The people fighting back against bad science.

3Blue1Brown

mathematicslinear-algebra

Mathematician and YouTube creator who produces animated videos on topics including linear algebra, calculus, and neural networks. Developed the open-source Manim animation library and lectured at MIT.

Adam Conover

misconception-debunkingscience-communication

Comedian and television host who created and hosted Adam Ruins Everything on TruTV (2015-2019). The show addressed common misconceptions across medicine, history, and culture, citing on-screen sources.

Alie Ward

podcastscience-communication

Science communicator and host of the Ologies podcast, which interviews specialists across scientific disciplines. Won a Daytime Emmy for her work on CBS's Innovation Nation. Previously wrote for the Los Angeles Times.

Ann Reardon

food-sciencedietetics

Australian food scientist and dietitian who runs the HowToCookThat YouTube channel. Known for testing viral food hacks and recipes, evaluating their safety and feasibility using food science principles.

Aron Ra

creationism-debunkingatheism

Atheist activist and YouTube creator known for the Foundational Falsehoods of Creationism video series. Holds a BS in Anthropology from Arizona State University and formerly served as president of the Atheist Alliance of America.

Ben Goldacre

bad-scienceevidence-based-medicine

British physician and Bennett Professor of Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford. Author of Bad Science and Bad Pharma. Co-founded the AllTrials campaign for clinical trial transparency.

Bill Nye

science-educationclimate-change

Mechanical engineer and television personality who hosted Bill Nye the Science Guy (1993-1999). Former Boeing engineer and current CEO of The Planetary Society. Publicly advocates for evolution education and climate change policy.

Brian Deer

vaccine-misinformationinvestigative-journalism

British investigative journalist who reported on Andrew Wakefield's 1998 Lancet MMR-autism paper for The Sunday Times. His findings contributed to the paper's retraction and Wakefield's removal from the UK medical register.

Brian Dunning

skeptoidpodcast

Creator and host of the Skeptoid podcast, a weekly show since 2006 that examines myths, urban legends, and pseudoscientific claims. Author of seven books on scientific skepticism.

Captain Disillusion

visual-effectsmedia-literacy

Latvian-American filmmaker and visual effects artist who analyzes viral hoax videos on YouTube. Holds a BFA in Film Production and operates under a costumed persona to explain VFX techniques used in deceptive videos.

ContraPoints

philosophygender

Video essayist with a master's degree in philosophy from Northwestern University. Produces long-form YouTube essays on political rhetoric, gender, and cultural criticism. Won a Streamy Award and received a Peabody Award.

David Gorski (Orac)

surgical-oncologyalternative-medicine

Surgical oncologist and Professor of Surgery at Wayne State University with an MD and PhD. Managing editor of the Science-Based Medicine blog and writes the Respectful Insolence blog under the pseudonym Orac.

Debunk the Funk

molecular-biologyanti-vax

Molecular biologist with a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University who produces YouTube videos and a podcast focused on vaccine-related claims. Works as a senior associate scientist at Janssen.

Doctor Mike

medicinefamily-medicine

Board-certified family medicine physician who practices at Chatham Family Medicine in New Jersey. Runs a YouTube channel with over 14 million subscribers where he discusses medical topics and evaluates health claims found on social media.

Pediatrician and Professor of Pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine. Hosts the Healthcare Triage YouTube channel covering health policy and medical research methodology. Writes for The New York Times.

Dr. Andrea Love

immunologyvaccines

Immunologist with a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology who writes about vaccines, infectious disease, and health claims on her ImmunoLogic Substack. Serves as Executive Director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation.

Dr. Anthony Youn

plastic-surgerycosmetic-surgery

Board-certified plastic surgeon based in Michigan with a large social media following. Produces content evaluating cosmetic surgery trends and beauty product claims. Author of several books on aging and skin health.

Dr. Danielle Jones (Mama Doctor Jones)

obstetricsgynecology

Board-certified OB/GYN and former assistant professor at Texas A&M Health Science Center. Runs a YouTube channel with over 1.2 million subscribers where she discusses pregnancy, contraception, and reproductive health topics.

NHS physician with a master's degree in nutritional research and board certification in lifestyle medicine. Posts short-form videos on nutrition claims and published Saturated Facts with Penguin Books in 2023.

Dr. Jen Gunter

womens-healthobstetrics

Canadian-American OB/GYN and pain medicine specialist who writes the Body & Soul column for The New York Times. Author of The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto. Known for public criticism of wellness industry health claims.

Dr. Morgan McSweeney (Dr. Noc)

immunologyvaccines

Immunologist with a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences whose research focuses on monoclonal antibody therapeutics for respiratory diseases. Produces health-related content on TikTok with over 4 million followers.

