Chemistry Videos Hacker News Recommends

talk#177

Clasp: Common Lisp using LLVM and C++ for Molecular Metaprogramming

Google TechTalks

“I challenge anyone to watch this lecture from Christian Schafmeister and say they are not impressed”

8 HN recommenders · 2015–2024

interview#215

Richard Feynman Fire

nebulajr

“it's impossible to stay in any kind of negative mood if you watch Feynman”

8 HN recommenders · 2010–2023

explainer#274

I messed up. You're using too much detergent.

Technology Connections

“the two Technology Connection videos on dishwashers are must watch”

10 HN recommenders · 2021–2025

explainer#552

The Man Who Accidentally Killed The Most People In History

Veritasium

“here's an excellent one by Veritasium on how it happened.”

6 HN recommenders · 2022–2026

lecture#912

Introduction: The Chemical History of a Candle by Michael Faraday (1/6)

engineerguy

“is a masterpiece in science education.”

4 HN recommenders · 2018–2022

tutorial#939

Revolutionary Paint: How to Make Surfaces Stay Cool in the Sun

Tech Ingredients

“Great video about making home-made high reflectivity paint”

5 HN recommenders · 2023–2026

explainer#946

How Do Nuclear Submarines Make Oxygen?- Smarter Every Day 251

SmarterEveryDay

“Smarter Every Day did an interesting series of videos about nuclear submarines.”

5 HN recommenders · 2021–2026

tutorial#1055

Making Infrared Cooling Paint From Grocery Store Items (w/Novel CaCO₃ Microsphere Synthesis)

NightHawkInLight

“Here is a frankly incredible video of how you could make such a paint”

5 HN recommenders · 2023–2026

tutorial#1070

How To Make Infrared Cooling Paint (Electricity Free Air Conditioning)

NightHawkInLight

“This YouTuber[0] does an excellent job recreating chemistry research from papers and improving on the techniques to be accomplished with household materials.”

4 HN recommenders · 2022–2025

commentary#1227

PFAS: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

LastWeekTonight

“he does his homework”

4 HN recommenders · 2021–2025

explainer#1263

Why Hershey bars taste like vomit (and I love them)

Adam Ragusea

“Adam Ragusea has an excellent video on this very topic”

3 HN recommenders · 2021–2023

documentary#1651

The Biggest Chemical Coverup In History

Veritasium

“If you want a good explanation of PFAs, Veritasium did a video on it.”

3 HN recommenders · 2025–2026

podcast#1689

Lee Cronin: Origin of Life, Aliens, Complexity, and Consciousness | Lex Fridman Podcast #269

Lex Fridman

“It really changed my naive perspective of life, and the universe.”

2 HN recommenders · 2022

talk#1890

Clasp: Common Lisp using LLVM and C++ for Designing Molecules

Google TechTalks

“I challenge anyone to watch this lecture from Christian Schafmeister and say they are not impressed”

2 HN recommenders · 2016–2022

documentary#1990

America's Nerve Gas Arsenal

Peter Klusman

“If you're interested in this type of stuff this documentary is incredible and apparently won an Emmy.”

2 HN recommenders · 2017–2020

documentary#2003

How Does Kodak Make Film? (Kodak Factory Tour Part 1 of 3) - Smarter Every Day 271

SmarterEveryDay

“it’s a fascinating look at the process of film manufacturing”

3 HN recommenders · 2022

explainer#2090

Homochirality: Why Nature Never Makes Mirror Molecules

Steve Mould

“Here is a video talking about molecular chirality and how nature really only produces one version of molecules”

3 HN recommenders · 2021–2022

explainer#2177

The 5 Most Dangerous Chemicals on Earth

SciShow

“This is a fun video to watch”

3 HN recommenders · 2015–2020

demo#2193

Etching small patterns in Glass

Huygens Optics

“The video on micro etching glass with HF is highly informative on this post...”

4 HN recommenders · 2021–2024

demo#2243

DIY mass spectrometer measures potassium in dietary salt substitute

Applied Science

“he tries to explain why it's built the way it is and give you a good basis of the theory of operation.”

3 HN recommenders · 2020–2023

demo#2314

Fluorine - Periodic Table of Videos

Periodic Videos

“tooth chat at 5:10, but the whole video is interesting”

4 HN recommenders · 2015–2021

lecture#2342

James Tour: The Mystery of the Origin of Life

Discovery Science

“Here's a talk by one of the world’s top synthetic organic chemists offering a blunt assessment of the current state of origin of life research”

2 HN recommenders · 2019–2022

documentary#2470

Toxic Propellant Hazards In Rocketry 1966 NASA

markdcatlin

“provides an interesting discussion of the dangers of nitrogen tetroxide and hydrazine propellants.”

2 HN recommenders · 2017–2024

tutorial#2625

Glass engineering - designing and making photochromic glass

Applied Science

“I'd highly recommend his channel to anyone interested in science and fabrication.”

