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Scientific method & science communication: videos Hacker News recommends
How science works: scientific method, nature of explanation, replication crisis, peer review, science communication, Feynman on explanation, popular science, history of science, scientific thinking. Below: every video in this topic that at least three HN users linked with real commentary, in at least three different months (37 explainers, 19 commentarys, 17 talks), best-scored first, with the comments on each video page.
- 11 HN recommenders 15 months 2012–2025HN commenters repeatedly recommend it as the talk that finally made quantum mechanics click, especially for programmers.
- 12 HN recommenders 11 months 2019–2026D DRS_Education · documentaryHeavily recommended as a masterpiece of popular science and the classic illustration of how fragile interdependent systems are, trotted out in every blackout or supply chain thread.
- 11 HN recommenders 10 months 2012–2023HN recommends it as career and research advice on choosing important problems and doing first-class work.
- 9 HN recommenders 9 months 2020–2024Linked in threads about meritocracy, careers and startups as a reminder that luck shapes who ends up on top.
- 8 HN recommenders 8 months 2017–2025HN commenters link it whenever a shaky study or the p<0.05 threshold comes up, as a short primer on false positives in science.
- 8 HN recommenders 8 months 2010–2023N nebulajr · interviewHN repeatedly cites it as an elegant, eye-opening explanation of fire and photosynthesis and as an example of Feynman's infectious love of knowledge.
- 9 HN recommenders 8 months 2012–2025E Eames Office · documentaryHN commenters recommend it as the classic visualization for building intuition about scale, and it comes up whenever a thread concerns scale or size comparisons.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2012–2024S seabala · lectureWidely recommended as one of the clearest, funniest short explanations of what makes something science.
- 10 HN recommenders 7 months 2024–2026HN recommends it as a gripping story of single-minded persistence against the herd, and as the back story behind modern LED lighting.
- 5 HN recommenders 6 months 2018–2025Recommended as a funny but depressing investigation, and the usual link in threads on predatory publishing and fake citations.
- 9 HN recommenders 7 months 2021–2026HN recommends it as a well-told chase of a weird fact that lands a rare interview with Lovelock at age 101.
- 7 HN recommenders 6 months 2019–2024Cited constantly as the name and example of the 'but sometimes' argument, where edge cases are used to resist better technology such as EVs and solar.
- 4 HN recommenders 6 months 2021–2025HN commenters point to it as an equation-free, charming way to hear Feynman explain physics to laypeople, including his famous refusal to explain magnetism with simple analogies.
- 5 HN recommenders 6 months 2013–2026Y Yoram Bauman · talkBeloved as a humor masterpiece and often cited as required viewing on what not to do in an academic talk.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2025–2026P Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics · talkRecommended as a balanced take on AI and education, with the point that learning takes work that no technology can do for you.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2021–2025S Sean Carroll · lectureHN commenters recommend the series as engaging, substantial physics with just enough math for non-specialists.
- 7 HN recommenders 7 months 2020–2026Pointed to in threads about cancer screening, PSA tests, full-body MRIs and consumer diagnostics as an explanation of why more testing can hurt.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2021–2026HN returns to it as a model of intellectual honesty and good explanation, often linking it in discussions of why-questions and science communication.
- 7 HN recommenders 6 months 2021–2024The standard link whenever someone claims to be a visual learner or learning styles come up, with sources listed in the description.
- 5 HN recommenders 6 months 2020–2023HN recommends it as the full account of the lab mice issue and evolutionary tradeoffs between cancer and longevity, despite its length.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2020–2026HN recommends it as a calm, evidence-based debunking whenever the Navy UFO videos come up.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2023–2026HN recommends the series as a thoughtful account of engineering as rule-of-thumb problem solving that predates formal science.
- 8 HN recommenders 5 months 2023–2026Recommended as an engaging critique of string theory hype and its effect on public trust in physics, and often cited alongside Peter Woit's writing.
- 4 HN recommenders 5 months 2021–2024M Machine Learning Street Talk · interviewRecommended to people who find it inspiring or perspective-changing on pursuing goals, open-ended search and AI beyond optimization.
- 6 HN recommenders 5 months 2022–2023HN repeatedly recommends the series as a gripping account of scientific fraud, and cites it whenever research misconduct comes up.
- 7 HN recommenders 5 months 2022–2025Treated as the accessible reference on analog computing for neural nets, especially the Mythic AI segment.
