Derek Muller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Derek Muller |
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Veritasium YouTube channel logo
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Derek Muller at TED@Sydney, 2012
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| Born | Derek Alexander Muller 9 November 1982 Traralgon, Victoria, Australia |
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| Occupation | Science communicator | ||||
| Spouse(s) | Raquel Nuno | ||||
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| Years active | 2010–present | ||||
| Genre | Science, education | ||||
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| Subscriber and view counts updated as of 19 March 2024. | |||||
Derek Alexander Muller (born 9 November 1982) is a well-known science communicator and media personality. He is most famous for his YouTube channel called Veritasium. This channel has over 16 million subscribers and more than 2.8 billion views as of October 2024. Derek Muller creates videos that explain complex science topics in an easy-to-understand and fun way.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Derek Muller was born in Traralgon, Victoria, Australia, to parents from South Africa. When he was about 18 months old, his family moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
In 2000, he finished high school at West Vancouver Secondary School. Later, in 2004, he earned a degree in Engineering Physics from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.
Muller then moved to Australia. He decided to study for a Ph.D. (a very high-level degree) at the University of Sydney. His research focused on how to teach physics better. He completed his Ph.D. in 2008.
Career Highlights
Derek Muller has a passion for sharing science with everyone. He has worked on several TV shows and hosted documentaries.
- Early TV Work: Since 2008, he has been part of the ABC's TV show Catalyst. He also appeared on the Australian TV network Ten as the 'Why Guy' on the Breakfast program.
- TEDx Talk: In May 2012, he gave a TEDxSydney talk. He spoke about his research on how people learn physics.
- Documentaries: Muller hosted the documentary Uranium – Twisting the Dragon's Tail, which aired in 2015. This film won the Eureka Prize for Science Journalism. He also hosted Vitamania, a documentary about vitamins, released in 2018.
- Google Science Fair: In 2015, Derek Muller hosted the Google Science Fair Awards Celebration.
- Netflix Series: Starting in 2017, he was a correspondent on the Netflix series Bill Nye Saves the World.
- Awards: He has won several awards for his work in science communication. These include the Australian Webstream Award for "Best Educational & Lifestyle Series" and a Streamy Award for "Best Science and Education Channel."
His work has also been featured in popular science publications like Scientific American and Wired.
YouTube Channels
Derek Muller is best known for his educational science channel, Veritasium, on YouTube.
Veritasium
Muller started Veritasium in January 2011. The channel focuses on explaining tricky science ideas. He often starts by talking to people on the street to find out what they already think. His videos include:
- Interviews with famous scientists, like Nobel Prize winners.
- Fun science experiments.
- Short plays or songs about science.
- Interviews with the public to show common misunderstandings about science.
The name Veritasium comes from the Latin word Veritas, meaning "truth," and the ending -ium, which is found in many chemical element names. So, it means "element of truth." The channel's logo looks like an element from the periodic table, with the number "42.0." This number is a fun reference to "The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything" from the book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Other Channels
Derek Muller also has two other YouTube channels:
- 2veritasium: Created in July 2012, this channel features behind-the-scenes videos and discussions about filmmaking.
- Sciencium: Started in 2017, this channel shares videos about new and old discoveries in science.
In 2021, Muller hosted a YouTube Original series called Pindrop. This series explored unusual places around the world using Google Earth.
Personal Life
Derek Muller is married to Raquel Nuno, who is a planetary science student. They live in Los Angeles, United States, and have three children.
See also
In Spanish: Derek Muller para niños
