10 Best Physics YouTube Channels that Every Learner Must Subscribe

These are the best physics YouTube channels I have found after watching hundreds of hours of physics content on YouTube over the past several years. Whether you are a curious beginner who wants to understand why the sky is blue, a college student struggling with quantum mechanics, or a self-taught learner exploring string theory, this list covers physics YouTube channels for every level.

Physics is the foundational science that explains everything from how rainbows form and electric motors work to why black holes warp spacetime and why the universe is expanding. Learning physics through YouTube has become genuinely viable. The channels below are not random uploads from anonymous accounts. They are run by PhD physicists, MIT professors, PBS producers, and professional science communicators with millions of subscribers and peer-reviewed credentials.

I have organized these best physics channels on YouTube by teaching style and difficulty level so you can start with what matches where you are right now. If you are new to physics, start with MinutePhysics or Physics Girl. If you want university-level depth, jump to For the Allure of Physics or DrPhysicsA. If you are somewhere in between, PBS Space Time and Physics Explained will push you forward without overwhelming you.

Related resources: Physics Textbooks · Quantum Physics Channels · Chemistry Channels

Physics YouTube Channels Comparison Table

Before diving into detailed reviews, here is a side-by-side comparison of all 10 physics YouTube channels. I have included subscriber counts, main topics, difficulty level, and upload frequency to help you pick the right channel for your learning goals.

10 Best Physics YouTube Channels

1. MinutePhysics

MinutePhysics

• 6 million+ subscribers
• Covers quantum physics, statistical mechanics
• Short animated explainer videos
• Best for: quick physics overviews and curiosity

Short animated physics videos covering quantum physics, mechanics, and more.

Subscribers: 6 million+ | Focus: Quantum physics, statistical mechanics, cosmology, everyday physics | Teaching style: Short hand-drawn animated explainers (1-5 minutes) | Notable series: Quantum mechanics playlist, “What is gravity?”, “Is it better to walk or run in the rain?”

MinutePhysics is the best YouTube channel for physics if you are just getting started. Created by Henry Reich in 2011, every video distills a physics concept into a short, visually engaging animation. Have you ever wondered about the exact size of the sun, why scientists put telescopes in outer space, or what the atmosphere is like on other planets? You will find clear, accurate answers here.

What makes MinutePhysics stand out among physics YouTube channels is the combination of scientific rigor and accessibility. Henry collaborates with working physicists to fact-check every video. The channel features several well-organized playlists on quantum physics, statistical mechanics, electromagnetism, and cosmology. Videos are sorted chronologically, making it easy to follow the channel’s progression from basic to more advanced topics.

I watch MinutePhysics videos when I need a quick refresher on a concept or want to share a physics explanation with someone who does not have a science background. The animations make abstract concepts tangible in a way that textbook diagrams cannot.

Best video to start with: “What is the Universe expanding into?” — it captures the channel’s ability to make mind-bending concepts accessible.

2. Physics Girl

Physics Girl

• 2.5 million subscribers
• Covers everyday physics, space, black holes
• Engaging experiments and demonstrations
• Best for: people curious about real-world physics

Dianna Cowern’s channel featuring physics experiments and discoveries.

Subscribers: 2.5 million | Focus: Everyday physics, space science, black holes, at-home experiments | Teaching style: Experiment-based demonstrations with clear explanations | Notable series: “At-home experiments” playlist, black holes series, everyday physics

This is a YouTube channel created by Dianna Cowern, a physics communicator and MIT graduate who explains concepts of the physical sciences through hands-on experiments and engaging demonstrations. Dianna also covers exciting new discoveries in physics, astrophysics, and materials science.

The channel features playlists covering a wide range of topics: everyday physics (why do things float?), space and the universe, black holes and gravitational waves, experiments you can try at home with household materials, and much more. Physics Girl is possibly the best YouTube channel for physics if you are interested in discovering the subject beyond what is taught in physics textbooks. The experiment-based approach makes abstract concepts feel tangible and real.

Note: Dianna has been dealing with a serious health condition (Long COVID) since late 2022, and the channel has been on hiatus. The existing library of 200+ videos remains one of the best physics resources on YouTube. I hope she recovers and returns to creating content.

Best video to start with: “The Surprising Secret of Synchronization” — a beautifully produced video on coupled oscillators and emergent synchronization in physics and biology.

3. PBS Space Time

PBS Space Time

• 3.5 million subscribers
• Covers astrophysics, spacetime, relativity
• Hosted by astrophysicist Dr. Matt O'Dowd
• Best for: those fascinated by space and cosmology

Astrophysics channel hosted by Dr. Matt O’Dowd.

