/r/SmarterEveryDay

Photograph via snooOG

Welcome to the Smarter Every Day subreddit! It’s a place for those addicted to learning and to look at the world differently each and every day.

Our goal here is simple: To encourage an atmosphere of learning.

You should want to become "Smarter Every Day" and I hope our fascination with science, the world around us, and its governing physical laws somehow motivates you to do this.


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/r/SmarterEveryDay

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10

I Explored the World's First Nuclear Power Plant (and How It Works) - Smarter Every Day 306

4 Comments
2025/01/31
18:52 UTC

10

Nuclear Reactor Tour

I just watched the video on touring the reactor in Idaho and heard the callout at the end. While I'm not affiliated, you can take a tour of a running rector here:

https://nuclear.mcmaster.ca/contact/book-a-tour/

https://nuclear.mcmaster.ca/facilities-equipment/facility-list/mcmaster-nuclear-reactor/

The reactor is on McMaster University campus in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It's a research reactor with a rich history and the tour is incredible. You can stand above the open pool reactor and see the Cherenkov radiation with your own eyes!

1 Comment
2025/01/31
18:46 UTC

0

An interesting revelation playing Wordle on "hard mode"

I don't know if this will find you Destin, but I hope it does. I'm a big fan of your content, please keep it up. I especially loved the eclipse episode, as I was able to put your informative tips to good use in Arkansas last April!

Onto "business"... An interesting thing happened to me over the course of the previous year as I continued to play a once popular daily brain teaser game called "Wordle". If you're not familiar with this game take a look at it. It's very simple and easy to grasp quickly. Once you get used to it you realize that if you maximize total number of letters used in your first 3 guesses... finding the word within the last 3 guesses is almost a certainty. For example if your first 3 guesses are; STAIR, HONEY, PLUMB, you've guessed every vowel and 9 fairly common consonants. Thus, getting to the answer comes fairly easy after that. However, there is a "hard mode", where once a letter is identified in the answer; if yellow that letter has to be used in all subsequent guesses, and if it's green, that letter has to be used in its correct spot ALWAYS in subsequent guesses. So, as you can imagine the game gets more challenging and I'd contend, more fun to play.

Here's where this gets interesting. I've been playing on this mode for about a year now and I've noticed something very intriguing. I've become an excellent Wordle player, duh you might say, you play all the time. But something else is happening. And I can't explain it. But I had a light bulb moment when I watched your video about learning to ride the bike backwards. Something similar is happening with my brain and how I guess at answers in Wordle on hard mode. It's like my intuition of subsequent guesses of words is better, or almost like I know a better path to find the correct word by guessing something completely counterintuitive of what you would think to guess next. Again, this is really hard to explain and you'd almost have to do it for yourself to see. So I challenge you to play Wordle on hard mode for a year and see where your brain starts taking you when you load up your next guess. I bet you find similar results and you'll almost freak yourself out at how quickly you'll lead yourself to the right answer. Cheers!

3 Comments
2025/01/26
05:32 UTC

32

Behind The Scenes at MVP Disc Sports - Smarter Every Day 301B

6 Comments
2025/01/14
22:47 UTC

1

Looking for a specific short bit from a video (film development / KODAK series)

Hi, I'm looking for a tiny bit off footage that I could have sworn I saw on SmarterEveryDay or the second channel, likely either in the video visiting the film development lab or the KODAK series about film production. I quickly scrubbed through the videos but wasn't able to find it.

I'm pretty sure there was a shot in a darkroom where we got a glimpse into an area segmented off with thick black curtains that contained the computers controlling the process. Because they just use regular monitors that are way too bright for a darkroom, special care had to be taken to not ruin the film while being in the same room.

If you are able to find it within the next ~17 hours, I will include it in a presentation for uni where I talk about the idea of designing multitasking-enabled user interfaces not for the graphical but acoustic domain, where this would be excellent to convey my point. But at this point I'm considering whether I was just hallucinating xD

2 Comments
2025/01/14
19:06 UTC

14

Intro concept for Destin

I have noticed that Destin did not have a consistent intro yet, so I took out my old friend called blender and cooked for a few days...

First comes my intro and then the original (I have postet this a few months ago on twitter but I since tweaked it a little bit) Any opinions? https://youtu.be/s2PMvuP3eZQ?si=0fkyOQMQfmh5sgZd

9 Comments
2025/01/08
17:51 UTC

34

KODAK increases their production

Kodak increases film production (Cormmercial&Consumer)

Hopefully Destin where there to make some great videos about the upgrade.
And just might Destin/SED has a small part in the optick in film usage with consumers.

1 Comment
2024/12/27
10:10 UTC

4

Prince Rupert drop

Hey there, thanks for putting out such awesome content. I was wondering, if you made a cross section of the Prince Rupert drop after the point at which it leaves the ”head”, will the apex still have the same level of structural integrity? Essentially what I’m asking is if we separate the head from the tail, what is the effect on structural integrity of the head? Sorry to be redundant. I think I need coffee.

