Veritasium
Why you can't trust a test that's 99% accurate
- Title
- Why you can't trust a test that's 99% accurate
- Runtime
- 1:30
- Date posted
- 5 hours ago
- Description
- What does it mean to get a positive result on a medical test?
Chances are you might not actually have the disease...
- Title
- Why do deserts get cold at night?
- Runtime
- 1:26
- Date posted
- 5 days ago
- Description
- The desert ground is blistering hot in the day but just a few hours after nightfall, it's freezing.
Why does this happen?
- Title
- I finally saw quantum mechanics with my own eyes... (It's spookier than I expected)
- Runtime
- 1:05:56
- Date posted
- 7 days ago
- Description
- The world’s coldest liquid is far stranger than you’d imagine. Sponsored by Ground News - Go to https://ground.news/Ve and subscribe to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage Plan. Stay informed on breaking news and compare coverage from every angle.
Last year, we launched Elements of Truth on Kickstarter. We’re now in the final stages of production, and Kickstarter rewards are shipping soon. If you missed the campaign, you can now pre-order the retail edition through our new website here - https://ve42.co/YTDEcl
If you backed us on Kickstarter, don’t worry, your game will ship before any pre-orders are fulfilled.
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
Join our Patreon for a chance to get a NASA sticker that went ...
- Title
- These ponds help support half the people on Earth
- Runtime
- 1:53
- Date posted
- 9 days ago
- Description
- What are these electric blue ponds in the middle of the Utah desert? And why do they keep changing color?
- Title
- What happens if I lower this weight into the water?
- Runtime
- 1:14
- Date posted
- 12 days ago
- Description
- Will the weighing scale underneath go up, down or stay the same?
- Title
- Why doesn't your heart get tired like other muscles do?
- Runtime
- 1:13
- Date posted
- 15 days ago
- Description
- The secret to why your heart never gets tired...
- Title
- No device could prove Einstein wrong... until now
- Runtime
- 34:28
- Date posted
- 19 days ago
- Description
- Can atomic clocks prove Einstein wrong? The biggest protection in the game! Go to https://NordVPN.com/veritasium and get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 extra months. It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee!
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
Huge thanks to NIST for their help making this video. Visit their website: https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division
Join our Patreon for a chance to get a NASA sticker that went to the edge of space during the eclipse and for early access to work-in-progress videos https://ve42.co/VePatreon
Last year, we launched Elements of Truth on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, and Kickstarter rewa...
- Title
- Is there something faster than light?
- Runtime
- 0:58
- Date posted
- 20 days ago
- Description
- The experiment that broke relativity.
How an argument between Einstein and Bohr changed quantum mechanics forever.
- Title
- When you lose weight where does it go?
- Runtime
- 1:10
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- What does it mean to lose weight?
When you work out or eat less your overall size decreases. So where does this mass go?
- Title
- Fiber Optics are so much cooler than I thought
- Runtime
- 34:32
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Why making glass fibers to send signals was almost impossible. Sponsored by Saily - 🌎 Get an exclusive 15% discount on Saily data plans! Download Saily app go to https://saily.com/veritasium Use code veritasium at checkout ⛵
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
For the latest science news, and for an exclusive bonus Q&A with Sulli, the director of this video, sign up to the Veritasium newsletter - https://ve42.co/VeMail_FO
For early access to work in progress videos join our patreon https://ve42.co/VePatreon
▀▀▀
0:00 What are fiber optics?
2:02 Why Copper Phone Lines Had Limited Capacity
5:13 Trying To Go From Copper Communication To Glass
8:15 Why is glass so ‘lossy’?
11:29 Scattering and Absorption
16:00 How can you remove impurities in glass?
19:00 How They Mak...
- Title
- What is edge dislocation?
- Runtime
- 1:11
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- We demonstrated a crystal lattice of atoms using bubbles.
- Title
- How Dangerous Are Non-Stick Pans?
- Runtime
- 1:41
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- What happens to your body if you eat Teflon from a non-stick pan?
#pfas
#foreverchemicals
- Title
- We're trying something new...