- 6 HN recommenders 5 months 2013–2018U UltraMiraculous · commentaryHN commenters share it in vaccine threads as a quick, entertaining explanation of vaccination in layman's terms.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2016–2026J Jacob Edward · interviewCommenters post it whenever a thread touches on soft sciences, replication problems, or what counts as real science.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2019–2026F firewalker · interviewCited constantly as the classic answer to 'why' questions, on explanation, frames of reference and the limits of physics.
- 5 HN recommenders 4 months 2020–2022Recommended as an approachable entry point to quantum interpretations, and cited on many worlds questions.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2018–2022Praised as a masterpiece of science education that recreates Faraday's demonstrations.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2020–2024H Hamming on Hamming: Learning to Learn · lectureHN people recommend it as the capstone of Hamming's course and as career advice about working on important problems.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2011–2013Recommended as a short, joyful example of Feynman's accessible way of explaining physics, which a transcript cannot capture.
- 6 HN recommenders 5 months 2017–2024HN regularly shares it in weight loss threads as a clear, precise explanation of the physics of weight loss.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2020HN regularly recommends Hamming's lecture series as a fascinating, wisdom-rich course on how to approach hard technical problems and a career, often preferred to the book.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2022–2024HN commenters link it whenever the question of how the Earth's size was first measured comes up, calling it a wonderful explanation.
- 5 HN recommenders 4 months 2023–2024HN links it to correct the common misconception about dark matter and as a counterpoint to popular science coverage, though one commenter found it muddled.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2015–2023Recommended as a clear explanation of where mass actually comes from.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2022–2026J Jim Lill · explainerCited as a fun, experimental debunking of tonewood claims that shows electronics dominate electric guitar sound.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2019–2022HN points people to it as a nuanced, medically informed take whenever Wim Hof breathing or cold plunges come up.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2025O ObservantVids · talkHN points to it as the sharpest, most-quoted critique of deep learning practice, and cites it whenever ML reliability or understanding is debated.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2020–2021HN commenters recommend it as a methodical debunking of early lab-leak claims.
- 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.
- 6 HN recommenders 4 months 2023–2026Whenever NIST's pricey peanut butter or reference materials come up, commenters point to this as the clear explanation of why they exist.
- 5 HN recommenders 3 months 2022–2024HN points people to it as the explanation that finally made Fourier transforms and the FFT click, with a good historical story.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2019HN commenters recommend it as an entertaining and sophisticated primer on reading science reporting critically.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2015–2021HN uses it as the go-to demonstration of how unintuitive mass conservation is, especially in weight loss and burning threads.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2025HN commenters call it the definitive, thorough answer to whether vaccines cause autism and recommend it as an entertaining deep dive.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2014–2026N nebulajr · interviewHN returns to it constantly as a classic on the difficulty of explaining fundamentals and the limits of analogies.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2014–2021Used as a short, well-made rebuttal to common global warming arguments in climate threads.
- 5 HN recommenders 3 months 2024–2025HN recommends it as a sobering counterpoint to the Feynman myth for people whose view comes from Surely You're Joking.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2025Linked whenever year numbering or the Holocene calendar comes up as the accessible introduction to the idea.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2025Recommended as high-quality physics communication and as an introduction to Noether and energy non-conservation in cosmology.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2025HN commenters bring it up as a good related watch in any thread about fallout, nuclear tests or detecting hidden events through indirect evidence.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2019HN commenters recommend it as an entertaining account of how easily fake papers get published and of problems in academic peer review.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2025–2026HN commenters recommend it for changing how they think about distributions and for showing how criticality shows up across earthquakes, wildfires and other fields.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2022HN recommends it for Feynman's intuitive explanations and his joy in understanding how things work.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2020–2021HN recommends it as an informative review of the academic publishing business and its monopoly-like structure.
