There are YouTubers who chase trends, and then there’s Tom Scott, a creator who built a channel on things that never go out of style: curiosity, clarity, and the thrill of learning something new.
Over the past decade, Tom Scott has quietly become one of the most beloved educators on YouTube, drawing in millions of viewers not with clickbait but with concise, surprising, and often beautifully shot videos that start with a simple premise and end with a spark of wonder.
Even if you don’t know his name, chances are you’ve seen one of his videos. Maybe it was the one about the world’s most dangerous railway crossing, the bizarre rules behind time zones, or a vending machine that sells books based on your mood.
His titles read like riddles, and his videos feel like guided tours through the corners of the world (and the internet) you didn’t know existed.
This is Tom Scott’s legacy: a library of short, evergreen videos that will continue teaching, surprising, and delighting people long after he’s stopped uploading.
Who is Tom Scott?
Born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, Tom Scott is a British educator, web developer, and presenter. He holds a degree in linguistics from the University of York and has a background in web development. Tom's passion for making complex topics understandable and entertaining has made him a beloved figure in the online educational community.
What Tom Scott’s Channel Is About
Tom Scott’s main YouTube channel is a collection of crisp, mostly 4–7 minute videos that span topics like language quirks, obscure historical sites, computer science, geography, internet infrastructure, and the subtle rules that govern our world. In each video, Tom often appears alone in front of the camera, usually outdoors, speaking directly to the viewer in one unbroken take. There’s no fluff, just tight, engaging storytelling.
The tone is thoughtful, with just enough humor to keep things light. He’s the kind of host who respects your time. There's no intro music, no jump cuts, and no drama. Just smart, accessible explanations of things that most people never thought to ask, but are glad someone finally did.
What makes his videos different is their simplicity and trust in the audience’s intelligence. Instead of over-explaining or chasing virality, Tom Scott focuses on clarity. He brings niche topics to the mainstream by making them feel relevant, fascinating, and most importantly, human.
Why Watch Tom Scott
For many fans, Tom’s channel goes a step beyond entertainment, and becomes a dependable source of calm, curiosity, and learning. And living in the YouTube world that’s full of hot takes and algorithm-chasing chaos, his content offers something rare: timelessness.
This became even more significant in January 2024, when Tom announced that he would stop posting weekly videos indefinitely. “There won’t be another Tom Scott video next week. Or the week after that. Or the week after that,” he said in his farewell video, which has since been viewed over 10 million times. The news hit his community hard, but he didn’t frame it as an ending. Instead, he described it as a pause: “I’ve said everything I wanted to say.”
And in many ways, he has. With nearly 900 videos, 6.5 million subscribers, and over 1.7 billion views, Tom Scott has created a digital archive of knowledge that isn’t tied to news cycles or current events. His videos hold up because they were designed that way: from his chosen topics to the careful scripting and filming.
Tom Scott's videos are primarily available on his YouTube channel. But his content is also accessible on other platforms, including Nebula, where some of his exclusive series are featured. All in all, it's a body of work you can revisit years from now and still learn something new.
Tom Scott by the Numbers
Tom Scott’s metrics speak volumes about the channel’s reach and staying power:
- Total Subscribers: 6.53 million
- Total Channel Views: 1.83+ billion
- Average Views per Video: Between 500K and 2 million
- YouTube Join Date: May 17, 2006
- Estimated Net Worth: $2–3 million (based on multiple online sources, including YouTubers.me and Net Worth)
And yet, despite these impressive numbers, Tom has never chased celebrity or treated YouTube as a stepping stone. He simply wanted to share knowledge, and the internet showed up for it.
The Best Tom Scott Videos Ever Published
With hundreds of uploads under his belt, picking a few standout Tom Scott videos isn’t easy. But these four are great places to start. They show off the kind of topics Tom is best at: the strange, the overlooked, and the things you didn’t realize were interesting until someone explained them really well.
1. I Promise This Story About Microwaves Is Interesting
The title might sound like a joke, but the story absolutely delivers. In this video, Tom dives into a strange bit of history: how early microwaves were used in the 1950s to revive frozen hamsters during scientific experiments. It’s bizarre, completely true, and surprisingly thoughtful. He even interviews one of the scientists involved. This is one of those stories that starts off weird and ends up being genuinely fascinating.
2. The Language Sounds That Could Exist, But Don’t
If you’ve ever been curious about how languages work or why some sounds show up in certain parts of the world and not others, this one’s for you. Tom uses his background in linguistics to explain how the International Phonetic Alphabet works, then looks at speech sounds that are physically possible for humans but, as far as we know, don’t exist in any language. It’s smart, easy to follow, and one of his most popular language videos for good reason.