Subscribers: 3.5 million | Focus: Astrophysics, general relativity, spacetime, cosmology, quantum gravity | Teaching style: In-depth explanations with visualizations, hosted lecture format | Notable series: “The Nature of Space and Time”, “Origins of Matter”, “Alien Civilizations”

Hosted by astrophysicist Dr. Matt O’Dowd, PBS Space Time is the best physics YouTube channel for astrophysics and cosmology. Produced by PBS Digital Studios, it is fully dedicated to the deepest questions in physics: the nature of spacetime, the physics of black holes, the possibilities of science fiction becoming reality, and all the mysterious phenomena beyond Earth.

Matt O’Dowd completed his PhD at NASA’s Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and currently serves as a professor at the City University of New York’s Lehman College. His ability to explain general relativity, quantum field theory, and cosmological concepts without dumbing them down is remarkable. The channel’s previous host, Gabe Perez-Giz, is also an astrophysicist who studies black hole physics.

The channel is updated weekly on Wednesdays and features excellent playlists on spacetime and relativity, alien civilizations and the Fermi paradox, the origins of matter, dark energy and dark matter, and quantum mechanics. Each video builds on previous ones, creating a structured learning path through modern physics.

Best video to start with: “Is the Universe a Hologram?” — it demonstrates the channel’s ability to cover cutting-edge theoretical physics accessibly.

4. SciShow

SciShow

• 7 million+ subscribers
• Covers physics plus all sciences
• 6 new videos per week
• Best for: staying updated on science discoveries

Multi-discipline science channel with 6 uploads per week.

Subscribers: 7 million+ | Focus: All sciences including physics, biology, chemistry, earth science | Teaching style: Hosted explainer format with graphics, interviews, and quiz shows | Notable series: Quick Questions, Infusion episodes, World’s Most Asked Questions

SciShow is one of the largest physics YouTube channels, though it covers all disciplines of science rather than physics exclusively. Created by Hank Green (of Vlogbrothers and Crash Course fame), it presents content in a remarkably engaging manner with guest interviews, quick question segments, quiz shows with scientists, and long-form deep dives. The hosts include Stefan Chin, Michael Aranda, and Hank Green himself.

The channel uploads six times a week on a structured schedule:

• Monday — A session on natural phenomena we observe in daily life
• Tuesday — Quick Questions: short answers to commonly asked science questions
• Wednesday — Long-form Infusion episode, quiz show with a guest scientist, or unscripted talk show
• Thursday — More discussions on interesting natural phenomena and physics concepts
• Friday — Latest updates and breaking news in science and physics research
• Saturday — Additional quick questions

SciShow is the best physics YouTube channel for staying current on new discoveries and research across all sciences. Its physics coverage spans topics like quantum computing breakthroughs, gravitational wave detections, particle accelerator results from CERN, and materials science advances.

Best video to start with: Browse the physics-tagged playlist and pick whatever topic interests you. The beauty of SciShow is that each video is self-contained.

5. TheBadAstronomer

TheBadAstronomer

• Debunks pseudoscientific astronomy claims
• Covers astronomy and astrophysics news
• Focus on scientific accuracy
• Best for: people who want reliable astronomy content

Debunking astronomy myths while sharing authentic astrophysics content.

Subscribers: 50K+ on YouTube (much larger following via blog and social media) | Focus: Astronomy debunking, astrophysics news, scientific accuracy | Teaching style: Conversational debunking format, evidence-based explanations | Notable content: Debunking Moon landing conspiracies, asteroid impact analysis, supernova coverage

Unfortunately, astronomy has become associated with many myths and pseudoscientific claims over time. These include conspiracy theories about Moon landings, misunderstandings about how gravity works, and pseudoscientific astrology claims that appear scientific at first but collapse under examination. TheBadAstronomer, run by astronomer and author Phil Plait (author of Bad Astronomy and Death from the Skies!), strives to provide the most authentic, evidence-based information about astronomy, space physics, and astrophysics.

Phil Plait earned his PhD in astronomy from the University of Virginia and worked on the Hubble Space Telescope at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. His channel covers all the latest news and important updates in astronomy and astrophysics, including asteroid fly-bys, supernova observations, exoplanet discoveries, and James Webb Space Telescope findings. The debunking content is particularly valuable for developing critical thinking skills alongside physics knowledge.

Best video to start with: Any of his Crash Course Astronomy episodes, which provide a structured introduction to astrophysics.

6. For the Allure of Physics

For the Allure of Physics

• Covers electricity, magnetism, classical mechanics
• Full MIT lecture recordings with subtitles
• Taught by legendary physicist Dr. Walter Lewin
• Best for: serious physics students seeking depth

MIT physics lectures by Dr. Walter Lewin with subtitles and descriptions.

