Dr Beautemps, you are 32 years old, have already won several awards for your approach to science communication, and on 3 December you will also receive the Lorenz Oken Medal from the GDNÄ. What makes you so successful?
I don’t know if I’m that successful. But at least I’ve been active on various media channels for eight years now, and so far I haven’t made any major mistakes. As a science YouTuber, I publish two new videos on scientific topics every week – always based on studies and other reputable sources, which I cite transparently, as in a scientific paper. My community likes that, and it has now grown to more than 700,000 people. I also make documentaries for television, such as the series Science for Future on SWR, and contributions to the children’s programme Tigerenten Club on ARD. At the beginning of the year, my first book, entitled Rethinking Our Future, was published. Well, everywhere I try to work as accurately as possible and be transparent with my sources.

What is your favourite format?
Definitely YouTube. The medium is uncomplicated, fast and flexible. I have complete freedom in designing the videos; no one interferes. That doesn’t mean I don’t like to learn new things – for example, from the television professionals I work with. I then use this new knowledge for my videos. For the past year, I have also been running an English-language channel for an international audience. Take a look at The German Science Guy.

@ IdeenExpo

On stage at IdeenExpo 2024 in Hanover, Jacob Beautemps demonstrates how to make ice using nitrogen. Held every two years since 2007, the event aims to inspire young people to take an interest in science and technology.

How do you choose your topics?
I’m particularly interested in topics that will be relevant in the future and topics that are widely discussed but which hardly anyone looks into in any depth. It’s always important to relate them to our lives. One example is the heat pump. There was a lot of debate about it and most people didn’t even know what the principle behind it was. So I did a deep dive that lasted almost 20 minutes, but really explained the principle. In the end, more than 1.2 million people watched the video. 

Your spectrum ranges from the polio vaccine to noise makers in the jungle to electricity from rain. How do you manage to report competently on all these topics?
Fortunately, I have a great team that helps me with research and implementation. There are currently five of us in the editorial team. Our goal is always to produce scientifically sound videos based on the latest research. 

And if a mistake happens?
That happens, and then it’s important to deal with it transparently. I address the mistake in one of the next videos and set the record straight. That builds trust. 

How does the audience react to your posts?
On YouTube, first with click numbers; currently, there are an average of 4.5 million views per month. I am fortunate that I hardly ever have to deal with hostility, and when I do, I don’t argue with people, but refer them to the sources, which I always cite. It’s nice when I can inspire others. I get comments like: Hey, you got me interested in renewable energies, and now I’m studying it. Or: I report on a start-up, visit it again later and meet people there who became aware of the company through me and now work there. 

There are other successful science YouTubers in Germany. Is that unwelcome competition for you?
On the contrary, we benefit from each other. For example, people who watch a video by Mai Thi often watch one of mine afterwards – and vice versa. We also have different areas of focus. I mostly deal with innovations, while other science YouTubers may focus more on nutrition or medicine. That’s the beauty of YouTube: you don’t have to fight for airtime like you do on TV, but instead promote each other.

@ Beautemps

At the award ceremony in Stuttgart, you will give a speech and present some rules for successful knowledge transfer. What are they?
I can give a few examples. We know from research how helpful it is to work with questions. This is not just about arousing curiosity with questions. Experiments have shown that specifically addressing misconceptions is very helpful in dispelling them. Without these questions, the same experiments showed that there is hardly any learning effect. Maximum transparency is another point. This includes introducing yourself and your expertise and explaining where the information you are presenting comes from. This creates trust, which is the be-all and end-all of good communication. Messages become particularly memorable when they are visualised and emotionalised. There are lots of tricks for doing this – I will give a few examples in Stuttgart. 

How did you actually get into science communication?
It was a complete coincidence. I actually wanted to become a teacher. While studying physics and social sciences, I worked part-time at Günther Jauch’s production company in Cologne, always behind the camera. When I was asked if I could set up a YouTube channel for the company, I did so, but again behind the camera. At some point, I was asked if I would like to get in front of the camera. At first I said no, not really, but in my mid-twenties I did it anyway. Then one thing led to another. 

A doctorate is not essential for your profession. Nevertheless, you decided to do it. Why?
Out of pure curiosity. I was interested in the question of why and how people use educational videos and what makes such videos successful. I conducted a study with around five thousand adults from Germany who frequently watch science videos and came to some interesting conclusions. For example: an important reason for the audience to engage with a topic is the person in front of the camera. This creates a parasocial relationship, the feeling of knowing the other person, even if you have never met them in person. You spend time together, and over time, trust develops. From my findings, I have derived a guide with 17 rules for the best possible production of educational videos. In principle, however, the study can be useful to anyone who wants to communicate competently. The same rules apply when I give a presentation, teach a course or want to explain something that is not entirely trivial. 

What are your plans for the future?
I have many plans, but one project is particularly close to my heart: next year, I want to work with colleagues from the field of science communication to launch an award for innovations made in Germany. Germany is a highly innovative country, and we want to show that to a large audience. At the moment, many people here are too pessimistic. There will be awards in various categories, for example for innovations in the fields of medicine, energy and mobility. The Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations will help us to identify the most convincing projects from what we hope will be a large number of applications. We will then present them in videos and let our communities vote on the winners. We are currently looking for partners and asking companies and scientific institutions for their support.