- Runtime
- 5:08
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Veritasium's mission has always been to get to the truth - to understand how and why things work the way they do. We love the variety of topics we're able to cover - from the real to the abstract - and the heart of that is always hard science.
But as our world is getting more complex and interesting, the team keep finding incredible stories that don't quite fit on the main channel. Stories that are less about physics and maths and more about how our society and global systems work; how a change on one side of the world can ripple through society affecting how you and I live our lives.
So some of the team have been working on a new channel about just that.
This is @InGeniusOfficial - an element of innovation.
Hosted by Latif Nasser
First video out now - https://youtu.be/eczB0uUx_k8
- Title
- What happens to these balloons when you open the valve?
- Runtime
- 1:34
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Take a balloon and fill it with lots of air. Take another one and fill it with less air. Now connect the two via a valve.
What do you think will happen when you open the valve?
- Title
- The Insane Real Engineering of the Nazi Enigma Machine
- Runtime
- 47:42
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- How did Bletchley Park's codebreakers crack the "unbreakable" enigma? Sponsored by Incogni - use code veritasium at https://incogni.com/veritasium to get an exclusive 60% off your annual subscription.
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
For the latest science news, and for an exclusive bonus Q&A with the director of this video, sign up to the Veritasium newsletter - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
For early access to work in progress videos join our patreon https://ve42.co/VePatreon
▀▀▀
0:00 Who invented Enigma?
4:16 How did Enigma work?
10:51 The Secret Spy Mansion
13:10 The First Codebreakers Who Broke Enigma
16:45 Trying To Decrypt An Enigma Message
22:35 Who was Alan Turing?
26:30 How Enigma’s Flaws Were Exploited
34:27 Breaking Enigma - The Bombe
41:39 The N...
- Title
- Heating A Ball Just By Squeezing It
- Runtime
- 1:06
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- How Jupiter heats its moon, just be stretching and squeezing it.
- Title
- The Scariest Chart In Engineering
- Runtime
- 1:11
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Why is the Smith Chart one of the scariest charts in electrical engineering?
We printed the largest one in the world to explain how it works and why it's so terrifying (to engineers at least).
- Title
- The Most Dangerous Escalator In Europe
- Runtime
- 1:17
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- In 2018 football fans were leaving a stadium in Rome. They boarded an escalator down to the metro. Suddenly the machine sprung a fault.
Multiple safety systems were triggered. One after another. And then the final line failed.
This is why.
- Title
- A Physics Professor Bet Me $10,000 I'm Wrong...
- Runtime
- 1:31
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- A UCLA Physics Professor bet me $10,000 that my video (https://youtu.be/jyQwgBAaBag) about going downwind faster than the wind was wrong.
Here's how we proved it...
- Title
- We Took $10,000 From @mkbhd's Locked iPhone
- Runtime
- 0:49
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- There's a flaw in some virtual wallets.
We exploited this flaw to steal $10,000 from @mkbhd.
Watch the full video to find out how we did it...
- Title
- It's impossible to choose a number at random
- Runtime
- 1:41
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In math you can't truly pick things at random because formulas always give the same result.
So if we can't pick randomly, how do we select anything in math?
- Title
- Could identical twins commit the perfect crime?
- Runtime
- 1:08
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The DNA in twins is (almost) exactly the same.
So how could a team of forensic scientists tell which twin committed the crime?
There is a way but it has some issues...
- Title
- We sent a camera to space to film the solar eclipse
- Runtime
- 22:45
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- What does an eclipse look like from the edge of space? We travelled to Spain for the 2026 total solar eclipse to find out. Sponsored by 80,000 Hours - Head to http://80000hours.org/veritasium to start planning a career that can help change the world for the better. By joining their newsletter, you’ll get a free copy of their in-depth career guide sent to your inbox.
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
To be in with a chance of getting a NASA sticker that went to the edge of space during the eclipse and for early access to work-in-progress videos, join our Patreon https://ve42.co/VePatreon
Last year, we launched Elements of Truth on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, wit...
- Title
- How do submarines know where they are?
- Runtime
- 1:31
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- How does a submarine find its way 600m deep in the ocean?