Dr. Sydnee McElroy

medicinemedical-history

Family medicine physician and assistant professor who co-hosts the Sawbones podcast, covering the history of medical treatments and practices. The show has produced over 300 episodes since 2013.

Edzard Ernst

alternative-medicinecomplementary-medicine

German-British physician and Emeritus Professor of Complementary Medicine at the University of Exeter, the first academic to hold such a chair. Published over 1,000 peer-reviewed papers evaluating alternative therapies.

ElectroBOOM

electrical-engineeringfree-energy-debunking

Iranian-Canadian electrical engineer with a master's degree from Simon Fraser University. Runs the ElectroBOOM YouTube channel, where he addresses free energy claims and teaches electronics through comedic demonstrations.

Folding Ideas

cryptocurrencymedia-criticism

Canadian documentarian and media critic who produces long-form video essays on YouTube. Known for analyses of cryptocurrency, NFTs, and multi-level marketing, including the widely viewed Line Goes Up documentary.

Forrest Valkai

biologyevolution

Biologist and PhD candidate in biochemistry and molecular biology with master's degrees in biomedical sciences and anthropology. Produces YouTube and TikTok content focused on evolutionary biology and responses to creationist claims.

Hank Green

biologybiochemistry

Entrepreneur and science communicator with degrees in biochemistry and environmental studies. Co-founded the YouTube channels CrashCourse and SciShow through his production company Complexly. Also co-created VidCon.

Hbomberguy

media-criticismplagiarism

British video essayist who produces long-form YouTube documentaries on media criticism, plagiarism, and political topics. His four-hour Plagiarism and You(Tube) documentary prompted public responses from several named creators.

Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell

science-communicationanimation

Munich-based animation studio founded by Philipp Dettmer that produces science explainer videos on YouTube. Has over 24 million subscribers. Uses an expert review process and has publicly retracted videos it deemed inaccurate.

Science communicator with an MA in science communication and a BS in civil and environmental engineering from Marquette University. Runs the YouTube channel THE FACILITY, focusing on nuclear energy and radiation topics. Has consulted with the US Department of Energy.

Mark Rober

engineeringstem-education

Mechanical engineer who spent nine years at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, including work on the Curiosity rover. Runs a YouTube channel with 50 million subscribers featuring engineering projects. Founded the educational company CrunchLabs.

Matt Dillahunty

atheismlogic

Atheist activist and former host of The Atheist Experience call-in television show in Austin, Texas, which he co-hosted for seventeen years. US Navy veteran and former president of the Atheist Community of Austin.

Michael Shermer

skepticismconspiracy-theories

Founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and executive director of The Skeptics Society. Holds a PhD in the History of Science from Claremont Graduate University. Wrote the monthly Skeptic column for Scientific American from 2001 to 2019.

Miniminuteman

archaeologyanthropology

Environmental scientist and archaeologist with a degree from the University of Maine. Produces YouTube and TikTok content focused on archaeological claims, including a widely viewed critique of the Netflix series Ancient Apocalypse.

MinutePhysics

physicsrelativity

Physicist with a master's degree in theoretical physics from the Perimeter Institute who creates the MinutePhysics YouTube channel. Uses hand-drawn whiteboard animations to explain physics concepts. Founded Neptune Studios.

Myles Power

chemistryanti-vax

British organic chemist with a degree from the University of Manchester and over seven years of laboratory research experience. Runs a YouTube channel addressing topics including homeopathy, vaccine claims, and conspiracy theories.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

astrophysicscosmology

Astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History since 1996. Holds a PhD from Columbia University. Hosted the television series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey and the StarTalk podcast.

NileRed

chemistryorganic-chemistry

Canadian chemist with a biochemistry degree from McGill University who conducts laboratory synthesis experiments on YouTube. His channel has over 10 million subscribers and documents multi-step chemistry projects.

Philip DeFranco

media-literacynews

YouTube news commentator active since 2006 with over 6.6 million subscribers. Hosts The Philip DeFranco Show covering politics and current events. Founded the news channels SourceFed and SourceFed Nerd.

Physics Girl

physicsscience-communication

Physicist with a BS from MIT who conducted dark matter research and later worked at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Runs the Physics Girl YouTube channel with 3.5 million subscribers covering physics demonstrations and concepts.

Potholer54

climate-sciencegeology

British geologist and former science journalist who spent fourteen years as a correspondent for New Scientist. Runs a YouTube channel focused on climate science and creationism, emphasizing primary source citation.

Professor Dave Explains

chemistrybiology

Chemistry educator with a BS from UCLA who runs a YouTube channel with over 3.5 million subscribers. Produces science education content and videos addressing pseudoscientific claims across multiple disciplines.

