What happens when a physics teacher turns YouTuber to make science simple, and ends up fighting misinformation along the way? Mahesh Shenoy helped spark a growing movement in India, where science communicators are bringing curiosity, clarity, and critical thinking to digital platforms.

New Delhi

In India, science influencers like Mahesh Shannoy are transforming the way science is communicated and understood. Shannoy, who started his YouTube channel Floathead Physics as a side project, now reaches hundreds of thousands with his engaging, humorous approach to complex topics. His efforts, along with those of veteran educators like T.V. Venkateswaran, are helping to shift science education from rote learning to fostering curiosity and critical thinking.

These communicators emphasize the importance of making science accessible to the general public, not just technical experts. They believe that science communication is essential for informed decision-making in a democracy and for combating misinformation. By encouraging a mindset focused on how to think rather than what to think, they are inspiring a new generation to view science as relevant and exciting beyond the classroom.

India: Rediscovering science through influencers

For YouTuber Mahesh Shannoy, science begins with curiosity and not textbooks. Photons are massless, and I never understood why. What's the problem if you see light to be at rest? Why can't you ever accelerate any object to the speed of light? I think this journey of discovering things, I think that is pretty cool. And I feel that that part, that scientific thinking, that is applicable everywhere. Mahesh is part of a growing wave in India that is changing how science is talked about. He is what is known as a science influencer. It all started as a side hustle 8 years ago, as a bit to help students prepare for exams. It has since led to his channel Floathead Physics, which deep dives into complex science using surprisingly light humour. The channel currently has about half a million followers. We study a lot of science topics and stuff in schools. But the focus over there is mostly on curriculum. But that fire is not there. So for me, science communication is a way of reaching out to folks who think that science is dull. Hey, you know what? No, it's beautiful. It's all around us. Today, Mahesh is putting his teaching methods to the ultimate test. In a classroom buzzing with curious science students. This isn't just a lecture. It's a performance complete with skits, animated visuals, and a generous dose of humour. If I see a video normally on physics, I get bored in a few seconds. When I watched yours, I was like hung on to every second of what you were saying. So this video actually made me understand so much more in detail and so much more basic and easy to understand in a fun way. This is a really good way of getting a new view of physics into our minds. Thank you for that. 2,500 kilometres away from this classroom, science communication isn't just trending. It's taking root. Meet T.V. Venkateswaran. He's been a public science educator since before YouTube was even a thing in India. Today, he teaches a semester-long course to aspiring science storytellers. For him, breaking down complex science into everyday language isn't just a skill. It's a civic duty. One of the essential components of social responsibility is to communicate to the ordinary public what we are doing, why we are doing, where are we. What we mean is communicating science to public, that is people who are not technical. His students take this idea and level it up. They believe science communication is not about throwing facts around, but inspiring a curious mindset. It's not what to think, but how to think. It is not just about knowledge or it is not about is this knowledge relevant. It is more to do with how you are building a way to think, how you are building a specific perspective to think about it. This approach is what leads them to believe science communication at its core is deeply political. So in a democracy, if you really want informed decision-making from a citizen, that's what is democracy essentially, right? If I don't even know, how do I decide that this is right or that is wrong? So I think even for democracy to thrive, science communication is essential. That's an argument Mahesh agrees with as well. To him, ignorance doesn't pose the biggest danger to society. Faith in false information does. There are so many propagandas that are going on. You look at WhatsApp, people start sharing messages, there are forwards that are coming about this and that. How do people decide whether I'm looking at something authentic or something that's fake? We need to turn to somebody who is completely unbiased. It's keeping what you think, your opinions aside, sticking to facts and seeing where the facts lead you. And that's what science communicators do. And that's why they're necessary for people to turn to. Learning science in India is no longer confined to classrooms. It's happening on screens and in the comment sections. Science communicators like Mahesh Shannoy and TV Venkateswaran foster this shift. They are encouraging young minds to look beyond their textbooks and preserve their inherent curiosity.

U.S. President Donald Trump was greeted in Tel Aviv with cheers and a military ceremony as he met families of hostages held in Gaza and addressed Israel's parliament. He now travels to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, to join world leaders in discussions on Gaza's future.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Middle East Conflict

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Israeli officials have confirmed that all 20 living captives have been released in Gaza.

Israel confirms all 20 living captives in Gaza have been released

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Sharm El-Sheikh

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Kyiv

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