Surfacing is obviously the easiest way but not when you want to stay hidden.
So how do a crew balance concealment and pathfinding?
- Title
- Is spider web really stronger than steel?
- Runtime
- 26:58
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Can you really swing from spider silk? Sponsored by Henson Shaving - Head to https://hensonshaving.com/veritasium and use code “veritasium” for 100 free blades with any razor purchase. Just add both the razor and blades to your cart.
Last year, we launched the Elements of Truth game on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, with Kickstarter rewards shipping soon. Pre-order the retail edition here: https://ve42.co/YTSpiderSilk
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
For weekly science news, and an exclusive Q&A where writer/director Vibhor Pandey discusses the making of this video, sign up to the Veritasium newsletter - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
For early access to work-in-progress videos, join our Patreon - https://ve42.co/VePatreon
▀▀▀
00:0...
- Title
- The World's Heaviest Weight
- Runtime
- 1:00
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- How do you measure big forces accurately?
By calibrating your force transducer on the world's biggest weight - 1,000,000 pounds of force.
This machine ensures planes don't break apart, jets provide required thrust, and rockets make it to their destination.
- Title
- Why does every mammal get 1 billion heartbeats in their life?
- Runtime
- 35:32
- Date posted
- 4 months ago
- Description
- The hidden math that governs life. Sponsored by Brilliant - Try Brilliant for free, plus get 20% off an annual Premium subscription at https://brilliant.org/veritasium
Last year, we launched the Elements of Truth game on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, with Kickstarter rewards shipping soon. Pre-order the retail edition here: https://elementsoftruth.game/
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
For weekly science news, and an exclusive Q&A where writer/director Daniel Leonard discusses the making of this video, sign up to the Veritasium newsletter - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
For early access to work in progress videos join our Patreon - https://ve42.co/VePatreon
▀▀▀
0:00 How much LSD should you give an elephant?
3:09 Metabolic Rate...
- Title
- The Most Controversial Thought Experiment In Physics
- Runtime
- 1:43
- Date posted
- 4 months ago
- Description
- Put a cat in a box with a radioactive atom. Add a radiation detector that triggers the release of poisonous cyanide gas.
Schrödinger's thought experiment was supposed to be a criticism of quantum mechanics and is now one of it's best explainers.
Here's why and what happens to the cat...
- Title
- Why Waves Travel Faster At The Top
- Runtime
- 1:58
- Date posted
- 4 months ago
- Description
- Why do objects travel with waves?
We're taught waves only transfer energy, not material, but objects wash ashore all the time.
How does this work?
#veritasium #science #physics
- Title
- The Scariest Chart in Electrical Engineering
- Runtime
- 39:44
- Date posted
- 4 months ago
- Description
- Why is the Smith Chart one of the scariest charts in electrical engineering? Sponsored by Incogni - use code veritasium at https://incogni.com/veritasium to get an exclusive 60% off your annual subscription.
Last year, we launched the Elements of Truth game on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, with Kickstarter rewards shipping soon. Pre-order the retail edition here: https://elementsoftruth.game/
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
For weekly science news, and an exclusive Q&A where Writer/Director Henry discusses the making of this video, sign up to the Veritasium newsletter - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
For early access to work in progress videos join our Patreon https://ve42.co/VePatreon
▀▀▀
0:00 The Scariest Chart In Engineering
- Title
- The Google Interview Question Everyone Gets Wrong
- Runtime
- 1:00
- Date posted
- 4 months ago
- Description
- The blender problem. Do you think you know the answer? Comment below!
- Title
- How does light 'know' the shortest path?
- Runtime
- 1:16
- Date posted
- 4 months ago
- Description
- Light is the fastest thing in the universe.
In order to be this fast it always needs to take the shortest path (as it's speed cannot change).
So how does it always know what the shortest path is?
- Title
- AD - Why are plants colder than their surroundings?
- Runtime
- 2:40
- Date posted
- 4 months ago
- Description
- Plants can stay cooler than the air around them, even in full sun. How is that possible? We partnered with Anker to find out…
Pick up your Anker Prime Charger here:
https://ankerfast.club/noagy5
#AnkerTech #Anker #AnkerPrime
- Title
- AD - Why do I get this spark when I unplug my hair dryer?
