes does “Fun Science” videos where he covers things like the science of stars, sound and light. I’d rate this channel because Charlie, like Michael, is a great communicator and not only includes amazing facts you can spout off to your friends, but also really useful information which might see you through a Year 9-10 test.

 

3. Numberphile

Now we’re getting into the hardcore science stuff (well, sort of!). As the name suggests, these guys love math (and brown paper!). I was surprised with how easy some of the really tricky mathematical concepts are to follow. This, again, comes down to communication but also sheer enthusiasm of the presenters. You can’t help but get interested! Topics include: the maths behind card tricks, how maths and Jurassic Park are linked, making the biggest number possible out of spaghetti numbers, and a Batman equation.

 

4. MinutePhysics

I will admit right here and now that physics is not my forté, but MinutePhysics gives me just the right dose of physics-y goodness. What I love about this channel are their awesome hand-drawn animations as well as their mix of real-life physics (is it better to run or walk in the rain?) and more theoretical stuff (common physics misconceptions). My favourite video, and the one that got me subscribed to this channel is: Top 10 reasons why we know the Earth is round.