Tom Scott
great answers, long journeys
Based on 20 recent long-form videos · updated as YouTLDR reads more
What we read
If I get this wrong, 50,000 people will hear it.
can't ring them all. They can't ring them all at once. The bells are too heavy and would cause the tower to shake uncontrollably. Only a subset can be rung simultaneously to create specific patterns.
To help fire this trebuchet, I climbed inside it
They manually wound a massive trebuchet, then helped fire it. The machine is 18 meters tall, weighs 22 tonnes, and launches an 18kg rock up to 200 meters.
We can't invent a robot better than these ferrets
Ferrets are surprisingly effective at tasks like clearing pipes and pulling cables, often outperforming robots. Their agility, curiosity, and ability to navigate tight spaces make them valuable for specific industrial and hunting applications.
I cannot believe Jodrell Bank let me do this
Yes, the 70-year-old Lovell Telescope still does world-class science. It's been upgraded with new surfaces and detectors, and is part of global networks. The core concept of a steerable parabolic dish remains timeless.
These people walk towards mining disasters.
They simulate mining disasters in a training facility. Tom Scott, with no prior experience, joins a simulated rescue mission to find a missing person. The exercise highlights the dangers and complex equipment used by mine rescue teams.
The mist that keeps the Tyne Tunnels safe
A mist system uses superfine water droplets to suppress fires in the Tyne Tunnels. It cools the air, absorbs heat, and scrubs smoke. The system uses 2,000 liters of water per minute at high pressure.
I took a long walk on a dangerous beach.
Dangerous beaches, like Morecambe Bay, require local knowledge. Quicksand and fast tides are lethal. A guide is essential for safe passage.
I should not have liked the world’s first smart home.
The world's first smart home, Cragside, was built in the 1870s. It featured hydroelectricity, central heating, electric lights, and even a hydraulic lift. Its owner, William Armstrong, was a wealthy industrialist and inventor, essentially a Victorian-era 'nerd'.
I got hit in the teeth at England's oldest ritual
hit in the teeth. They got hit in the teeth. The antlers are centuries old, but the exact origin of the ritual is a mystery. It's a physically demanding tradition that involves walking miles and performing dances.
Why do some British trains still rely on old levers?
fail-safe mechanical interlocks. They still use old levers because the mechanical interlocks are fail-safe and incredibly reliable. Replacing them would cost hundreds of millions and cause massive disruption, with no guarantee of improved capacity.
If you found candy with my name in it, here's why.
45 kilos of rock candy with my name. They made 45 kilos of rock candy with my name in it. It was a warm-up batch to test equipment before making corporate orders or Union Jack rock.
Hello from inside a tiny boat.
Manned boats. They're manned. Tiny boats in Peasholm Park's "Naval Warfare" show are piloted by staff lying inside, not remote-controlled. The show uses 1930s technology with mobility scooter motors.
I was not prepared for a mannequin that can bleed.
mannequins can bleed. Mannequins can bleed, scream, and have realistic wounds. They simulate complex patient scenarios, including trauma, bariatric care, and transgender patient needs, to train healthcare professionals.
"I feel like I've just destroyed evidence!"
The cigarette stub by the door was a prop that was removed and then replaced after Tom Scott missed it. The "crime scene" was staged, and the evidence was planted, but the cigarette was accidentally removed by the setup crew before the investigation began and then put back.
They can fly 200 miles with no fuel. Here's how.
thermals. Paragliders fly using thermals, which are columns of rising warm air heated by the sun. They can stay aloft for hours, covering hundreds of miles without fuel, by skillfully navigating these invisible updrafts.
I helped break a 142-year-old bell, and that's okay.
Recasting old bells. Old bells are melted down to cast new ones. The process uses the same techniques as centuries ago, including loam molds made with horse manure and chemically bonded sand cores cured by fire.
After ten years, it's time to stop weekly videos.
Stopping weekly videos. They are stopping weekly videos after ten years due to burnout. They will take a break and return with less frequent, more experimental content.
People are going to be angry about pylons.
grid infrastructure shift. They're essential for moving power, but new infrastructure is needed to connect offshore wind. The grid is shifting inland generation to coastal sources, requiring five times more new infrastructure in seven years than in the last 30.
Why the government drops flies on California
sterile male flies. They drop sterile male flies to prevent wild medflies from reproducing. The sterile males outcompete wild males, and any eggs laid by wild females will not hatch.
A robot just swapped my electric car's battery
Robot battery swap stations. Robots can swap your electric car's battery in minutes. This system is already operational at scale in China and Europe, offering a faster alternative to charging for drivers who lease their batteries.