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Animals & nature: videos Hacker News recommends
Animals and nature: animal behavior, bird and crow intelligence, insects, ocean life, wildlife documentaries, ecology, plants, zoology, David Attenborough, pets. Below: every video in this topic that at least three HN users linked with real commentary, in at least three different months (20 documentarys, 14 explainers, 9 demos), best-scored first, with the comments on each video page.
- 10 HN recommenders 12 months 2019–2024F Farm Transparency Project · documentaryHN commenters push it, often forcefully, as the video to watch to see what factory farming really involves, and some say it changed their diet.
- 10 HN recommenders 8 months 2012–2023S swererbob · documentaryHN recommends it often and warmly, as an inspiring and peaceful view of self-reliance and handcraft, in threads on cabins, solitude and woodworking.
- 5 HN recommenders 6 months 2014–2025Adams fans repeatedly call it one of his best talks, a funny and moving look at extinction and the environment.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2010–2024HN returns to it as the canonical footage of persistence hunting in threads about human endurance running and evolution.
- 4 HN recommenders 5 months 2015–2023Д Дмитрий Васюков · documentaryRecommended as the authentic original that many prefer over Werner Herzog's shortened re-cut.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2013–2026HN commenters recommend it as one of Veritasium's best videos and one that has aged well.
- 3 HN recommenders 5 months 2019–2023E Erin Janus · commentaryHN commenters in veganism and food threads link it as a short, info-dense explanation that some say opened their eyes, though others dispute it.
- 4 HN recommenders 5 months 2019–2025H Happen Films · documentaryShared in climate and land-use threads as a vivid example of how letting land regrow can restore forest.
- 7 HN recommenders 4 months 2021–2023HN uses it as a short, well-sourced overview showing that fossil fuels kill far more people than nuclear power.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2024Commenters call it a must-watch, funny and entertaining demonstration that morality has natural roots in animals.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2018–2025G GREENPOWERSCIENCE · demoHN commenters point people to it as a cheap, simple, effective way to kill mosquitoes, and some report trying it successfully.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2021–2026S Soup Emporium · commentaryRecommended as a thorough debunking of Koko's supposed language ability in threads about animal communication.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2014–2022S Sustainable Human · explainerHN cites it as the go-to example of how one keystone species can reshape an entire ecosystem.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2024N Niko Niko · videoOffered as vivid evidence that animals, crows in particular, play for pleasure and display intelligence beyond survival needs.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2022HN users recommend it as a moving, heartwarming film whenever Istanbul's cats or cat history come up.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2022M Maggie Mae Fish · commentaryHN recommends it as a well-done critique of the documentary, sometimes in preference to watching the film itself.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2023–2025HN commenters point to it as a fun, research-grounded explainer whenever bed bug threads come up.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2023–2024Recommended as a good high-level view of Humphrey's book and his argument on how consciousness evolved.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2012–2023HN recommends it as a good visual explanation of how cats land on their feet.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2008–2023Brought up whenever threads touch on mimicry, voice cloning or bird vocalization, and people say the ending is startling.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2026HN links it as the quick introduction to zombie-ant fungi whenever the topic comes up.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2015–2023P PLOS Media · demoUsed as vivid evidence of crow intelligence and animal physical reasoning in discussions of cognition.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2021Shared in crow-intelligence threads as a striking demonstration that changes how people see crows.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2025Shared whenever birds mimic sounds come up, as a mind-blowing example of vocal mimicry.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2023HN recommends it as a classic on why some animals are suited to farming and domestication and others are not.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2025–2026Recommended as a clear, evidence-backed introduction to the economics of animal welfare in meat and egg production.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2022HN recommends it as striking footage of how cleverly jumping spiders plan their attacks.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2025S Sustainable Human · explainerHN cites it as a compelling example of unforeseen ecosystem effects and rewilding.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2024J Journey to the Microcosmos · explainerHN commenters recommend the series as an excellent, accessible introduction to microscopic life, using this episode as the diatom primer.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2025–2026HN fans point to it as a fun, nerdy crossover of bird song acoustics and technology, and the story itself got its own thread.