- Runtime
- 2:22
- Date posted
- 4 months ago
- Description
- Why does a charger sometimes spark when you unplug it, even when it's switched off at the wall? We partnered with Anker to find out…
Pick up your Anker Prime Charger here:
https://ankerfast.club/noagy5
#AnkerTech #Anker #AnkerPrime
- Title
- Why do these metronomes sync up?
- Runtime
- 1:13
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- Watch what happens when you start a metronome ticking on an unstable platform, out of sync with two others.
Slowly over time, they all sync up.
How does this happen?
- Title
- We've Been Using The Wrong Science In Court For 50 years
- Runtime
- 23:22
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- How accurate is modern forensics? Sponsored by Saily - Get an exclusive 15% discount on Saily data plans! Use code veritasium at checkout. Download the Saily app or go to https://saily.com/veritasium
Last year, we launched the Elements of Truth game on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, with Kickstarter rewards shipping soon. If you missed the campaign, you can now pre-order the retail edition through our new website here - https://ve42.co/ForensicsDes
If you backed us on Kickstarter, don’t worry, your game will ship before any pre-orders are fulfilled.
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
For the latest science news, and for an exclusive bonus Q&A with the director of this video, sign up to the Veritasium newsletter - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
Fo...
- Title
- This tiny magnetic blob could change how we treat brain tumors forever...
- Runtime
- 0:42
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- Scientists have developed a new way to provide treatment for brain tumours.
Currently we use chemotherapy, but that's like throwing a grenade at a mosquito, you end up damaging a lot more than you mean to.
This magnetic blob will help change that.
References:
Microrobots: https://www.science.org/stoken/author-tokens/ST-3054/full
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03754-6
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025/11/19/robot-drugs-side-effects-magnets/
Catheters: https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/scirobotics.adh0298
Telesurgery: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.ado3187
https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/scirobotics.adq0192
Electromagnetic Navigation Systems: https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202310701
Magnetic Levitation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT8129liuQc
- Title
- We're 99.9% sure this pattern is true, but no one can prove it
- Runtime
- 41:30
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- Do twin primes go on forever? Sponsored by Brilliant - Head to https://brilliant.org/veritasium to try Brilliant’s tutor for free, plus receive 20% off an annual Premium subscription
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
For early access to work in progress videos join our patreon https://ve42.co/VePatreon
▀▀▀
A huge thank you to Alex Kontorovich, Andrew Granville, James Maynard, Roger Heath-Brown, Dimitris Koukoulopoulos, Debmalya Basak & George Shakan for their invaluable expertise and contributions to this video!
▀▀▀
0:00 What are twin primes?
3:08 How To Find Prime Numbers
6:11 The Sieve of Eratosthenes
11:26 The Closest We’ve Come To Proving Twin Primes
...
- Title
- Zippers are stronger than you think...
- Runtime
- 1:05
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- How do zippers work?
We made a giant one to find out!
- Title
- How A Random System Can Actually Be Predictable
- Runtime
- 1:50
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- The balls in a Galton board fall down randomly. Any time they come to a junction they can take any number of paths and it's almost impossible to accurately predict every ball's trajectory.
However, the system as a whole is predictable.
How can this be? How can random systems actually be predictable?
- Title
- AD - How do cities control traffic? We partnered with Anker to find out…
- Runtime
- 1:19
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- How does a traffic light know when a car is there?
Pick up your Anker Prime Charger here:
https://ankerfast.club/noagy5
#AnkerTech #Anker #AnkerPrime
- Title
- Something is jamming GPS over Europe. Here's what we found
- Runtime
- 34:17
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- Something is disrupting GPS signals across Europe. Sponsored by Ground News. Go to https://ground.news/Ve for 40% off the unlimited Vantage plan.
In 2025, we launched the Elements of Truth game on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, with Kickstarter rewards shipping soon. If you missed the campaign, you can now pre-order the retail edition through our new website here - https://ve42.co/GPSJam
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
▀▀▀
0:00 What is jamming Europe’s GPS?
