3Blue1Brown — Best Videos According to Hacker News

course

Vectors | Chapter 1, Essence of linear algebra

3Blue1Brown

“the most welcoming and informative introduction to the topic I've ever seen”

17 HN recommenders · 2018–2026

explainer

But what is the Fourier Transform? A visual introduction.

3Blue1Brown

“this was the first thing that ever really made sense to me”

16 HN recommenders · 2018–2025

explainer

But what is a neural network? | Deep learning chapter 1

3Blue1Brown

“the visualisations and explanations of the math/concepts are so amazing”

16 HN recommenders · 2017–2025

explainer

But how does bitcoin actually work?

3Blue1Brown

“this video is the best explanation for how mining and blockchains work IMO”

15 HN recommenders · 2017–2024

explainer

Transformers, the tech behind LLMs | Deep Learning Chapter 5

3Blue1Brown

“what bade me finally understand the transformer architecture [0] and attention [1], are 3Blue1Brown's videos.”

13 HN recommenders · 2024–2026

course

The essence of calculus

3Blue1Brown

“When I discovered that video, all the formulas they tried to make me memorize started making a LOT more sense.”

10 HN recommenders · 2017–2025

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Essence of linear algebra preview

3Blue1Brown

“3Blue1Brown's youtube series I cannot recommend highly enough.”

11 HN recommenders · 2016–2018

explainer

The hardest problem on the hardest test

3Blue1Brown

“these videos give a sense of how someone might actually go about thinking through and solving these kinds of problems”

8 HN recommenders · 2017–2025

explainer

The determinant | Chapter 6, Essence of linear algebra

3Blue1Brown

“I have warmed up to determinants ever since I saw 3Blue1Brown give a fairly intuitive explanation for them”

6 HN recommenders · 2019–2024

explainer

Fractals are typically not self-similar

3Blue1Brown

“Here is are two very clear explanations of fractal dimension by the man himself, Grant from 3b1b.”

7 HN recommenders · 2017–2024

explainer

Thinking outside the 10-dimensional box

3Blue1Brown

“There's a great 3blue1brown video that demonstrates this unintuitive result in a relatively intuitive way”

6 HN recommenders · 2017–2025

explainer

Eigenvectors and eigenvalues | Chapter 14, Essence of linear algebra

3Blue1Brown

“By far the best explanation of eigenvalues is found on 3blue1brown”

6 HN recommenders · 2016–2025

explainer

The more general uncertainty principle, regarding Fourier transforms

3Blue1Brown

“The clearest, most intuitive explanation of the Fourier Uncertainty Principle that I have come across is by Grant Sanderson of 3Blue1Brown.”

7 HN recommenders · 2019–2025

explainer

Visualizing the 4d numbers Quaternions

3Blue1Brown

“He does a great job of explaining quaternions though visual intuition.”

6 HN recommenders · 2018–2023

explainer

What does it feel like to invent math?

3Blue1Brown

“Great intro”

6 HN recommenders · 2016–2024

explainer

Simulating an epidemic

3Blue1Brown

“3blue1brown's video on the topic is super digestible and informative [1].”

8 HN recommenders · 2020–2023

explainer

But what is the Riemann zeta function? Visualizing analytic continuation

3Blue1Brown

“I don't think it comes close to 3blue1brown's video on the same topic -”

6 HN recommenders · 2017–2023

explainer

Who cares about topology? (Old version)

3Blue1Brown

“A particular favourite is the one on the Inscribed Square Problem”

4 HN recommenders · 2017–2020

explainer

Why do prime numbers make these spirals? | Dirichlet’s theorem and pi approximations

3Blue1Brown

“Here is one of the most enlightening explanations for these kinds of spirals I have seen by 3blue1brown”

7 HN recommenders · 2019–2024

explainer

But why would light "slow down"? | Visualizing Feynman's lecture on the refractive index

3Blue1Brown

“probably the clearest reasonably accessible explanation of this topic anywhere to date”

5 HN recommenders · 2023–2026

explainer

Attention in transformers, step-by-step | Deep Learning Chapter 6

3Blue1Brown

“what bade me finally understand the transformer architecture [0] and attention [1], are 3Blue1Brown's videos.”