Roberto Burioni

vaccinesvirology

Italian virologist and Professor of Microbiology at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan. Holds an MD and a PhD in Microbiological Sciences. Founded the Medical Facts website and authored The Vaccine Is Not an Opinion.

Rohin Francis (Medlife Crisis)

cardiologymedical-myths

British NHS Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and doctoral researcher at University College London. Runs the Medlife Crisis YouTube channel, which covers cardiology, medical research methodology, and health claims.

Ross Blocher & Carrie Poppy

paranormal-investigationpodcast

Co-hosts of the Oh No, Ross and Carrie! podcast (2011-2024), in which they personally attended and participated in paranormal, religious, and alternative medicine experiences before reporting their findings.

Sabine Hossenfelder

theoretical-physicsquantum-gravity

German theoretical physicist with a PhD from Goethe University Frankfurt and over 80 peer-reviewed papers. Runs a YouTube channel and blog covering physics topics. Author of Lost in Math and Existential Physics.

SciManDan

flat-earthastronomy

English science educator and former maths and science tutor who runs a YouTube channel with around 700,000 subscribers. Produces content primarily responding to flat earth and other pseudoscientific claims.

SciShow

science-educationyoutube

Science education YouTube channel created in 2012 by Hank Green under the Complexly production company. Has over 8 million subscribers and covers topics across chemistry, biology, physics, and other scientific disciplines.

Seth Andrews

atheismdeconversion

Former Christian radio broadcaster who became an atheist activist and hosts The Thinking Atheist podcast and YouTube channel. Author of five books including the memoir Deconverted.

Simon Singh

alternative-medicinechiropractic

British popular science author with a PhD in particle physics from Cambridge. Co-authored Trick or Treatment? on alternative medicine with Edzard Ernst. His 2008 libel case with the British Chiropractic Association contributed to UK defamation law reform.

Skepchick

skepticismalternative-medicine

Founder of the Skepchick blog network and former co-host of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast for nine years. Holds a BS in Communications from Boston University. Produces YouTube videos on alternative medicine and pseudoscience topics.

Smarter Every Day

aerospaceengineering

Aerospace engineer with a master's from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and 15 years of experience as a missile flight test engineer at Redstone Arsenal. Runs the Smarter Every Day YouTube channel with 11 million subscribers.

Steve Mould

physicsscience-communication

British physicist with a Master of Physics from the University of Oxford who runs a YouTube channel with 2.5 million subscribers. Co-founded the Festival of the Spoken Nerd live show. Known for popularizing the chain fountain phenomenon.

Steven Novella

neurologyskepticism

Clinical neurologist and Associate Professor of Neurology at Yale University School of Medicine. Hosts The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast since 2005 and co-founded the Science-Based Medicine blog.

Susan Gerbic

wikipediaskepticism

Skeptical activist and founder of Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia, a volunteer project that has produced over 2,200 Wikipedia articles on science-related topics. Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.

British research chemist with a PhD from the University of Birmingham, currently at the Czech Academy of Sciences. Has published in Nature Chemistry and Science. Runs a YouTube channel addressing creationism and technology claims.

Tim Minchin

comedymusic

Australian comedian, musician, and composer known for the beat poem Storm, which addresses alternative medicine and skepticism. Composed the music for Matilda the Musical. Member of the Order of Australia.

Tom Scott

linguisticstechnology

British YouTube creator with degrees in linguistics and educational studies from the University of York. Produces videos about notable locations, technology, and science topics. Won the 2022 Streamy Award for Learning and Education.

Trey the Explainer

paleontologyzoology

YouTube science educator with a BS in Genetics who produces content on zoology, paleontology, and anthropology. Has over 1.1 million subscribers. Covers topics including prehistoric life and cryptozoological claims.

Veritasium

physicsscience-education

Canadian-Australian physicist with a PhD in physics education research from the University of Sydney. Runs the Veritasium YouTube channel with over 16 million subscribers covering physics, science, and investigative journalism topics.

Vsauce

physicsphilosophy

American educator with degrees in neuropsychology and English literature from the University of Chicago. Runs the Vsauce YouTube channel with over 20 million subscribers, covering science, philosophy, and mathematics topics.

Wendy Zukerman

podcasthealth

Australian-American science journalist with a combined law and biomedical science degree from Monash University. Hosts the Spotify podcast Science Vs, which examines contested health and science topics. Previously reported for New Scientist and ABC Australia.

ZDoggMD

internal-medicinealt-medicine-debunking

Internist with an MD from UCSF and residency training at Stanford, where he later served as a hospitalist and adjunct clinical assistant professor. Runs a YouTube channel and podcast covering healthcare topics. Founded the primary care practice Turntable Health.