Skip to content

Facts taught in 2023

550 sincere fact claims from 2023; 238 come with figures. Each figure is shown as said, with what it measures, who it counts (for) and where it applies (in) when recorded (said, or clear from the context), its as-of date, the source the speaker gives (if any) and the extraction-time check. Where no as-of date was said, the one shown is implied (the date said in the video, else the upload date); relative dates such as "last year" keep their words and are resolved against that same date. "Unchecked" means nobody has checked it yet, not that it is wrong. Back to the overview.

Topics: Global development (149) · Science & nature (101) · Health (71) · Personal life (35) · Projects (28) · History & curiosities (27) · Internet & YouTube (25) · Economics (20) · Nerdfighteria (20) · Philosophy & meaning (19) · Sports (19) · World affairs (18) · Books & writing (13) · Everyday life (4) · Pop culture (1)

Global development (149)

  • 2023-02-03 · My Mid-Afternoon Existential Crisis — Hank says tens of thousands of people get coffee and tens of thousands get socks from the clubs every month. (00:00:43)
    • tens of thousands (people) — people receiving Awesome Coffee Club coffee each month · for Awesome Coffee Club members · as of 2023-02-03 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • tens of thousands (people) — people receiving Awesome Socks Club socks each month · for Awesome Socks Club members · as of 2023-02-03 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-02-03 · My Mid-Afternoon Existential Crisis — In an aside, Hank marvels that hydrogen without its electron is just a proton and still hydrogen, because elements are defined by their number of protons. (00:03:09)
    • one (protons) — number of protons in a hydrogen atom · for hydrogen · as of 2023-02-03 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-02-17 · COUNTDOWN TO THE PROJECT FOR AWESOME — Hank says this year's (2023) P4A already builds on over $700,000 in matching grants: if $700,000 is raised during the P4A, all of it will be matched, reaching $1.4 million. (00:02:04)
    • over $700,000 (USD) — matching grants pledged before the P4A · for P4A 2023 matching fund · as of 2023-02 · no source named · unchecked
    • $700,000 (USD) — donations needed during the P4A to use all matching grants · for P4A 2023 · as of 2023-02 · no source named · unchecked
    • $1.4 million (USD) — P4A total if all matching grants are met · for P4A 2023 · as of 2023-02 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-28 · My Tuberculosis Reading List — John notes the historical facts people like most: TB gave us the cowboy hat, the stethoscope and Pasadena, California. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-03-28 · My Tuberculosis Reading List — John says he learned from Phantom Plague that Arthur Conan Doyle took part in TB research and that TB shaped ideas of vampires. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-03-28 · My Tuberculosis Reading List — John recounts Shreya Tripathi's story: a teenager with multidrug-resistant TB who had to sue her government for treatment, won too late and died of TB at 19. (00:01:27)
    • 19 (years) — age at death from tuberculosis · for Shreya Tripathi · as of 2023-03-28 (implied: upload date) · source: Phantom Plague · unchecked
  • 2023-03-28 · My Tuberculosis Reading List — Retelling Farmer's case, John says Haitian teenager Robert David, whose clinic lacked the right drugs, developed drug resistance, sought treatment for nine years and died of TB. (00:02:26)
    • nine (years) — duration of seeking treatment after drug resistance · for Robert David · in Haiti · as of 2023-03-28 (implied: upload date) · source: Social Scientists and the New Tuberculosis · unchecked
  • 2023-03-28 · My Tuberculosis Reading List — John says many TB drugs were synthesized between 1950 and 1961, but none was developed between 1961, around when TB stopped being a problem in rich countries, and 2012. (00:03:24)
    • many — new tuberculosis drugs synthesized · as of 1950-1961 · no source named · unchecked
    • No — new tuberculosis drugs developed · as of 1961-2012 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — The Maternal Center of Excellence is a 48,000-square-foot maternal and infant care center being built in Sierra Leone. (00:00:00)
    • 48,000 (square feet) — floor area of the Maternal Center of Excellence · in Sierra Leone · as of 2023-05-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — In a comment John says sexual health and reproductive planning are a major MCOE focus, with units offering family planning to adolescents and adults. (creator comment)
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — When PIH began working with Sierra Leone's Ministry of Health eight years ago, Koidu's maternity ward had dirt floors and no patients, after impoverishment, civil war and the Ebola-era health-system collapse. (00:00:00)
    • eight years ago — time since PIH began strengthening Kono's health system · in Kono District · as of 2023-05-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — Koidu Government Hospital's maternity ward is now overflowing with new mothers receiving excellent care, with a working operating room, blood bank and medical residents in training. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — Kono was the epicenter of the world's maternal mortality crisis, with 1 in 17 women dying in childbirth or pregnancy. (00:00:58)