5 HN recommenders · 2024–2026

explainer

But what is a Fourier series? From heat flow to drawing with circles | DE4

3Blue1Brown

“Helped click that there is a perfect visual analogy to the deconstruction of complex audio to sine waves.”

4 HN recommenders · 2020–2025

explainer

Triangle of Power

3Blue1Brown

“My favorite new math notation is the triangle of power”

5 HN recommenders · 2016–2023

explainer

Hilbert's Curve: Is infinite math useful?

3Blue1Brown

“This is a great video on the Hilbert curve”

4 HN recommenders · 2017–2024

explainer

But what are Hamming codes? The origin of error correction

3Blue1Brown

“I would strongly recommend anyone interested in the topic to check out any of these videos”

4 HN recommenders · 2020–2023

explainer

The medical test paradox, and redesigning Bayes' rule

3Blue1Brown

“is a brilliant introduction to the concept”

4 HN recommenders · 2020–2025

explainer

e^(iπ) in 3.14 minutes, using dynamics | DE5

3Blue1Brown

“3blue1brown explains it better than I could”

4 HN recommenders · 2020–2021

explainer

Backpropagation, intuitively | Deep Learning Chapter 3

3Blue1Brown

“I found the explainations by 3Brown1Blue to be very intuitive when it comes to neural networks”

4 HN recommenders · 2017–2024

explainer

Pi hiding in prime regularities

3Blue1Brown

“This is a really beautiful proof that connects complex numbers and primes to derive a formula for calculating pi.”

3 HN recommenders · 2017–2019

explainer

How are holograms possible?

3Blue1Brown

“this might be one of my most favorite videos ever single-handedly changing my understanding of holograms”

3 HN recommenders · 2024–2025

explainer

Gradient descent, how neural networks learn | Deep Learning Chapter 2

3Blue1Brown

“3Blue1Brown which explains math in very accessible way”

4 HN recommenders · 2017–2024

explainer

How secure is 256 bit security?

3Blue1Brown

“To comprehend how large a search space this is watch 3Blue1Brown's explanation”

2 HN recommenders · 2020–2023

explainer

Euler's formula with introductory group theory

3Blue1Brown

“check out the one he did on Euler's formula[1]. Blew my mind.”

3 HN recommenders · 2017–2024

demo

How I animate 3Blue1Brown | A Manim demo with Ben Sparks

3Blue1Brown

“I want to highlight the demo video [0], where Grant explains how he works with Manim.”

3 HN recommenders · 2024–2026

explainer

Terence Tao on the cosmic distance ladder

3Blue1Brown

“For details, watch the video, it is really good.”

2 HN recommenders · 2025–2026

explainer

Bayes theorem, the geometry of changing beliefs

3Blue1Brown

“There's a very cool 3Blue1Brown video [0] that helps give you an intuitive feel for Bayes Theorem.”

2 HN recommenders · 2022–2024

explainer

Backpropagation calculus | Deep Learning Chapter 4

3Blue1Brown

“3Blue1Brown which explains math in very accessible way”

3 HN recommenders · 2017–2024

explainer

Solving Wordle using information theory

3Blue1Brown

“still worth a watch.”

2 HN recommenders · 2022–2024

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Exponential growth and epidemics

3Blue1Brown

“Here is a neat video that helps put things in perspective for most any viewer.”

10 HN recommenders · 2020

explainer

Some light quantum mechanics (with minutephysics)

3Blue1Brown

“I found these two videos very helpful in understanding the quantum nature of light”

2 HN recommenders · 2020–2022

lecture

What is Euler's formula actually saying? | Ep. 4 Lockdown live math

3Blue1Brown

“I was finally able to understand the role of complex numbers in the Fourier Transform.”

1 HN recommenders · 2020–2023

explainer

Group theory, abstraction, and the 196,883-dimensional monster

3Blue1Brown

“you should probably see this Matt Parker video about excel being used in ways it shouldn't maybe?”

1 HN recommenders · 2021–2023

explainer

But how do AI images and videos actually work? | Guest video by Welch Labs

3Blue1Brown

“WL & 3b1b made a nice video on it”

1 HN recommenders · 2025–2026