Outreach

The novelty of the subjects we tackle, as well as the focus on experimental footage, is made possible by our proximity to various research labs, in particular those of ESPCI Paris. Indeed, we believe that outreach works best when there is a direct link between researchers and science communicators. All of these skills taken together enable the production of videos which rely equally on experimental research, artistic creation and science outreach – a diverse profile that is rather unusual on YouTube.

Our channel features three categories of videos. The first one deals with explaining scientific concepts, using a combination of experiments conducted either in our studio or in the labs. We mostly cover topics from the fields of soft matter physics and fluid dynamics: despite being a little under-appreciated on the Internet, they are very suitable for outreach in video format, thanks to a profusion of visually-striking movies or photographs.

The second category of videos focuses on specific research projects, through the interview of scientists in their labs while they explain their experiments. Giving a platform for researchers to express themselves enables the audience to realize that they are men and women like everyone else, with which they can identify. It also increases the visibility of experts, in an age where information travels fast and often without a source.

Lastly, the third series of videos is titled "Experiments in music". It immerses the viewer in high-resolution experimental footage, straight out from the labs, set to music by a student in musical composition from the Conservatoire de Paris, and explained by means of simple texts. The goal of this interplay between music and physics is to get people interested in science using an artistic sensibility, contrasting with more formal approaches that are often quite widespread. 

We publish all of our videos both in French and in English on two separate channels. Having started from scratch in fall 2016, the French channel took off thanks to the recognition of our science communicator colleagues on YouTube, and of the traditional media such as science magazines and radio programs. We were awarded the prize for best fluid mechanics video of the year twice by the American Physical Society, and were invited to write two follow-up articles in Physical Review Fluids. Today, we have gathered more than 20 000 subscribers and 850 000 views, for a total of 24 videos.