Most of us grew up being told that television would rot our brains. Today, the internet has more or less replaced the role of television; thanks to online video streaming platforms such as YouTube.
Even though you can waste a lot of hours watching mind-numbing (yet hilarious) cat videos on YouTube -- and many of us are guilty of this. You can also use YouTube as a learning tool.
There are plenty of YouTube channels out there which are dedicated to inform and educate (in a rather entertaining way). These channels can help you improve your knowledge so you can be that little bit more smarter. And in this post, I would like to share my 9 favourite YouTube channels.
This one is among the best educational Youtube channels. I've been a big fan of John and Hank Green, AKA The Vlogbrothers, long before they ever decided to branch out into this.
Crash Course takes a topic usually studied at secondary school level and condenses it down into videos that are around ten minutes long. Each video is accompanied by animations that really helps to explain the topic more clearly.
Vsauce is actually split up into three channels; Vsauce,
Vsauce 2, and
Vsauce 3; each of which explores science, technology, and philosophy, respectively, in an incredibly well-scripted manner.
Vsauce is so influential that Michale from Vsauce 1 has teamed up with Adam Savage of Mythbusters to go on a live tour.
Minute Physics accomplishes a lot with a little.
Their videos consist simply of a narrator using a marker pen on a plain piece of paper to quickly sketch out explanations of principles of physics and other scientific topics. Their unique video presentations makes often difficult concepts easier to grasp.
Many physic students make use of this channel, which can only be a good indicator of its quality.
CGP Grey, a duel citizen of the United States living in London, has made a name for himself by explaining what might sound like boring concepts through a unique style of animation.
He covers topics like geography, dictatorship, flags, and also provided a solution to traffic. He specialises in explaining topics that would otherwise put a classroom to sleep in an interesting way.
John Green (along with various other guest hosts) does it again.
Mental Floss is a list-heavy channel that attempts to compile facts around a particular theme or topic. The facts provided are often surprising, but always entertaining. If you're a fan of list articles like the one you're reading, then Mental Floss is right up your street.
Just about everybody has now seen a TED Talk. They can often be found lurking on your Facebook feed or Twitter timeline.
The one thing that all TED Talks have in common is linked to the TED tagline: "Every talk contains ideas worth spreading". By subscribing to them on YouTube you can be the first person to spread an awesome idea amongst your group of friends or family members.
I love it when smart people are interviewed. That's why I love shows like the Actor's Studio or podcasts like The Tim Ferriss Show and the James Altucher Show. Furthermore, this is why I love Big Think.
This channel is full of great interviews, many of which I often revisit, like
this one with Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins. Who says punks can't teach the world a thing or two?
Wisecrack is home to two of my favorite series on YouTube; Thug Notes, and Earthling Cinema.
Thug Notes is hosted by Sparky Sweets Ph.D. He has an uncanny ability of using freestyle to explain cannon literature -- it is quite extraordinary. Earthling Cinema, on the other hand, examines popular films from the perspective of an alien from the future who's studying them as relics left behind long after the human race is extinct.
Both provide intriguing insights.
Using voice-over techniques, The Nerd Writer channel creates wonderful video essays that explore everything from film to literature. With each video, the narrators go surprisingly deep with their analysis, making you think about popular subjects in a different way.
What's Your Favourite YouTube Channel?
What's your favourite YouTube channel for learning? Let me know in the comments section below!
Student Login
My Account