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2024T TED Blog Video · explainerHN uses it again and again as shorthand for the idea that resentment of unfair pay and inequality is built into primates, including us.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2021HN shares it as an amusing parallel to human drinking habits and as a possible window into addiction.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2025M Maker's Muse · demoRecommended in cockatoo threads as a fun and remarkable demonstration of the birds' problem-solving ability.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2025A Atrocity Guide · documentaryHN recommends it as a decent, entertaining summary of Lilly's life and work whenever dolphin communication research comes up.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2021Shared in dog-breeding threads as a snappy summary of the genetic-diversity problem.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2026Linked in owl-feather and quiet-flight threads as a clear audio comparison.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2023P PBS Eons · explainerHN cites it as a clear, well-made treatment of convergent evolution and crabs.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2024R RM Videos · videoCommenters use it in earthquake threads as an anecdote that animals may sense tremors seconds before humans, and occasionally as a joke about cat alarms.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2026D Dani Connor Wild · interviewLinked in threads about Dune's sound design as a first-hand interview about the squirrel recording.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2012–2024M MysOxen · documentaryHN uses it as the canonical example that evolution is not optimal and can get stuck in local maxima.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2013–2022R raisingmaggie · videoCited as a benchmark for leaderless swarm behavior that robots and drones could aim to match.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2024HN cites it as proof that some octopuses really do crawl out of the water to hunt.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2014–2019T TVPUniversity · demoHN cites it in discussions of pay fairness and inequality as a short, funny demonstration of the fairness instinct.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2022T Trees for Life · talkCited in ecology threads as background on how overgrazing prevents Scottish forests from regenerating.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2021Q QI · comedy videoLinked in threads about fuzzy categories, such as fish, trees and fruit, as the origin of the phrase and a fun illustration.
- cited 10× 0 months 2013–2026V vladimerk1 · demoHN uses it as shorthand for the innate human and primate sense of fairness in threads on pay, wealth and inequality.
- cited 3× 0 months 2015–2017S Steve Joy · demoLinked in crow-intelligence threads as concrete evidence that crows can learn to trade coins or tokens for food.
- cited 7× 0 months 2015–2023C czg123 · comedy videoCited purely as a joke or meme whenever a thread touches on fearlessness, persistence or honey badgers.
- cited 7× 0 months 2016–2025HN points to it as the origin of the Party Parrot emote and as the famous viral kakapo clip whenever kakapo come up.
- cited 9× 0 months 2009–2025HN uses it as the standard illustration of animal tool use and adaptive intelligence in crow threads.
- cited 3× 0 months 2014–2021D Discovery · documentaryHN commenters cite the footage as anecdotal evidence in threads about animals sensing the Earth's magnetic field, and for the head-tilt listening behavior.
- cited 5× 0 months 2017–2021H Harvard Magazine · demoReferenced as a vivid illustration of explore-then-exploit optimization and decentralized network design.
- cited 3× 0 months 2020–2026Linked as a quick demonstration of orangutans copying human tool use and chores.
- cited 3× 0 months 2009–2016Q quisling76 · demoHN links it as the clearest demonstration that crows can fashion tools.
- cited 3× 0 months 2020–2023K KATU News · news clipCited as the direct link to the infamous exploding whale footage, and used for jokes about explosions and whales.
- cited 4× 0 months 2018–2021J Jongo · documentaryHN references it as a vivid illustration of sexual selection and as a metaphor for competitive display.
- cited 5× 0 months 2017–2021Cited as a striking example of coordinated hunting and intelligence in orcas.
- cited 4× 0 months 2016–2023A Andrew Struthers · comedy videoHN mentions it almost only as a joke or nostalgic reference when spiders and drugs come up.
- cited 3× 0 months 2020–2023Cited as a vivid example of parasites controlling host behavior whenever zombie-fungus comparisons come up.
Questions
What is the most recommended animals & nature video on Hacker News?
Dominion (2018) - full documentary [Official] by Farm Transparency Project: HN commenters push it, often forcefully, as the video to watch to see what factory farming really involves, and some say it changed their diet.
How is this animals & nature list ranked?
By HackerTube's score: the number of distinct months in which an HN comment recommended the video, plus half a point for every month with a strong recommendation. One viral thread counts less than steady recommendations over years.
Where do the videos come from?
From every Hacker News comment between 2007 and 2026 that linked a YouTube video, labeled by an AI model as a recommendation, a citation, a joke or a criticism. The list is published by HackerTube under ODC-By 1.0; this edition adds indexable pages and the comment context.
Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.