- 5 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2025Frequently linked as an in-depth, well-presented skeptical take whenever Loeb's alien claims come up.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2011–2024HN uses it in debates on video-based teaching and how confronting misconceptions helps learning, though some find its Khan Academy critique flawed.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2011–2015G Geoff Cumming · explainerRecommended as a vivid visual demonstration of how unreliable p-values are.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2025HN returns to it in discussions of algorithmic feeds, misinformation and parasocial relationships, as a clear and thoughtful talk.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2024HN points to her videos as a counterpoint to popular dark matter discussion, framing it as the discrepancy that needs explaining.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2015–2023Recommended as a clear demonstration of confirmation bias and the value of trying to break your own hypothesis.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2013–2022A Andy80o · lectureRecommended as a lucid, insightful lecture on the limits of human knowledge and the study of mind, one commenter calling it among the best lectures ever.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2025Recommended as a good primer on what IQ scores mean and their limited effect on life outcomes.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2015–2019M Mizzou Visual Productions · lectureHN points to it in discussions of antidepressant efficacy, the serotonin model and the power of placebos.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2024HN recommends it as the boring, convincing debunking of the Gofast, FLIR and Gimbal videos, which commenters say ended UFO hype for them.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2023S Sképseis · lectureHN quotes it as the crispest statement of what science is, usually when a theory clashes with evidence.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2009–2023A Aaron Scher · documentaryMentioned as a fun and impressive Feynman documentary, though the mentions are brief.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2013–2022C Cambridge University · explainerRecommended as a short, fun introduction to micromorts and thinking about risk.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2026HN points to it as a short, tight introduction to Deutsch's idea of hard-to-vary explanations.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2020HN commenters recommend the two-part Kurzgesagt pair as an engaging, accessible introduction to the Fermi paradox and the Great Filter.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2010–2017Cited constantly when discussing explaining to non-experts, the limits of explanation and what a 'why' question really asks.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2024–2026Recommended as one of the most accessible introductions to PCR and its history.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2010–2014X x1x2x3ct · videoIt is the standard reference whenever a thread turns to rote labels versus real understanding.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2023B Boston University · talkHN cites it for Dyson's contrarian take on global warming and soil carbon.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2024V Verge Science · explainerHN recommends it as an accessible demonstration of how anyone can collect micrometeorites at home.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2013–2022J James Dearden Bush · talkRecommended by some as a provocative critique of scientific dogma, and also cited as the talk TED pulled.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2024HN users cite it in threads about academia, grant incentives, fraud and women-only programs, often as an eye-opening personal take.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2024–2025D Dr. Layne Norton · commentaryLinked as a rebuttal when Lustig's or similar influencer nutrition claims come up.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2022Recommended as an accessible but not oversimplified explanation of the muon g-2 experiment, by a channel aimed at curious physics enthusiasts.
- 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 2012–2021Z Zero · lectureHN uses it to illustrate Feynman's wry view of philosophical questions and perception.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2022HN people recommend it as a short, contextualizing explainer on declining crop nutrient density.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2023Recommended as a gripping account of scientific fraud and the history of cloning research.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2022The reference people reach for when debating how math differs from physics.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2024–2026HN commenters recommend it for the Gell-Mann amnesia framing and as a skeptical take on Michio Kaku.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2017D D- Angel · talkLinked in diversity-in-tech threads as a personal, thoughtful answer on systemic barriers for minorities and women in science.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2013–2026S SisyphusRedeemed · talkHN uses it as a reference for epistemic humility and how wrong even the smartest people have been.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2015–2025HN uses it as a reference in threads on physics theories, models and what real understanding means.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2009–2024B batxg3 · interviewHN returns to it as a reminder to stay humble and as a source of Feynman's view on awards and prestige.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2013–2024Pointed to as an accessible introduction to intuition pumps as thinking tools, and shared in remembrance after Dennett's death.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2017–2022HN people link it as a short, accessible summary of Judea Pearl-style causal inference when someone repeats that correlation cannot imply causation.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2022–2023Mostly used as a critical source on how popular science channels may be shaped by billionaire funding.
- 2 HN recommenders 1 months 2015–2023HN cites it when discussing how math should be learned and taught, and why physics isn't built from axioms.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2025HN links it as an approachable interview with a working astronomer who is also a Jesuit, whenever the Vatican Observatory or science and religion comes up.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2022–2023Pointed to in discussions about engaging with fringe beliefs and distrust of institutions rather than dismissing people.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2016–2026Y Yves Messer · commentaryReached for whenever a thread touches on naming versus actually understanding something.
- 2 HN recommenders 1 months 2024–2025W Web of Stories - Life Stories of Remarkable People · interviewCited in modeling and machine learning threads as the classic story on overfitting and justifying parameters.
Showing the 100 best-scored of 122. Use search to find the rest.
Questions
What is the most recommended scientific method & science communication video on Hacker News?
The Quantum Conspiracy: What Popularizers of QM Don't Want You to Know by Google TechTalks: HN commenters repeatedly recommend it as the talk that finally made quantum mechanics click, especially for programmers.
How is this scientific method & science communication 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.