20 Comments
2024/12/22
12:32 UTC

36

Another Backwards/Forwards Brain Thing: Sidecars

I really love motorcycle sidecars. Riding them is intensely exciting the first you mess up, since they're both backwards and forwards controls, and you haven't acclimated to that yet:

With a regular dual-track vehicle [car, tractor, motorcycle with sidecar], you turn the wheels the way you want it to turn. So, a sidecar, in regular usage, is steered the same way you steer a car. Turn left to go left, right to go right.

A regular single-track vehicle [bicycle, motorcycle] is steered using what's called "counter-steering"; you initiate a turn by turning the handlebars the opposite way you want to go. The vehicle leans the opposite way [ie, into the desired turn], and then you turn the handlebars to go where you really want to go. Most people learn this on a bicycle intuitively, or on a motorcycle it's explicitly taught in a class.

But here's what happens the first time you mess up with a sidecar: You're going a little too fast, and as you make a right turn, the centrifugal force lifts the sidecar off the ground. The rig is now a single track vehicle. And, your handlebars are turned to the right. So the apparatus now wants to turn left, by leaning into the turn. Which it does. The sidecar wheel gets further off the ground.

But of course, once it started turning left and unbalancing too far, you automatically tried to correct it; you know how to control a motorcycle, and instinctively turned the handlebars to the left. Now the sidecar wheel slams back into the ground; it's a dual-track vehicle again, and now you're steering to the left. So you turn to the right, because that's where you want to go. You're still going too fast, turning right, so he sidecar wheel comes off the ground, and the whole thing continues.

The totality of this is that you're going too fast, trying to turn right, and instead you careen in a dead straight line into the opposite lane, with no steering action changing your direction of travel. It's terrifying.

[In case you're wondering, the actual answer is to put on the brakes. Of course, that goes against every motorcycling instinct].

1 Comment
2024/12/16
21:58 UTC

1

Help me find a video.

Hello everybody, at the beginning of the following video Destin talks about a video he made about a training exercise of the US Coast Guard. But I was unable to find that video could maybe some of you help me out?
Thank you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Dl9Ir6Dhw

6 Comments
2024/12/15
20:50 UTC

56

The Backwards Brain Tractor - Smarter Every Day 305

4 Comments
2024/12/15
19:29 UTC

62

I‘m wondering if the baseball cannon is just standing in someones backyard or what happened to it?

15 Comments
2024/12/11
23:58 UTC

82

Single, Double, and TRIPLE Barreled Pirate Pistols in Super Slow Motion - Smarter Every Day 304

9 Comments
2024/11/24
20:58 UTC

19

What would a compass do in space?

I just read this fascinating article on magnetic fields in space but I think what would be more fun is to see Destin's take on this topic

https://www.livescience.com/space/where-would-a-compass-point-in-outer-space

Interested u/mrpennywhistle ?

4 Comments
2024/11/23
18:41 UTC

3

Trying to find the name of a background song on the Kilimanjaro video

Hey folks!

Could anybody tell me what's the song that's played on the background of the Kilimanjaro video at around the 11:00 mark (link)?

I've checked all the songs of "A Shell In the Pit" in both the Smarter Every Day albums and couldn't find it. I've also tried Shazaming it several times, but had no luck as well

Thanks!

3 Comments
2024/11/12
12:36 UTC

10

Tip of my tongue help me find the video about neurons

I can't find this video perhaps I have the wrong keywords. But Destin uses a bunch of people on a football field to simulate how a neuron identifies a written number. Appreciate the help.

6 Comments
2024/10/30
21:10 UTC

27

US Coast Guard Series

Honest question…what happened to the rest of the coast guard series? Seems like it disappeared out of nowhere.

6 Comments
2024/10/28
00:37 UTC

82

I Called the Space Station and Talked to the Astronauts - Smarter Every Day 303

9 Comments
2024/10/27
18:58 UTC

44

Fire Department Episode

I work at a department and was just thinking a fire department episode could be awesome! Just some of the ideas:

  • Fluid dynamics with our pumps, and head pressures for long wildland hose lines

  • Fire dynamics with modern fuel loads

  • Technology that we use inside burning structures, FLIR cameras, some departments using augmented reality masks

  • Lithium ion battery fires

  • weather and the impact it has on wildfires

  • The medical side with cardiac monitors, capnography, even simple things like IVs and the safety mechanisms in them now

  • City water systems, and the contrast of rural water systems

  • Radio communications

  • etc

I know my department loves doing these types of events, so let me know if it’s something you think would be enjoyable.

5 Comments
2024/10/15
03:46 UTC

6

Does anyone has any favorite background soundtracks?

I recently became curious to know if anyone had any particular favorite soundtracks from Destin's main YouTube channel videos. I recently watched his video on hiking up Kilimanjaro, and I always seem to feel captivated whenever I hear Chupacabra playing in the background. It started during the segment where they were on the north side of the mountain (timestamp 7:31). I didn't actually know that was the soundtrack at the time of watching the video, but I heard it often enough at this point that I wanted to know what is was. So, I skimmed through the Bandcamp page to find the title.