    • 1 in 17 (ratio) — women dying in childbirth or pregnancy · for women · in Kono District · as of 2023-05-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — In Kono both maternal and child mortality have since declined dramatically. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — Kono's health system remains inadequate: only 41 maternal beds for over 500,000 people, an overfull ward, and mothers and children dying daily for want of C-sections, ambulances and hemorrhage drugs. (00:00:58)
    • 41 (beds) — maternal beds · for population of Kono · in Kono District · as of 2023-05-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • over 500,000 (people) — population served by the maternity beds · in Kono District · as of 2023-05-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — The MCOE will have two NICUs, for babies born inside and outside the hospital, and theaters and supplies for up to 10 emergency C-sections a day. (00:02:26)
    • two (units) — neonatal intensive care units planned at the MCOE · in Kono District · as of 2023-05-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • up to 10 (per day) — emergency C-sections the MCOE can perform per day · in Kono District · as of 2023-05-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — As John Chew explained, almost all the construction workers were trained in new skills, partly through classes and partly through educational YouTube videos. (00:02:55)
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — 65% of the construction workers on the MCOE site are women. (00:02:55)
    • 65% (percent) — share of MCOE construction workers who are women · for construction workers on the MCOE site · in Kono District · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — Without waiting for the building, more nurses and doctors are training at existing facilities and more community health workers are being hired to find high-risk pregnancies by house call. (00:04:23)
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — A special care baby unit at Koidu's hospital has already dramatically reduced child mortality. (00:04:23)
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — The unit is so full that the team sometimes has to make unspeakably difficult decisions about whom to admit, but its babies receive world-class care. (00:04:52)
  • 2023-05-02 · GOOD NEWS — Two years ago the parents of almost all the babies in the unit would have gone home heartbroken. (00:05:50)
    • almost all — share of babies in the special care baby unit who would have died · for babies in Koidu's special care baby unit · in Kono District · as of 2021 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — The description says generic bedaquiline will cut the drug's cost by over 60%, letting far more communities access treatment. (video description)
    • over 60% (percent) — cost reduction from generic bedaquiline · in the world · as of 2023-07-11 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John says tuberculosis is the world's deadliest infectious disease, killing about 30,000 people last week (week of 3 July 2023), although it is usually curable. (00:00:29)
    • about 30,000 (deaths) — tuberculosis deaths in the past week · for people · in the world · as of 2023-07 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John says drug-resistant TB, not cured by the standard daily four-month drug cocktail, is a growing problem. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John says eight classes of TB drugs were developed between the 1940s and 1960s, then none until the end of the century, because investment stopped once TB no longer troubled rich countries. (00:00:58)
    • eight (drug-classes) — classes of tuberculosis drugs developed between the 1940s and the 1960s · in the world · as of 1960s · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John says 1.6 million people will die of tuberculosis, a curable disease, this year (2023). (00:01:27)
    • 1.6 million (deaths) — tuberculosis deaths expected this year · for people · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John says governments later invested more in TB research and trials, and J&J developed bedaquiline; most of the money came from the public, though J&J took some risks and invested too. (00:01:56)
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John says J&J patented the bedaquiline compound in 2003 and in 2007 filed a secondary patent for bedaquiline with an added fumarate salt. (00:02:26)
    • 2007 (year) — year J&J filed the secondary bedaquiline (fumarate salt) patent · as of 2023-07-11 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John says bedaquiline has saved hundreds of thousands of lives. (00:02:55)
    • hundreds of thousands (lives) — lives saved by bedaquiline · for people with tuberculosis · in the world · as of 2023-07-11 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John cites an MSF study: with generics allowed globally, bedaquiline's price would drop 67%, from $1.50 to 50 cents a pill. (00:03:24)
    • 67% (percent) — projected drop in bedaquiline price with global generics · in the world · as of 2023-07-11 (implied: upload date) · source: MSF study · unchecked
    • $1.50 a pill (USD) — current price of bedaquiline · in the world · as of 2023-07-11 (implied: upload date) · source: MSF study · unchecked
    • 50 cents per pill (USD) — projected price of generic bedaquiline · in the world · as of 2023-07-11 (implied: upload date) · source: MSF study · unchecked
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John says the original 2003 bedaquiline patent expires on July 18th, 2023, but in many countries J&J is using the secondary patent to extend its exclusivity. (00:03:24)