Subscribers: 300K+ | Focus: Electricity and magnetism (8.02), classical mechanics (8.01), vibrations and waves (8.03) | Teaching style: Full 50-minute MIT lecture recordings with subtitles | Notable series: MIT 8.01 Classical Mechanics (35 lectures), MIT 8.02 Electricity & Magnetism (36 lectures)

This is an unofficial channel that features recorded MIT OpenCourseWare physics lectures by the legendary Dr. Walter Lewin, complete with subtitles and detailed descriptions. Formerly hosted on the MIT OCW YouTube channel, the videos were shifted to this independently operated channel, whose name references Dr. Lewin’s book For the Love of Physics.

These are not simplified explainers. They are full university physics lectures covering classical mechanics (Newton’s laws, energy conservation, rotational dynamics), electricity and magnetism (Coulomb’s law, Gauss’s law, Faraday’s law, Maxwell’s equations), and vibrations and waves. Dr. Lewin’s lecture style is legendary in physics education. He uses dramatic demonstrations, draws precise diagrams, and builds intuition before introducing mathematical formalism.

This is one of the best physics channels on YouTube for anyone who wants the equivalent of an MIT physics education for free. Each course is complete with 35-36 lectures that follow the actual MIT syllabus.

Best video to start with: Lecture 1 of 8.01 Classical Mechanics. Watch the famous pendulum demonstration where Lewin swings a wrecking ball toward his face to prove energy conservation.

7. Physics Explained

Physics Explained

• Owner holds PhD in string theory
• Covers modern physics with mathematical detail
• Historical narrative for context
• Best for: independent learners exploring modern physics

Advanced physics topics with mathematical reasoning, by a string theory PhD.

Subscribers: 400K+ | Focus: Modern physics, quantum field theory, string theory, general relativity, particle physics | Teaching style: Long-form explanations with full mathematical derivations and historical context | Notable series: “The Standard Model”, “What is a Quantum Field?”, “String Theory Explained”

There is a fast-growing community of independent learners who want to explore modern ideas in physics with real mathematical reasoning, not watered-down pop-science analogies. Physics Explained is the channel for those learners. It explores advanced topics in physics including quantum field theory, the Standard Model of particle physics, general relativity, and string theory without ignoring the relevant mathematical details. Crucially, it provides a historical narrative for each topic, showing how the ideas developed and why physicists arrived at current theories.

The channel owner holds a PhD in theoretical physics specializing in string theory. This academic depth is evident in every video. Where other physics YouTube channels simplify to the point of inaccuracy, Physics Explained maintains mathematical precision while remaining surprisingly accessible to motivated learners with a calculus background.

Best video to start with: “What is the Standard Model?” — it provides a comprehensive overview of modern particle physics with the right balance of math and intuition.

8. DrPhysicsA

DrPhysicsA

• Owner has BSc and PhD in nuclear physics
• Covers atomic, nuclear, particle physics
• Topic-wise organized playlists
• Best for: physics students seeking structured learning

Comprehensive physics archive covering atomic physics to quantum mechanics.

Subscribers: 200K+ | Focus: Atomic physics, nuclear physics, particle physics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, cosmology, general and special relativity | Teaching style: Whiteboard-style explanations, structured topic-by-topic progression | Notable series: Playlists organized by physics subdiscipline (atomic, nuclear, particle, thermo, EM, QM, relativity, cosmology)

This channel is over ten years old and no longer receives new uploads, but it features a comprehensive series of physics videos designed to provide a thorough introduction to each topic covered. The owner holds a BSc in physics and a PhD in nuclear physics from King’s College London, and he explains the essence of each subject in the clearest possible manner.

The videos assume the viewer has a basic understanding of algebra and calculus, as well as some introductory physics. They are organized into topic-wise playlists:

• Atomic physics
• Electricity and magnetism
• Particle physics (Standard Model, quarks, leptons)
• Thermodynamics (entropy, heat engines, laws of thermodynamics)
• Nuclear physics (radioactive decay, nuclear reactions, fission and fusion)
• Classical mechanics (Newton’s laws, energy, momentum)
• General and special relativity (Lorentz transformations, spacetime curvature)
• Cosmology (Big Bang, cosmic microwave background, dark energy)
• Quantum mechanics (wave-particle duality, Schrodinger equation, uncertainty principle)

DrPhysicsA is one of the best physics YouTube channels for structured, self-paced learning. The playlist organization means you can work through an entire subdiscipline of physics from start to finish.

Best video to start with: The first video in whichever playlist covers the topic you are currently studying.