6 Comments
2024/10/04
02:44 UTC

12

200th birthday for the oldest engineering institution in the English Speaking World!

Hello everyone and Destin!

my name is Alex and I am a junior Mechanical Engineering student from South Korea currently studying at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute! I just wanted to share the news that this year is the 200th birthday of the oldest technological school in the English-speaking world and in the western hemisphere!

RPI was established in 1824, and it would be a great honor if you are able to share some of the stories of great alumnus and the school that I love. As a fan of your engineering videos, I figured it would be worth sharing the place where this crazy discipline of engineering started.

It's kinda crazy that I am just straight promoting my school lol, but I think it's fitting for us as people who have common passion for engineering. We are celebrating with Bicentennial events and looking back on great achievements of our alumni! Hope you get this message and I don't know what I can offer to you as a student but looking forward to hearing from you!

Love your videos and keep up the great work!

3 Comments
2024/10/03
14:44 UTC

7

Why doesn't the empty Starship booster float?

I understand that if it sinks that means it is still too dense. What I am wondering is what is the density of this spacecraft? u/spacex went through the trouble of recovering a portion of the booster from Startship4 - would deployable air bladders have worked?

3 Comments
2024/09/30
20:06 UTC

94

I Did An Experiment On Kilimanjaro - Smarter Every Day 302

25 Comments
2024/09/30
16:01 UTC

12

Is there Thermodynamics Simulator "game"?

Hi Guys!

Is there a game created in Unirty or Unreal Engine that can simulate some basic Thermodynamics?

3 Comments
2024/09/29
21:22 UTC

11

Dustin's two favorite things: Laminar Flow and Rocket Engines

9 Comments
2024/09/14
02:24 UTC

19

Thanks to you today I recognised......

....a float!

Destin,

I was watching a video on Youtube yesterday in which an Australian takes stuff apart and melts down the metal to make into treasure for his vault (bigstackD Casting - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCIBTwasw2g)

and thanks to one of my favourite videos of yours with your dad talking and learning about carburetors i was able to see a part being dismantled and I recognised that it was part of the carburetor (the float etc.).

Might not seem like much but for me that was exciting to be able to say - I know what that is and I know what it does and how it works

So - thank you, keep doing what you're doing

1 Comment
2024/09/09
10:30 UTC

8

Tix clock obtainment idea?

Im sure im not the only here wishing we could make/buy the tix clock destin has. i just had a thought while watching a tech video. would it be possible to use this clock and like idk program it or make a setting in the app to make it function as a tix clock. i feel like it should work but idk how i feel about spending 120 - 180 to try it out. buuuuuut, in the off chance i can, can i?

link to the clock

3 Comments
2024/09/07
18:43 UTC

0

Unequivocally, the plane on the treadmill CANNOT take off.

Let me begin by saying that there are possible interpretations to the classic question, but only one interpretation makes sense: The treadmill always matches the speed of the wheels.

Given this fact, very plainly worded in the question, here’s why the plane cannot take off:

Setup:

  • The treadmill matches the wheel speed at all times.
  • The plane's engines are trying to move the plane forward, generating thrust relative to the air.

If the treadmill is designed to adjust its speed to always exactly match the speed of the plane’s wheels, then:

  • When the engines generate thrust, the plane tries to move forward.
  • The wheels, which are free-rolling, would normally spin faster as the plane moves forward.
  • However, if the treadmill continually matches the wheel speed, the treadmill would continuously adjust its speed to match the spinning of the wheels.

What Does This Mean for the Plane's Motion?

  1. Initially, as the plane’s engines produce thrust, the plane starts to move forward.
  2. As the plane moves, the wheels begin to spin. But since the treadmill constantly matches their speed, it accelerates exactly to match the wheel rotation. 3. The treadmill now counteracts the increase in wheel speed by speeding up. This means that every time the wheels try to spin faster because of the plane’s forward motion, the treadmill increases its speed to match the wheel speed, forcing the wheels to stay stationary relative to the ground. (Now yes, this means that the treadmill and the wheels will very quickly reach an infinite speed. But this is what must happen if the question is read plainly.)

Realisation:

  • If the treadmill perfectly matches the wheel speed, the wheels would be prevented from ever spinning faster than the treadmill.
  • The wheels (and plane) would remain stationary relative to the ground, as the treadmill constantly cancels out any forward motion the wheels would otherwise have. In this scenario, the plane remains stationary relative to the air.

What Does This Mean for Takeoff? Since the plane remains stationary relative to the air:

  • No air moves over the wings, so the plane cannot generate lift.
  • Without lift, the plane cannot take off.
134 Comments
2024/09/07
14:44 UTC

107

How Disc Golf Discs are Made - Smarter Every Day 301

17 Comments
2024/09/01
15:30 UTC

15

Have you seen this Lego Submarine?!

4 Comments
2024/08/28
15:29 UTC

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