    • 2003 (year) — year of the original bedaquiline compound patent · as of 2023-07-11 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • July 18th, 2023 (date) — expiry date of the original bedaquiline patent · as of 2023-07-11 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John says experts estimate that during the four extra years of exclusivity up to six million people who could get generic bedaquiline won't afford it, and most will die. (00:03:53)
    • four more years — extension of J&J's bedaquiline exclusivity · in many countries · as of 2023-07-11 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • up to six million (people) — people unable to afford bedaquiline during the extension · for people with tuberculosis · in many countries · as of 2023-07-11 (implied: upload date) · source: experts · unchecked
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John says that after lawsuits by TB survivors, led by two young women, courts ruled the pen cap is not adequate innovation and did not grant the patent. (00:03:53)
  • 2023-07-11 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson — John says generic manufacturers are ready, but cannot distribute to many high-burden countries, including Sierra Leone. (00:04:23)
  • 2023-07-14 · The Good News Video — Recapping John's video, Hank says bedaquiline, a drug for multidrug-resistant TB, has been around for 20 years and its patent is expiring, but J&J looked set to extend it four more years. (00:00:00)
    • 20 years — age of bedaquiline · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
    • four years — planned extension of J&J's bedaquiline patent · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-14 · The Good News Video — Hank reads J&J's statement claiming it is false to suggest its patents are being used to prevent access to bedaquiline, its medicine for multidrug-resistant TB. (00:01:24)
  • 2023-07-14 · The Good News Video — Hank reads the Stop TB Partnership's statement: after lengthy negotiations, J&J licensed its Global Drug Facility to supply generic bedaquiline to most low- and middle-income countries, even where patents remain. (00:02:17)
  • 2023-07-14 · The Good News Video — Hank explains that J&J isn't cancelling the patent but is allowing generics in places with a high TB burden. (00:02:17)
  • 2023-07-14 · The Good News Video — Hank says Hodgkin's lymphoma is a treatable disease that responds well to treatment in most cases. (00:04:14)
    • the majority of cases (share) — Hodgkin lymphoma cases responding well to treatment · for people with Hodgkin lymphoma · as of 2023-07-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-14 · The Good News Video — Showing his scans, Hank explains that dark areas on a PET scan mark high glucose uptake, since cancer cells use far more glucose than normal tissue. (00:04:43)
  • 2023-07-14 · The Good News Video — Hank says his chemo drugs can cause other diseases, so he must keep monitoring; every medication trades off side effects, and chemo balances the treatment's long-term effects against the disease's. (00:06:40)
  • 2023-07-18 · Tuberculosis Fighters Have a Posse — John states that tuberculosis is the world's deadliest infectious disease. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-07-18 · Tuberculosis Fighters Have a Posse — John says HIV mainly affected marginalized people, making a global coalition harder, until 1980s groups like ACT UP used direct action and activism to get governments' attention. (00:01:27)
    • 1980s (decade) — when ACT UP emerged · for HIV activist organizations · as of 2023-07-18 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-18 · Tuberculosis Fighters Have a Posse — John thinks Ronald Reagan first mentioned HIV four or five years after it emerged in the United States. — hedged: “I think” (00:01:27)
    • four or five years — time from HIV's emergence in the US to the president's first mention of it · for Ronald Reagan · in United States · as of 2023-07-18 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-18 · Tuberculosis Fighters Have a Posse — John says that as a result HIV deaths have dropped by more than 50% over the last 20 years. (00:01:56)
    • more than 50% (percent) — decline in HIV deaths · for people dying of HIV · in the world · as of last 20 years (resolved: 2003–2023, from the upload date 2023-07-18) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-18 · Tuberculosis Fighters Have a Posse — John says organizations worked hard to put malaria at the center of health conversations, especially in the early 2000s, when the malaria death rate finally began to drop. (00:02:26)
    • early 2000s (period) — when the malaria death rate began to drop · for people dying of malaria · as of 2023-07-18 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-18 · Tuberculosis Fighters Have a Posse — John says tuberculosis does have a constituency: over 10 million people get sick every year, and many activists work hard to bring attention to the crisis. (00:02:55)
    • Over 10 million (people) — people who fall ill with tuberculosis each year · for tuberculosis patients · in the world · as of annual · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-18 · Tuberculosis Fighters Have a Posse — John says young women activists eventually sued the Indian government so that generic bedaquiline could be produced, activism he knew nothing about five years ago. (00:02:55)
  • 2023-07-18 · Tuberculosis Fighters Have a Posse — John says curing TB also means finding and quickly diagnosing cases, including drug resistance, giving household contacts one month of preventive treatment, and access to curative treatment for everyone with TB. (00:03:53)
    • one month — duration of preventive treatment for household contacts of TB cases · for close household contacts of people with TB · as of 2023-07-18 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-08-15 · Henry — John says the injectable TB treatment is very toxic: it causes permanent hearing loss in up to 20% of patients and also causes liver and kidney failure. (00:00:58)
