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Why Leap Seconds Confuse Computers

Last night, time on Earth had a leap second. The planet’s computer systems survived unscathed, thanks to months of careful preparation by engineers. But here’s a concise explanation of why, left to their own devices, a bunch of very expensive computers could’ve thrown a hissy fit. YouTuber Tom Scott explains the system, called Unix time,…

The Best YouTube Channel for Film Nerds

Okay, you’re reading Gizmodo, so there’s a good chance you’re a tech nerd. But are you a double-whammy tech and film nerd? If so, scope out CineFix, a YouTube channel brimming with videos about the movie world, from GCI to stunts to DIY 8-bit Hollywood remakes. Chances are you’ve at least stumbled upon one of…

How Michael Jackson Inspired One of the Original YouTube Memes

An incredible thing happened on July 17, 2007. A video of several hundred inmates wearing orange jumpsuits and performing an immaculately choreographed dance to Thriller appeared on a small website called YouTube. Two years later, Michael Jackson was dead, and YouTube had changed history. You might argue that Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance did for YouTube…

Start Your Day With These Great Cartoony Science Explainers

If you want to learn more about science but shudder at the thought of cracking open another text book, how does watching colorful animations about the length of a pop song sound? Better? Head over to YouTube channel Kurz Gesagt, which has beautiful educational videos in spades. German for “in a nutshell,” the channel has…

How the Hell Are These Crazy Continuous Lifts Still A Thing?

I religiously maintain a list of ‘dangerous machinery that wants to eat my limbs’, and having watched this video, Paternoster lifts — that is, lifts with continuously moving carriages that you jump in and out of — just went straight to the top. YouTuber Tom Scott took a trip to the University of Sheffield, an…

YouTube Wants To Get Into Eyewitness News 

YouTube doesn’t want to give you a reason to turn on CNN. The Google-owned video hosting site is trying to legitimize eyewitness accounts of breaking news by launching YouTube Newswire, a special feed for footage it verifies as accurate. Video uploaded from people on the scene can provide crucial context, but these services can also…

People like to watch other people streaming their video games. It’s kind of a thing. So YouTube is launching a new website and app dedicated specifically to that. It’ll compete with Twitch, of course, which is owned by Amazon. [YouTube]

You Must Watch This Great Computer-Obsessed YouTube Channel

Do you like computers? The good folks at YouTube’s Computerphile really like them. In case you’re not familiar, let me introduce you to Numberphile’s equally nerdy, equally fantastic sister site that demystifies computer science. Nearly 400,000 subscribers strong, videos dive into 3D X-ray images, the disadvantages of JPEGs, the end of Moore’s Law, how hyperlinks…

Why Adults Suck At Learning Languages 

I was born in Spain to Spanish-speaking parents, who in their infinite wisdom, brought me up speaking English. I’ve always resented missing the opportunity to be brought up bilingual — adults seem to have such a tough time learning languages, compared to children. But why is that? YouTuber Tom Scottexplores the fascinating — and often…

Create a YouTube Playlist as a Modern-Day Mixtape

The art of mixtape making has sadly been lost in our transition to a digital era of on-demand music, but there are still places where you can practice this lost skill, and one of them is YouTube. Here are the steps to assemble your group of songs and share them with a special someone or…

Does Water Really Swirl Differently in Australia? YouTube Stars Find Out

Smarter Every Day and Veritasium, two of the best science channels on YouTube, have teamed up to answer once and for all: Does water really flow the other way in the southern hemisphere? Destin Sandlin, host of Smarter Every Day (based in Huntsville, Alabama) and Derek Muller of Veritasium (who’s in Sydney) each filmed a…

These Electrical Overload Videos Are Explosively Satisfying

Mad scientists have a home on YouTube. Whether they’re building lasers or performing controlled explosions on the back patio, they’re raking in millions of views. Add Photonicinduction to the list of ridiculously rad YouTube channels with a taste for the combustible. The star, Andy (aka Photon), whose YouTube page states he has 25 years of…

Google Maps, Chrome, and YouTube Will Be Available Offline

There’s nothing more frustrating than cueing up a set of Google Maps directions to your destination only to lose service and have them evaporate while you’re in transit. Now Google Maps, websites, and even YouTube will work with no internet connection on your Android phone. Google announced the series of lighter apps for the audience…

You’ll Feel Way Smarter After Watching These YouTube Physics Lessons

If you like the Explain Like I’m Five subreddit, which demystifies life’s mysteries in layman speak (like this one about why kids eat boogers), then you should bookmark MinutePhysics. It’s a popular YouTube channel that breaks down one of the more confounding branches of science by drawing cartoons with a Crayola marker. MinutePhysics has been…

How Project InnerTube Helped Pull YouTube Out of the Gutter

Three years ago, YouTube had a big problem. People were watching YouTube videos on blogs, news sites and social media—everywhere but YouTube. As a result, the site’s 1 billion monthly viewers were only bringing the company $4 billion in revenue, less than what Netflix was skimming off just 50 million subscribers. Image: Shutterstock At the…

The Most Brilliant DiY Tutorial Channels to Watch on YouTube Right Now

Years ago, wannabe engineers might’ve sat in a basement tearing up VCRs to concoct homemade electronics, pounding can after can of Tab to fuel their DiY compulsions. That’s still happening today—except with DVD burners, cans of Red Bull, and with millions of people watching the mad scientists on YouTube. Functioning light sabers. Mini rocket launchers.…

Apple Apparently Under Government Scrutiny Over Music Deals

Apple’s long-rumored relaunch of the Beats music-streaming service is slated for June, and in preparation, the company is softening the beaches by playing hardball with record labels. And, not for the first time, federal trade commissioners aren’t particularly happy. According to sources that have spoken to Bloomberg and The Verge, Apple is pushing hard to…

Meet the Twisted YouTube Geniuses Who Destroyed the Apple Watch

I called Richard Ryan late on a Thursday evening. His voice through the phone was scratchy and you could hear these faint “pops” every so often. This wasn’t the fault of some piss-poor cell reception. This was something else. “Sorry about the explosives going off in the background,” he said. Yes, explosives. Ryan is in…

Watch YouTube’s Favorite Videos to Celebrate Its 10th Birthday

On April 23rd 2005, the first ever video was uploaded to YouTube. Just a few days later in May, the video site opened to the public with its beta launch. That means YouTube turns 10 this month and it’s celebrating the only way it knows: with its favorite videos. That first ever video was Me…

Subscribe to Our Youtube Channel For a Sweet Cocktail of Video Delight

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been moving our best video content over to YouTube where it will live in peaceful sanctity. We’ve got a whole mess of short documentaries, hands-on testing, and absurd nonsense like this. With so much more to come! Help us keep the flow of video alive by subscribing to our…