4:43 How does GPS work?
10:46 How easy is it to jam GPS?
12:18 The Hunt To Find The Jammer
17:12 Who are the possible culprits?
20:06 The Investigation Goes Public
- Title
- Google Maps is unreasonably fast. Let me explain
- Runtime
- 29:54
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- The math behind Google Maps. Sponsored by boot.dev - Click this link https://boot.dev/?promo=VERITASIUM and use our code VERITASIUM to get 25% off your first payment for boot.dev.
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
For those curious about the path-count estimate: we estimated the non-backtracking paths NYC→SF, using a sparse spatial network model with mean degree ≈ 2.5 and characteristic length ≈ √N.
▀▀▀
0:00 What is a ‘shortest path algorithm’?
3:30 Dijkstra’s 20 Minute Algorithm
6:30 The First Route Planner
10:31 A* Search Algorithm
12:40 Shortest Doesn’t Mean Fastest
15:08 Road Network Hierarchy
18:29 Mapping North America - Nested Dissection
25:17 How do ...
- Title
- How An Infinite Hotel Ran Out Of Room
- Runtime
- 2:40
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- If there's a hotel with infinite rooms, could it ever be completely full?
Could you run out of space to put everyone?
The surprising answer is yes -- this is important to know if you're the manager of the Hilbert Hotel.
- Title
- Can you solve the hat riddle?
- Runtime
- 1:14
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- You and 3 amigos are buried neck deep in sand in a prison yard.
The guard says if one of you can guess your own hat colour you can all go free. You know there are two black hats and two white hats and you can only see the hats of the people in front of you.
A minute passes in silence and then one of you shouts out a correct answer.
Who shouted?
A, B, C or D?
- Title
- How many batteries would it take to power a human?
- Runtime
- 1:45
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- AD How many batteries would it take to power a human? We partnered with @AnkerCharging to find out...
Pick up your Anker Prime power bank here: https://ankerfast.club/noagy5
#AnkerTech #Anker #AnkerPrime #Veritasium #Tech
- Title
- How Alpha Particles Can Break Computer Chips
- Runtime
- 2:07
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- In the 1970s, Intel couldn't work out what was damaging the DRAM on their microchips.
The cause turned out to be the ceramic that the chip was encased in. It was secretly flipping 1s to 0s.
But how?
- Title
- The Surprising Genius Of Sewing Machines
- Runtime
- 1:13
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- How does a sewing machine work?
The answer is more genius than you might think.
- Title
- The CIA's new tech doesn't make sense
- Runtime
- 21:18
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Is the CIA’s Ghost Murmur technology real? Sponsored by Ground News. Go to https://ground.news/Ve for 40% off the unlimited Vantage plan.
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
▀▀▀
A huge thanks to Patrick Maletinsky at the University of Basel and Jan Jeske at the Fraunhofer Institute for their insights into NV magnetometry.
Likewise, thank you to Brad Roth at Oakland University, John Wikswo at Vanderbilt University, and Bob Fagaly at the IEEE for their input on the history and constraints of magnetometry.
Thank you to Douglas London, CIA Senior Operations Officer (Rtd), for his input on the story. His book, The Recruiter, can be found here - https://ve42.co/Recruiter
A big thanks to Herbert ...
- Title
- The Crystal That Could Destroy All Medicine
- Runtime
- 33:25
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- The crystals that wiped out an HIV medication, almost overnight. Thanks to SoFi for sponsoring the video! Click here to sign-up for SoFi Checking and Savings: https://sofi.com/ve
In 2025, we launched the Elements of Truth game on Kickstarter and were thrilled by the response. We’re now in the final stages of production, with Kickstarter rewards shipping soon. If you missed the campaign, you can now pre-order the retail edition through our new website here -https://ve42.co/PolymorphsDesc
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - https://ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - https://ve42.co/Newsletter
▀▀▀
Check out the excellent video by Reactions here: https://youtu.be/PccOwGEbtQU?si=NOpmaulDcoq6Kif-
This video was a huge collaborative effort!
Special thanks toâ€...

