Analysis of over 1600 chemistry YouTube channels from 2005 to 2023

Abstract

Chemistry has found broad appeal on the freely available global video-sharing platform YouTube, with some YouTube videos even being cited in the peer-reviewed chemistry literature. By applying both manual and semi-automated search methods, we identified, categorized and analysed publicly available data for 1619 chemistry YouTube channels that were available in 2023. Forty-nine per cent of channels were active in 12 months prior to sampling. The majority of channels were produced by independent content creators with no clear affiliation or background and 71% of channels were for the purposes of learning or exam revision. YouTube video production spiked in 2020, coincident with the COVID-19 global pandemic. We also examined the number of videos produced, channel lifespans, the use of features such as playlists and short-form videos, apparent revenue streams (outside of default advertising), the use of other social media and whether or not channels were exclusively producing chemistry content. This study and the associated dataset provide the first large-scale ‘census’ of how YouTube is being used for chemistry communication and education worldwide. We expect our findings to be of interest and use to policy makers, funding agencies, educators, content creators and the public.