When I was growing up, we had discovery channel. That sparked my intrinsic curiousity. My daughter has that intrinsic motivation as well, but only for k-pop now. She likes youtube videos and she likes when I tell her about science stuff. Maybe I can combine that by recommending her some good youtube channels.

  • pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip
    3·
    17 hours ago

    Lots of great recommendations already, but I haven’t seen mention of Nebula, and I was looking for something like it last year.

    I’m not affiliated with Nebula, I’m just a fan.

    I look for ways to support creators more while supporting Google less, and Nebula is my favorite for science video creators, at the moment.

    Some of the creators recommended here also post to Nebula with ad-free versions of the same videos and with a little bit of extra content (think DVD bonus features) - slightly longer videos, sometimes extra or extended interviews with interesting people.

    And pretty much any creator who is on Nebula will say so at some point in their YouTube videos.

  • rumba@lemmy.zipEnglish
    161·
    14 hours ago

    Slop for my horses. Used AI to parse the comments and make a cohesive list with it’s best shot at links

    Then hand checked the links, fixed any broken ones I could find.

    The classifications to the right are AI generated, feel free to comment and have me change things.

    Added from posts: Fraser Cain, The Crash Course, Beakman’s World, Cleo Abram

    Added from my own list: nile blue, my green guy, hyperspace pirate, smarter every day, jeremy fielding, stuff made here, laura kamph, jerri ellsworth

  • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
    5·
    1 day ago

    if your 12yo is interested in space, physics, pbs space, is another one, but it might be hard to follow if your not versed in the field though.

  • konim@sopuli.xyz
    91·
    2 days ago

    I dont really know whats age appropriate for a 12 year old but BobbyBroccoli has some good science controversy videos. He has a good series of videos on a physics scandal and a video on another physics scandal. He uses some cool visualizations and I like how he talks about the science and the people involved. Theres also cold fusion. One of the fusion videos has a title thats worrying but no one dies, its making a point.

    Too dark at her age probably but maybe good as a teenager. I listen to Fascinating Horror who covers various disasters in 15 mins or less. I liked that the videos arent sensationalized. He always says the victims names and backgrounds, the circumstances leading up to it and the fallout. Like theres a video about a woman who was rushed the hospital and made the staff sick. Theres a lot of videos calling her the toxic lady. His video refers to her by name, mentions that moniker doesnt match how positive and loved she was, and her prior medical issues that likely caused her desperation.

    • fireweed@lemmy.world
      5·
      2 days ago

      Seconding this. PBS has a TON of YouTube channels for all kinds of interest areas. Not all are going to be geared to a middle school audience, but much like the TV stations themselves, at least you don’t have to worry as much* about the potential content as a parent (in terms of quality or appropriateness) vs random YouTube channels.

      *I would say all their stuff is high school appropriate, but some of the more local/news-related stuff could be a bad fit for younger audiences depending on the kid, only because we don’t live in a world that’s child-friendly. Also channels like PBS Terra do a lot of videos about how fucked we are re: climate change (not in so many words of course) and although they do try to put an optimistic spin on it, sensitive kids might get freaked out by how bad things are (which would be an accurate response of course, so it depends on how much you’ve been trying to shelter your kid from this kind of thing I guess).

  • Hayduke@lemmy.world
    70·
    3 days ago

    In addition to the others mentioned.
    Kyle Hill
    Steve Mould
    Physics Girl
    The Action Lab
    Anton Petrov
    Scott Manley
    Veritasium
    Minute Earth
    Minute Physics
    VSauce
    SciShow
    Hank Green
    Cleo Abram

    • runner_g@piefed.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      7·
      2 days ago

      Also Nile Red and 3brown1blue.

      for a more adult audience - Technology Connections. I say adult because I don’t think Alec would hold the attention of a teenager.

      • DFX4509B@lemmy.wtfEnglish
        3·
        2 days ago

        NileRed is more adult than T-C based on the type of stuff he messes with being super dangerous sometimes, though. Like, I wouldn’t want a kid messing around with things like manganese heptoxide or various strong acids or whatever that are super dangerous on their own with adults messing with them, let alone kids.

