I'M ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SCIENTIFIC CONTENT.
That’s just the way I am, but it took me a while to find the best books, series, documentaries and more. Now, I’m going to share what I’ve found to be the best of the best in terms of interesting science stuff! Hope you agree!
BOOKS!
Don’t hate on books guys, they’re pretty amazing sources of information.
NAPOLEON'S BUTTONS
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. It mixes Chemistry and History in a way I never thought was possible.
I’ve never enjoyed History, and was reluctant to read this book when I first bought it but it’s well worth it. The chapters tell the story of lots of different molecules in a easily readable way. It was absolutely mind blowing to read (and see!) how tiny differences in the structures of molecules could so drastically change how the molecule acts! This book is written so almost anyone with a basic knowledge of chemistry can understand it
AGE - 15 AND UP
SEVEN BRIEF LESSONS ON PHYSICS
This is a book that you can definitely judge by its cover, it’s a really beautifully made book. This book is very thin and small but it contains some very interesting and beautifully written paragraphs about physics. This book is not quite as accessible as others, you will need a little prior knowledge of Einstein’s theories and general physics but it is definitely worth it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who finds the mysteries of physics interesting. My only problem with this book is that it’s too short. But if you like physics or just science generally then it’s definitely worth it.
AGE - 16 AND UP
THE DISAPPEARING SPOON
Never could I have possibly thought the periodic table was so interesting until I read this book. Kean writes about each and every element’s story in an incredibly interesting way. The best thing about this book is that it doesn’t go through the periodic table in order, it instead is written in a way that flows through groups of elements seamlessly. This book is very accessible to anyone and everyone, and isn’t hard to read at all. I really love how it’s written in a way that allows 13 year olds and up to read it, but still makes it interesting enough for older people to read too. Overall, just another amazing book. Worth every penny.
AGE - 13 AND UP
STUFF MATTERS
Another incredible book. This book is all about materials science. Reading this book makes you realise the huge role of materials in our everyday lives! Miodownik explains the molecular reasons for the properties of materials, how they’re made and how they were discovered. This is an incredibly interesting book and I really really really suggest you read it if you like Engineering, Physics or Chemistry, although you can of course read it if you like Biology :). This book is very well written and is accessible to everyone.
AGE - 14 AND UP
SERIES AND DOCUMENTARIES
Another amazing place to find information. Also an excuse so your parents let you watch TV.
GENIUS SEASON 1 - ALBERT EINSTEIN
A truly amazing series. It could actually qualify as a drama series. This series is all about Einstein’s life and work. The thing about this series is that it’s not just a bland explanation of his work and theories, it also incorporates his personal life too. This series is very accessible to anyone, and you don’t need to know much at all about his work to be able to watch this series. This series is available on National Geographic and on DVD. For me (being a nerd) I wish this series was a bit more about his work and (a little) less about his personal life
AGE - 14 AND UP
EVERYDAY MIRACLES - BBC
Yep! This series is by the same guy who wrote Stuff Matters. It’s a really interesting series about material science, and the materials that shape our world today. There is only a small overlap with the book so I 100% suggest you check it out! My only problem with this series is there are only 2 episodes.
AGE - 13 AND UP
INSIDE EINSTEIN'S MIND - NOVA
NOVA is an amazing place for science documentaries and series. Inside Einstein’s Mind is a documentary about how Einstein thought of and proved his theories. I highly suggest it for keen physicists, but of course if you love science then you can also watch it. You will need some prior knowledge of Einstein’s theories to watch it, but it is still a very easy to understand series.
AGE - 15 AND UP
YOUTUBE CHANNELS
Who doesn’t love YouTube?
A great channel for anyone who loves Chemistry (me). NileRed makes lots of cool chemicals from chemicals that are readily available at a pharmacy or supermarket. He also does an Edible Chem series where he makes chemicals used in food and tries them. This channel is my personal favourite.
AGE - 15 AND UP
MINUTEPHYSICS
MinutePhysics is the perfect channel for anyone who loves physics (duh). MinutePhysics often uploads videos on interesting topics in physics like particle physics, quantum physics and relativity as well as many more. His videos are generally very easy to understand with little prior knowledge required.
AGE - 14 AND UP
VERITASIUM
This channel is guaranteed to spark curiosity (I can vouch for that). Veritasium often uploads videos about concepts and laws in physics. My favourite videos from him are his videos on transistors and magnetism. Incredibly interesting. I strongly suggest you check out his channel!
AGE - 14 AND UP
THAT'S IT FOR NOW!
I’ll keep updating this with more stuff as I discover it. Let me know if you have any suggestions of good books to read, series and documentaries to watch or youtube channels to subscribe to!