2 HN recommenders · 2017–2022

demo#2826

Jet Fuel VS Diesel VS Gasoline how they burn and what color are they.

Just Think

“Great practical demonstration of the different flammability characteristics of some common fuels.”

2 HN recommenders · 2018–2022

demo#2827

Solar Powered Air Conditioner!

Tech Ingredients

“built a dessicant-based air conditioning system with enough info to DIY one.”

2 HN recommenders · 2021–2023

lecture#2856

Professor Jeff Dahn | WIN Seminar Series

Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology

“This lecture (1h, 13m) goes into it in detail, including how it can be prevented, ways of testing, and more”

2 HN recommenders · 2015–2017

music#2872

Tom Lehrer - The Elements - LIVE FILM From Copenhagen in 1967

The Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel

“is the Tom Lehrer song that made the biggest impression on me.”

2 HN recommenders · 2015–2023

documentary#2983

Behind the Film - Inside the ILFORD factory

ILFORD Photo

“The Ilford factory video is a fun watch”

2 HN recommenders · 2020–2022

demo#2992

Demo and teardown of an X-ray fluorescence gun (measures chemical composition)

Applied Science

“Fascinating teardown on one of these things at Ben Krasnow's channel”

2 HN recommenders · 2020–2024

explainer#3013

High speed camera reveals why sodium explodes!

Thunderf00t

“the video has a nice balance, it's technical but not too technical”

2 HN recommenders · 2015–2024

explainer#3042

Everyone is Wrong About Mexican Coke (Even @johnnyharris)

Reactions

“Fun video about the sucrose in Mexican coke”

2 HN recommenders · 2025–2026

music#3278

The Molecular Shape of You (Ed Sheeran Parody) | A Capella Science

acapellascience

“both my girlfriend and I loved the ones we listened to”

2 HN recommenders · 2020–2025

documentary#3300

Updated BP Texas City Animation on the 15th Anniversary of the Explosion

USCSB

“(but worth watching the whole thing!)”

2 HN recommenders · 2022–2025

explainer#3607

A Scientist Spilled 2 Drops Organic Mercury On Her Hand. This Is What Happened To Her Brain.

Chubbyemu

“ChubbyEmu’s video [1] on this was quite good.”

1 HN recommenders · 2018–2026

demo#3626

Making uranium glass

NileRed

“If you're interested in the process and chemistry behind it, it's a very informative and entertaining watch.”

1 HN recommenders · 2020–2024

explainer#3796

My Video Got 2 Companies Shut Down! (And even worse negative ion products)

The Thought Emporium

“This guy on youtube contacted the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to force Amazon to delist these products”

1 HN recommenders · 2021–2025

explainer#3808

What If Alien Life Were Silicon-Based?

PBS Space Time

“PBS Space Time has a very good & informative episode covering this.”

1 HN recommenders · 2023–2025

talk#3832

CANDO: A Compiled Programming Language for Computer-Aided Nanomaterial Design and Optimization

European Lisp Symposium

“no wonder CANDO is impressive, the scope and fields involved are pretty rare”

2 HN recommenders · 2016–2019

documentary#3962

Why Farmers Can't Legally Replant Their Own Seeds

Veritasium

“Veritasium has a couple months old video that talks about this issue”

1 HN recommenders · 2025

explainer#4060

Inferno: Dust Explosion at Imperial Sugar

USCSB

“Sugar dust is violently explosive.”

1 HN recommenders · 2018–2026

demo#4184

What salt tastes the best? Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs and more

Explosions&Fire

“One of my favorite random youtube videos”

1 HN recommenders · 2019–2024

tutorial#4295

Antique 4x5 camera creates 20 micron photolithography masks: Super tiny tax form

Applied Science

“There is a great video on creating lithographic masks on Ben Krasnow's Applied Science channel”

1 HN recommenders · 2020–2025

demo#4405

Making purple gold

NileRed

“There's a fascinating video of a fellow trying to make a ring out of Purple Gold.”

1 HN recommenders · 2023–2024

demo#4529

[593] Gallium vs. Titalium - Abus Padlock Meets a Gruesome End

LockPickingLawyer

“you should watch his video where he breaks a lock by simply applying Gallium to a lock”

1 HN recommenders · 2020–2024

comedy#4654

Daniel Radcliffe sings "The Elements" - The Graham Norton Show - Series 8 Episode 4 - BBC

BBC

“introducing Tom Lehrer to a crowd who didn't know him”

1 HN recommenders · 2015–2025

tutorial#4671

Making YBCO superconductor

Applied Science

“Here's his video of making YBCO for anyone that hasn't seen it”

1 HN recommenders · 2021–2023

demo#4673

Synthesizing Chicken Noodle Soup From Pure Chemicals

The Thought Emporium

“There's a great recent Thought Emporium video where he synthesizes chicken noodle soup from pure chemicals”

1 HN recommenders · 2023–2024