    • AstralPath@lemmy.ca
      31·
      3 days ago

      Hannah Fry is great too. Becky Smethurst as well.

      I approve of your list but Anton Petrov is a bit much for a 12 year old, I think. Kyle Hill gets a bit dark for a 12 year old sometimes.

      It certainly doesn’t hurt to just start off on the right foot with Carl Sagan and Cosmos.

      • PetteriPano@lemmy.world
        4·
        2 days ago

        I came here to say Hannah Fry, too.

        She’s been doing a lot of those YouTube shorts or reels or whatever they’re called, so that’s probably a good way in for the younger generation.

        Then come the documentaries and books.

      • Hayduke@lemmy.world
        5·
        3 days ago

        Ha, yeah. That’s true about some of those channels. Kinda forgot about the age aspect. Like a lot of Simone’s videos have a bit of language, though she is awesome. I see her as far more as a maker than a science communicator. Not entirely sure why she was suggested a couple of times.

    • tomiant@piefed.socialEnglish
      222·
      3 days ago

      God I can’t stand Veritasium. Even the name is so fucking pretentious. Dude is in deep love with himself, I can’t watch it. There’s just something about narcissists, I get an allergic reaction listening to them.

      • Hayduke@lemmy.world
        15·
        3 days ago

        I can see that. I, like you, appreciate the content, but I have found myself watching fewer of his videos. I guess that’s also because he seems to be farming out his content production now. I like the self-produced stuff more than larger-scale productions.

      • anothermember@feddit.ukEnglish
        21·
        3 days ago

        God I can’t stand Veritasium. Even the name is so fucking pretentious. Dude is in deep love with himself, I can’t watch it. There’s just something about narcissists, I get an allergic reaction listening to them.

        Just call him Dirk instead, he makes good videos.

        • tomiant@piefed.socialEnglish
          12·
          3 days ago

          Yes yes I know, I like the content. I just can’t stand him as a person. That’s on me. I was brought up by narcissists so I have this spider sense about it and I get a visceral reaction.

    • DFX4509B@lemmy.wtfEnglish
      71·
      3 days ago

      Some of those I wouldn’t exactly trust as they’re going to be mostly pushing agendas from the private equity firms that own them, eg. like Veritasium.

      • Hayduke@lemmy.world
        5·
        3 days ago

        I have noticed that his videos over the last couple of years have bumped production quality but felt flat. I honestly only really enjoy his early stuff. How hipster-esque lame is that?

        I have blocked a few that I don’t even remember the names of because sponsorships start polluting the content.

        I try to take the content for what it’s worth and consider why they are producing the content/message. Starts sounding (externally) commercial, I generally stop watching. Some of these I haven’t watched recently, so I hope they are keeping it real for the most part. I partially blame the platform as well because it doesn’t pay to make the content like it used to. YouTube is pretty crap now for content creators in this genre

        • DFX4509B@lemmy.wtfEnglish
          11·
          2 days ago

          I’d recommend NileRed and NileBlue, if only some of his vids didn’t involve things that would be seriously harmful for kids to mess with and that clearly are meant for adults learning chemistry to mess with, eg. like boiling or distilling sulfuric acid to purify it, which of course if hot sulfuric acid gets out of control, you got a massive disaster and easily severe skin burns, for example.

          Otherwise, there should be plenty of science communicators which aren’t sellouts that are also age-appropriate for kids to be following along with.

          • Hayduke@lemmy.world
            3·
            2 days ago

            Hell yeah. His videos are great. Forgot to mention him. My wife actually got interested in the cinnamon candy episode.

            • DFX4509B@lemmy.wtfEnglish
              3·
              2 days ago

              I still must warn that the guy messes with things that are definitely age-inappropriate for kids, though, see the aforementioned sulfuric acid.

  • RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world
    5·
    2 days ago

    Well I was closer to 6 and 7, but I grew up with Mr. Wizard. He was probably Bill Nye’s inspiration. Unpatronizing, simple, and straightforward science for kids. Man was a national treasure.