MinutePhysics

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MinutePhysics is an educational YouTube channel created by Henry Reich in 2011. The channel's videos use whiteboard animation to explain physics-related topics. Early videos on the channel were approximately one minute long.[2] As of March 2024, the channel has over 5.7 million subscribers.

MinutePhysics
YouTube information
Channels
Created byHenry Reich
Years active2011–present
Genre(s)Education, science, physics, philosophy
Subscribers5.81 million (MinutePhysics)
3 million (MinuteEarth)
293K (MinuteFood)
Total views552.4 million (MinutePhysics)
499.7 million (MinuteEarth)
49.6 million (MinuteFood)
100,000 subscribers
1,000,000 subscribers2013 (MinutePhysics)[1]

Last updated: October 14 2024

Background and video content

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Reich at VidCon in 2014

MinutePhysics was created by Henry Reich in 2011. Reich attended Grinnell College, where he studied mathematics and physics. He then attended the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, where he earned his Master's degree in theoretical physics from the institute's Perimeter Scholars International program.[3]

The video content on MinutePhysics deals with concepts in physics. Examples of videos Reich has uploaded onto the channel include one dealing with the concept of "touch" in regards to electromagnetism.[4] Another deals with the concept of dark matter.[5] The most viewed MinutePhysics video, with more than 17 million views, discusses whether it is more suitable to walk or to run when trying to avoid rain.[6] Reich also has uploaded a series of three videos explaining the Higgs Boson.[7][8][9] In March 2020, Reich produced a video that explained exponential projection of statistics as data is being collected, using the evolving record related to COVID-19 data.[10]

Collaborations

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MinutePhysics has collaborated with Vsauce,[11] as well as the director of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Neil Turok, and Destin Sandlin (Smarter Every Day).[12] MinutePhysics also has made two videos that were narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson[13][14] and one video narrated by Tom Scott.[15] The channel also collaborated with physicist Sean M. Carroll in a five-part video series on time and entropy and with Grant Sanderson on a video about a lost lecture of physicist Richard Feynman, as well as a video about Bell's Theorem.[16][17] In 2015, Reich collaborated with Randall Munroe on a video titled "How To Go To Space", which was animated similarly to the style found in Munroe's webcomic xkcd.[18]

Google tapped Reich for their 2017 "Be Internet Awesome" campaign, a video series aimed at creating a safer Internet space for children.[19]

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In October 2011, Reich started a second channel, MinuteEarth. The channel features a similar style to his MinutePhysics videos, with a focus on the physical properties and phenomena that make up and occur on Earth, medicine, and general health.[20]

In March 2022, MinuteFood was launched, which focus on food science.[21]

Production and release

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Reich in 2017

Neptune Studios is the parent company of Reich's channels.[22] MinutePhysics videos can be viewed through YouTube EDU. Videos from the channel published prior to April 2016 are also made available to download as a podcast.[23]

Some videos of Reich's receive the sponsorship of organizations. For example, a 2017 MinutePhysics video describing the characteristics of neutrino oscillation was sponsored by the Heising-Simons Foundation.[22]

MinutePhysics was one of the original founders of the Standard creator community along with Dave Wiskus, CGP Grey, Philipp Dettmer and many other creators. Through Standard, MinutePhysics has released most of his content on Standard's Nebula streaming service, mostly the same videos he posts on Youtube but ad and sponsorship free, but he also releases some Nebula Originals only on the platform, including two exclusive Nebula Originals MinuteBody and The Illegal Alien.[24]

Reception

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Reich's channels have amassed a considerable following online. By 2015, the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) described MinutePhysics and MinuteEarth as "definitely well known and well received" among an audience of science communicators.[25]

His 2014 "Evolution vs Natural Selection" video on the MinutePhysics channel received criticism from the NCSE. Writing for the NCSE, Stephanie Keep expressed issue with the video's content, stating "not all evolution occurs by natural selection. To think it does lends itself to a hyper-adaptive view of life."[25]

References

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  1. ^ @minutephysics (January 28, 2013). "Who knew a youtube channel about fundamental physics could get a million subscribers? Not me..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Dukes, Tyler (September 23, 2012). "Exploring the universe in 60 seconds". News Observer. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  3. ^ Jozwiak, Miller (February 12, 2015). "MinutePhysics creator talks free will with UW-Madison students". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  4. ^ Condliffe, Jamie (November 22, 2012). "When You Sit Down, Does Your Ass Actually Touch the Chair?". Gizmodo. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  5. ^ Marder, Jenny (January 28, 2013). "New Space Telescope to Map Dark Matter". PBS NewsHour. PBS. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  6. ^ Reich, Henry (December 20, 2012). "Is it Better to Walk or Run in the Rain?". Retrieved November 12, 2021 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ "Higgs Boson Explained By MinutePhysics (VIDEO)". The Huffington Post. July 6, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  8. ^ "Higgs Boson, MinutePhysics: Mass, Higgs Field Explained In New (VIDEO)". The Huffington Post. July 15, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  9. ^ Boyle, Alan (July 5, 2012). "The Higgs boson explained in (just a bit more than) a minute". Cosmic Log. NBC News. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  10. ^ Smith, Charlie (August 27, 2022). "Why the COVID Considerate are likely to vote for the B.C. Greens in the next provincial election". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  11. ^ Ceurstemont, Sandrine (August 31, 2012). "One-MinutePhysics: How to travel through the Earth". New Scientist. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  12. ^ Major, Jason (October 7, 2012). "MinutePhysics: Real World Telekinesis". Universe Today. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  13. ^ A Brief History of Everything, feat. Neil deGrasse Tyson. MinutePhysics. July 20, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2023 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ Does the Universe Have a Purpose? feat. Neil deGrasse Tyson. MinutePhysics. November 27, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2017 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ Null Island: The Busiest Place That Doesn't Exist. MinutePhysics. July 7, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via YouTube.
  16. ^ Feynman's Lost Lecture (ft. 3Blue1Brown). July 20, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ Bell's Theorem: The Quantum Venn Diagram Paradox. September 13, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2020 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ Plait, Phil (November 11, 2015). "Minute Physics: How to Go to Space". Slate. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  19. ^ Weiss, Geoff (June 6, 2017). "Google Taps John Green, 'What's Inside?', MinutePhysics For Kids' Internet Safety Campaign". Tubefilter. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  20. ^ Reich, Henry. "MinuteEarth". Retrieved March 31, 2013 – via YouTube.
  21. ^ Welcome to MinuteFood. March 10, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via YouTube.
  22. ^ a b "Science Explained: Watch MinutePhysics' Video on Neutrinos". Heising-Simons Foundation. June 16, 2017. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  23. ^ "Podcasts – MinutePhysics by ScienceAlert". iTunes. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  24. ^ Hale, James (June 10, 2019). "Creators Can't Always Take Risks With Their Content. That's Why YouTuber Community Standard Built Nebula — A Platform For Its Creators To Experiment". Tubefilter. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  25. ^ a b Keep, Stephanie (December 2, 2015). "Say What? The Theory of the Terrible MinutePhysics Video". National Center for Science Education. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
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