Turning gravity into light
A lamp that runs on a hanging weight instead of fuel, plugs or batteries. What free, unlimited light would mean where the grid does not reach.
Science
What are the returns from investing in Space technology?
Is money spent on space travel worth it? What the other 99% actually got out of it: maps, vacuum cleaners and the internet, among other things.
Addiction is Psyche not Chemistry
Almost everything we think we know about addiction is wrong: it is not a chemical hook. Rat parks, bonding and cages tell a different story.
A not quite scientific test of Alcohol vs LSD
A fun and not remotely conclusive test of how a person behaves under alcohol and under LSD, decided by catches, IQ questions and burgers.
Testicle science. It’s nuts…
Human testicles hang at different heights, and evolution had a reason for it. Three degrees Celsius, chewing gum and a teabag make the case.
Detonating purple powder
What happens when a balloon touches unstable nitrogen triiodide powder, filmed at 90,000 frames per second and slower than the speed of sound.
Helicopters and muscle memory
Flying a helicopter turns out to be much more like riding a bike than driving a car. Torque, counter torque and cyclic explain why.
Americapox: The missing plague
Colonisation killed 90% of native Americans through disease. So why did no native plague travel the other way? London, alpacas and smallpox explain it.
Welcome. Wait, why?
Years of watching science videos have shaped how I think about the world. Starting here, I am going to share the ones that influenced me most.