Science Animation

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I made this video about graphene for Science Linx, a website belonging to Groningen University. I think the tricks are pretty ingenious, but production values could be better, and the reference to the Matrix series just doesn't work. Well, one lives ..

PS there are also two sequels Graphene Reloaded and Graphene Revolutions

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Again, an impeccable video by Henry Reich of minutephysics, somehow his speedy speech makes it more attractive to me. I actually didn't know but managed to wrap my head around the fact that sea level below mountains is defined by the water level which would be there if the mountain wasn't there but its gravity was. So hey! Also seeing some crosstalk with his chanel minuteearth.

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One of the world leaders in explanimation is Simpleshow, an originally German company that works with fixed cartoons which are swept into and out of vies. Production values are pretty high, and I can see why you would save on all the live drawing, although the format can get a bit bland, as I complain about (jealously) here. This link is to a nicely done video about their story and vision. The still, where you can see how they work, is taken from that. Started out in 2008, they make around 200 (!) explainer videos a month. They claim to have transparent, fixed price, but I couldn't find any quotes on their website, so I asked. I will post the answer here.

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Long, hand drawn animation (in Dutch) about revigorizing Sport Clubs, by Creative Beards, animation by digitaal cartoonist Kurf (John Körver). Not always in focus, and a bit long, but I like the northern accent and way of speaking of Berend Rubingh, the speaker. He's a referee who has given this some thought, not a professional voice, and it makes the video much more authentic.

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Explanimation studio's are popping up like mushrooms (do you even say that in English). Here's another one called Nucco Brain, who claim to do the story in a couple of days. Quirkily, they're calling it an 'explianimation'. Notice the standard simple yet inspirational background music, I think that's a whole new genre.

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Funny, pretty advanced animation by Sincerely Truman (also Epipheo) about the Internet of Things. Also quite ad-y, as much of their work, but I think the humorous from-the-future-perspective compensates for a lot;

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A beautiful, quite extensive animation by Jorge Cham of Piled Higher and Deeper TV,  based on an interview with quantum physicist John Preskill and Spiros Michalakis, describing basic quantum concepts behing quantum computers and quantum information I like some of the images (especially the superposition of 1 and 0 as two waves). But I also think it's mostly referencing the (difficult) concepts, and too may of them, instead of really explaining something step by step. But I also suppose thats's hard to do using only the recording of an (apparently quite general) interview, and so little time.

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Wow, this classical problem treated by the wonderboys of ASAPScience  ranked up 13 million + views, quite a lot for a science animation. I think they overcomplicate the problem a bit: all this stuff about evolution going very slow, obviously not contributing to the answer (even if interesting). But I'm probably wrong, judging by Youtube popularity.

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Henry Reich of minutephysics fame started this series of 10 second explainers, this one's about how many stars there are. There's a lot of criticism in the Youtube comments. Don't know what to think yet...too short? Ununderstandable for laypeople, in-jokey to the converted?

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OK, I'm reviving this tumblr. Promising one science animation every day, including this one by myself, which turned out really well I think, and  needs one more view to hit the 2500. Quantum cats! Italian accent! Brain hurt! That should do the trick.

[scienceanimation]

Insightful explanation of time stretching and space squashing in relativity theory, with prof Mike Merrifield by Brady Haran of Sixty Symbols. Animation (by Drew Mokris of spinnerdisc) about trains, that are either cut to pieces or not, starts at 0:46.

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Pretty cleanly done, this one with the hands and the swooshing sounds by by Simpleshow, but it's also a bit generic and -frankly- boring: scientists and engineers cooperate internationally. That's it.

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Beautiful, if somewhat haphazard, explanimation of University of Groningen research about love and sex by prof. Ger ter Horst (in Dutch). The Prezi ending is getting kind of clichéd now. Made by Maki, art directed by Rutger Middendorp, Animated by Studio 05. But whose voice is it?

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Henry Reich's minutephysics branches out. This is the launching video for his new channel minuteearth, about the earth and its history (duh). Featuring Dutch hagelslag/chocolate sprinkles as bacteria (0:27). 

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Hilarious history of English by the Open University, in order to lure you into taking real English courses. Snarkily narrated by David Mitchell.

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Beautifully illustrated story by PhD-comics and linguist Sara Ciesielski about the role of commands in children learning the Sherpa language from Nepal (spoiler: it’s not only about commanding). Follows the prezi-style of panning elsewhere and adding illustrations, then finally zooming out. Why do the kids look so un-Sherpa-y?

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Vi Hart's classic 'Doodling in math class', which led to a major overhaul of pine cone drawing in Spongebob Squarepants