    • up to 20% (percent) — patients with permanent hearing loss from injectable TB treatment · for patients on injectable MDR-TB treatment · as of 2023-08-15 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-08-15 · Henry — John says a better, less toxic treatment protocol built on bedaquiline had been available for years in the United States and other rich countries. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-08-15 · Henry — John says global health authorities deemed the bedaquiline protocol too expensive, so people like Henry could not get it. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-08-15 · Henry — John says, per Dr. Tefera, even the injections were relatively new in Sierra Leone at the time. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-08-15 · Henry — Girum Tefera (quoted): Dr. Tefera says that before Partners In Health came, a person in Sierra Leone with MDR-TB was just waiting for the time of their death. (00:01:40)
  • 2023-08-15 · Henry — John says tuberculosis, though usually curable, still kills over 1.5 million people a year, more than malaria and HIV combined. (00:03:14)
    • over 1.5 million (deaths) — deaths from tuberculosis per year · for people with tuberculosis · in the world · as of 2023-08-15 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-08-15 · Henry — John says all of that is still happening millions of times over to children around the world. (00:06:16)
    • millions of times over (cases) — children denied TB care and impoverished by the disease · for children · in the world · as of 2023-08-15 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says 1.6 million people will die of tuberculosis this year (2023), more than malaria and HIV combined, which infuriates him because TB is curable. (00:00:00)
    • 1.6 million (people) — deaths from tuberculosis per year · for people worldwide · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says tuberculosis has killed over a billion people in the last 200 years, with little progress because testing and treatment remain out of reach for millions. (00:00:20)
    • over a billion (people) — cumulative deaths from tuberculosis in the last 200 years · for people worldwide · in the world · as of 2023-09-12 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says that of the 10 million people who will get sick with TB this year (2023), about 4 million will go undiagnosed, often dying before an accurate test. (00:00:29)
    • 10 million (people) — people falling ill with tuberculosis per year · for people worldwide · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
    • about 4 million (people) — people with tuberculosis who go undiagnosed per year · for people worldwide · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says most diagnosed TB cases are still found by someone looking at a sputum sample through a microscope, exactly as 130 years ago. (00:00:44)
    • 130 years — age of sputum microscopy as the method of tuberculosis diagnosis · in the world · as of 2023-09-12 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says microscopy misses over half of cases, especially in young children and immunocompromised people, and cannot detect drug resistance, so many get the wrong regimen and die. (00:00:58)
    • more than 50% (percent) — share of tuberculosis cases missed by sputum microscopy · for people tested for tuberculosis · in the world · as of 2023-09-12 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says the fast, accurate test exists: the GeneXpert machine, made by Cepheid, owned by Danaher, which tests for TB and drug response and also HIV, COVID and other diseases. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says Danaher's CEO Rainer Blair literally called these razor blade business models in mission-critical applications. (00:02:44)
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says Danaher charges $10 per standard cartridge (TB plus resistance to a first-line antibiotic) and $15 for the cartridge testing resistance to four more drugs. (00:03:00)
    • $10 (USD) — price per standard GeneXpert TB cartridge · in the world · as of 2023 · source: Danaher Corporation · unchecked
    • $15 (USD) — price per GeneXpert extended drug-resistance TB cartridge · in the world · as of 2023 · source: Danaher Corporation · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says extensively drug-resistant TB must be identified quickly to stop its spread, yet those cartridges cost Danaher no more to make than the regular ones. (00:03:29)
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says Danaher refuses to share cost data, but a 2019 study commissioned by Doctors Without Borders found each cartridge costs $3 to $4.50 to make, for TB, HIV or anything else. (00:03:38)
    • $3 (USD) — lower estimate of production cost per GeneXpert cartridge · in the world · as of 2019 · source: Médecins Sans Frontières · unchecked
    • $4.50 (USD) — upper estimate of production cost per GeneXpert cartridge · in the world · as of 2019 · source: Médecins Sans Frontières · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says, based on the study, Danaher makes at least a 220% profit margin on regular TB cartridges and nearly 500% on the extensively drug-resistant ones. (00:04:06)
    • at least a 220% (percent) — profit margin on standard GeneXpert TB cartridges · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
    • closer to a 500% (percent) — profit margin on GeneXpert extensively drug-resistant TB cartridges · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says Danaher and Cepheid received over $250 million of public funding to develop these tests, mostly from taxpayers. (00:04:57)
