It has begun.

I am starting a series of public science videos in which I will be explaining scientific concepts, criticizing bad science, and debunking pseudoscience. You can think of it as a video version of this blog.

Before you watch the first video, a few caveats born of my self-awareness and perfectionism:

1. I can only get better. I remember recording my first interview for my podcast, Within Reason. Stiff does not begin to describe it. I have, I believe, improved since then. The same goes for the videos. I am hoping to inject more humour in them as I go along.

2. Analogies are imperfect. Some scientists prefer to think of DNA more as a recipe than a blueprint. I believe both analogies have their uses and their limitations. An analogy is just that: a simplified comparison that works in some respects but fails in others. I hope the analogy I chose is good enough to impart a better understanding of the role these macromolecules play in the body.

3. Evidence-based education may change everything. I scripted this video before I started to read about evidence-based education and pseudoteaching. I have learned a lot from these readings and will steer my video series where the evidence leads me. Flashy is good; flashy and memorable is even better when teaching science. So, yes, this video may not check most of the boxes of what we know about good educational videos, but I will improve and I don’t believe in throwing things out until they are perfect. They will never be perfect.

That being said, I hope you enjoy (and learn from) my first video: “Dogma”. And if you think your friends and relatives will like it too, pass it along.

P.S.: The video is close-captioned in English for the deaf and hard-of-hearing and a French track will soon be available, courtesy of vbcom.ca.