3. YouTube’s Copyright System Isn’t Broken. The World’s Is.
This one runs longer than most of Tom’s uploads, at around 40 minutes, but it’s well worth your time. He breaks down how copyright law works (and doesn’t work) on platforms like YouTube, and explains why creators often run into trouble with it. It’s not just a critique of YouTube’s system—it’s about how outdated global copyright laws fail to match the digital world we live in. Even if copyright sounds dry, Tom makes it surprisingly compelling.
4. We Sent Garlic Bread to the Edge of Space, Then Ate It
Yes, really. In this video, Tom and a small team send a piece of garlic bread into the upper atmosphere using a weather balloon. It’s funny and light-hearted, but also a great intro to how high-altitude ballooning works. They manage to track it, recover it, and—after some testing—eat it. This is the kind of video Tom does best: a fun idea, executed thoughtfully, with a little science and a lot of charm.
5. After ten years, it's time to stop weekly videos
In this heartfelt video, Tom announces his decision to cease weekly uploads after a decade of consistent content creation. He candidly discusses the challenges of maintaining quality and the personal toll of constant production, emphasizing the importance of knowing when to step back.
6. Why the government drops flies on California
This intriguing video delves into the peculiar practice of releasing sterile flies in California to control pest populations. Tom's exploration of this topic showcases his ability to make complex scientific methods accessible and engaging.
7. A robot just swapped my electric car's battery
Tom experiences a futuristic battery-swapping station for electric vehicles, providing insights into the potential of this technology. His firsthand account offers viewers a glimpse into innovative solutions in sustainable transportation.
8. Why don't subtitles match dubbing?
In this video, Tom investigates the discrepancies between subtitles and dubbed audio in films and television. He explains the linguistic and technical reasons behind these differences, shedding light on the complexities of media translation.
9. People are going to be angry about pylons
Tom discusses the controversy surrounding the construction of new pylons in the UK. He examines the balance between infrastructure development and environmental concerns, encouraging thoughtful discourse on the topic.
10. Lies on the London Underground
This one's perhaps a classic, and the the video in which many Tom Scott fans first disovered him, as it dates back 12 years ago and is one of the first viral videos he ever published. Here, you'll find Tom revealing some sneaky mapping strategies from the London underground system to keep traffic flowing, or better put, to keep traffic from overflowing.
Tom Scott Reviews
Tom Scott's content has garnered a wide range of reactions from viewers. Here are some reviews that reflect the diverse opinions of his audience:
"He’s a treasure and what he did is so rewatchable especially considering the sheer amount of content."
— Reddit user
"Since I found Tom's channel 8 or so years ago he's been one of maybe 3 creators I've tuned in to watch every time he uploads. His content is fantastic and he's one of the most consistent, informative, and charming people on the platform. While I'm really gonna miss his regular uploads, he deserves the break - he just hasn't stopped... even with all his popularity, he still took the time to do small things like personally reply to email suggestions sent his way, even if they weren't a good fit for a video. He's one of the best to ever do it and I'm so happy to have been here to watch along and enjoy."
— Reddit user
"One of the few youtubers who didn't do whatever format was trending (I hate the current Mr beast format, he's good but his copycats are awful)."
— Reddit user
What People Love about Tom Scott
People admire Tom Scott because he’s consistently found a way to make learning feel like discovering something unexpected at the edge of a conversation you didn’t even know you wanted to have. His videos often take topics that might sound dry on paper, and make them feel personal and important, without ever pretending to be the star of the show.
Viewers appreciate how carefully crafted each video is, not just in how it’s written or filmed, but in the thought that clearly goes into explaining something clearly and respectfully, without oversimplifying it or talking down to the audience.
His refusal to chase clickbait or exploitative trends, his transparency about sponsorships, and the decision to direct fan support to causes rather than himself have all contributed to a reputation that feels rare online: someone who builds trust slowly and never breaks it.
Even when he stopped posting weekly, people responded not with frustration but with gratitude, because the sense was always that he made content for the right reasons and on his own terms.
What People Dislike about Tom Scott
Some people find Tom Scott’s delivery to be a bit much: too polished, too fast-paced, or a little too eager to move from one point to the next without letting things breathe. The tight scripting, while clearly a strength in terms of structure, can also come off as a little rigid or impersonal, especially for viewers who prefer a looser, more off-the-cuff style.
Others have pointed out that his videos, while informative, sometimes skim the surface rather than going deeper into a subject, which can feel a bit unsatisfying if you were hoping for more than a quick overview. And for those who really like what he does, there’s a feeling that the short format leaves something on the table, like the video ends just as it’s getting truly interesting.
It’s not that people are frustrated with the quality of his work, it’s that they want to stay in the world he’s opened up a little longer, and sometimes it feels like they don’t get the chance to.
Final Thoughts
Tom Scott’s YouTube channel is a great reminder of how far curiosity can take you. Over the years, he’s explored all kinds of topics in a way that’s clear, engaging, and fun to watch. Even though he’s stepping back from posting regularly, there’s still so much to learn from the videos he’s left behind. It’s a great example of how educational content can be both accessible and enjoyable.