9. Physics Videos by Eugene Khutoryansky

Physics Videos by Eugene Khutoryansky

• Months of animation work per video
• Covers aerodynamics, quantum physics, circuits
• Narrated clearly by Kira Vincent
• Best for: visual learners who want detailed animations

Expertly animated physics videos covering aerodynamics to quantum physics.

Subscribers: 1 million+ | Focus: Aerodynamics, quantum physics, nuclear physics, electric circuits, Newton’s laws, electromagnetic waves, philosophy of physics | Teaching style: Detailed 3D animations with clear narration, months of production per video | Notable series: Quantum mechanics animations, electromagnetic wave propagation, aerodynamics visualizations

Created and run by Eugene Khutoryansky, this YouTube physics channel covers a wide range of topics with extraordinarily detailed 3D animations. Eugene spends several months creating the animations for every single video, and the production quality shows. The videos are narrated by Kira Vincent in a clear, measured manner that complements the visuals perfectly.

This is the best physics YouTube channel for visual learners. If you learn better by seeing concepts in motion rather than reading equations on a blackboard, Eugene’s animations of electromagnetic wave propagation, quantum tunneling, fluid dynamics, and electric field lines will make these abstract phenomena feel concrete. The channel also features videos on mathematics, engineering, and the philosophy of physics.

Best video to start with: “How Special Relativity Makes Magnets Work” — the animations beautifully show how length contraction in special relativity explains magnetic force, a concept that is almost impossible to grasp from text alone.

10. Sixty Symbols

Sixty Symbols

• Features renowned physicists as guests
• Covers solar system, neutrinos, magnets
• Latest physics news and discoveries
• Best for: physics enthusiasts who enjoy expert discussions

Physics videos featuring playlists on solar system, neutrinos, and more.

Subscribers: 900K+ | Focus: Physics news, solar system, neutrinos, magnetism, particle physics, cosmology, gravitational waves | Teaching style: Interview and discussion format with working university physicists | Notable series: Playlists on the solar system, multiverse theory, neutrino physics, magnetism

Sixty Symbols is produced by Brady Haran (who also creates Numberphile for mathematics) and features physics discussions with working professors and researchers from the University of Nottingham. Regular contributors include Roger Bowley (thermodynamics), Tony Padilla (cosmology and string theory), Mike Merrifield (astrophysics), Phil Moriarty (nanotechnology), and Ed Copeland (theoretical physics).

What sets Sixty Symbols apart from other physics YouTube channels is the conversational, authentic format. You are not watching a polished lecture. You are watching real physicists think through problems, disagree with each other, express genuine excitement about discoveries, and admit when something is not yet understood. The channel covers all the latest news in physics including gravitational wave detections, new particle discoveries at CERN, dark matter search results, and James Webb Space Telescope findings.

Best video to start with: “The Most Astounding Fact about the Universe” — a discussion about the origin of elements in stars that captures the channel’s ability to inspire genuine wonder.

How to Use Physics YouTube Channels Effectively

Watching physics videos can feel productive without actually being productive. I have made this mistake myself. Here are the habits that turn YouTube physics channels from passive entertainment into genuine learning tools.

Watch actively, not passively. Pause the video when a new concept is introduced. Try to predict where the explanation is going before the host reveals it. Write down questions that occur to you while watching.

Take notes by hand. Research from Princeton and UCLA shows that handwritten notes improve conceptual understanding compared to typed notes. Keep a dedicated physics notebook for YouTube learning.

Pair channels with textbooks. YouTube is excellent for building intuition and motivation, but it cannot replace working through problems. Use channels like MinutePhysics or PBS Space Time to understand concepts, then solve problems from a physics textbook to test and deepen your understanding.

Follow a structured path. Do not jump randomly between channels and topics. Pick a subdiscipline (classical mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics), use DrPhysicsA or For the Allure of Physics for structured content, and work through the full playlist before moving on.

Limit yourself to 1-2 videos per day. Binging 10 physics videos in a weekend feels productive but does not help retention. Space your watching over days and weeks. Review your notes before each new session. This aligns with spaced repetition research on long-term memory formation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Physics is a vast and deeply rewarding discipline that requires time, patience, and structured learning to grasp properly. There is also a lot of misinformation and pseudoscience that you need to filter out, which is why choosing the right physics YouTube channels matters.

The 10 channels I have listed here provide authentic, expert-level physics content across every major subdiscipline: classical mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, astrophysics, nuclear physics, particle physics, and cosmology. They are run by PhD physicists, MIT professors, PBS producers, and professional science communicators. I have watched hundreds of videos across all of them, and I genuinely believe this is the best collection of physics YouTube channels available in 2026.

Start with one or two channels that match your current level. Pair them with a good physics textbook. Take notes. Work through problems. And let the curiosity that drew you to physics in the first place carry you forward.