    • over $250 million (USD) — public funding received by Danaher and Cepheid to develop GeneXpert tests · in the world · as of 2023-09-12 (implied: upload date) · source: John · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says since 2019 PIH, Doctors Without Borders and others have urged Danaher to cut prices to $5 per cartridge, through letters and public lobbying, with no response. (00:05:26)
    • $5 (USD) — target price per GeneXpert cartridge sought by campaigners · in the world · as of 2023-09-12 (implied: upload date) · source: Partners In Health · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says Danaher is a company with $8 billion in profit and is not hurting. (00:05:52)
    • $8 billion (USD) — Danaher annual profit · in the world · as of 2023-09-12 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says Danaher is hard to pressure as it owns little consumer-facing, except Pantone, which it is spinning off while its shareholders keep Pantone shares, so maybe pressure applies there. — hedged: “maybe” (00:05:55)
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says employees speaking up was an essential part of the pressure that led Johnson & Johnson to swiftly allow generic competition for bedaquiline. (00:07:03)
  • 2023-09-12 · Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid — John says lowering the tests' price to $5 would likely save hundreds of thousands of lives over the next 10 years. — hedged: “likely” (00:07:13)
    • hundreds of thousands (lives) — lives saved over 10 years by $5 GeneXpert cartridges · for people with tuberculosis · in the world · as of 2023-09-12 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John says TB survivors Nandita and Phumeza joined MSF to sue the Indian government so India would not honor J&J's secondary bedaquiline patent; they won, so generics were ready the day the patent expired. (00:01:11)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John notes Nandita and Phumeza have cochlear implants, but many who lose hearing to the injectables cannot afford them, so their hearing loss is permanent and total. (00:07:01)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Nandita Venkatesan: Nandita agrees but adds that no drug is free of side effects (bedaquiline needs care about cardiotoxicity), though researchers regard it as safe. (00:07:31)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John says one reason they fought for bedaquiline access is that it can replace the injectables, is far safer, and causes no hearing loss or the injectables' other toxicities. (00:07:31)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John says eight classes of TB drugs were developed between 1940 and 1965, then none between 1965 and 2013, which is why we are in this mess. (00:10:16)
    • eight — classes of tuberculosis drugs developed · in the world · as of 1940-1965 · no source named · unchecked
    • none — classes of tuberculosis drugs developed · in the world · as of 1965-2013 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Phumeza Tisile: Phumeza welcomes the news: South Africa was the only country getting bedaquiline from J&J at a much higher price than any other, which angered activists. (00:11:58)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Phumeza Tisile: Phumeza says she was left deaf and could not return to university; she was lucky to get cochlear implants, which cost 40,000 US dollars. (00:17:18)
    • 40 000 us dollars (USD) — cost of cochlear implants · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John says smear microscopy misses about half of TB cases because the 130-year-old test isn't very good, which is likely why Phumeza first tested negative. (00:18:46)
    • about half (percent) — share of tuberculosis cases missed by smear microscopy · for people with tuberculosis · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 130 years old — age of smear microscopy as a tuberculosis test · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Animesh Sinha: Dr. Sinha says TB has classically gone with poverty: incidence rises after wars and in poor places and falls as living conditions, nutrition and immunity improve, as in the US. (00:21:03)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Animesh Sinha: Dr. Sinha says most TB cases are in low and middle income countries; India accounts for around 3 million of the around 10 million cases each year. (00:21:52)
    • around 3 million (cases) — tuberculosis cases per year · for people with tuberculosis · in India · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • around 10 million (cases) — tuberculosis cases per year · for people with tuberculosis · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Animesh Sinha: Dr. Sinha says most people still get microscopy, which misses half of people with TB and cannot tell drug-resistant from drug-sensitive TB, so wrong first-line treatment breeds more resistance. (00:23:11)
    • half (percent) — share of people with tuberculosis missed by microscopy · for people with tuberculosis · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Animesh Sinha: Dr. Sinha says GeneXpert shows within two hours whether you have TB and whether it is drug-resistant, while culture-based resistance testing takes months, often too late. (00:24:27)
    • within two hours — time to a GeneXpert tuberculosis result · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • months — time to detect tuberculosis drug resistance by culture · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John says Cepheid and its gigantic owner Danaher have never spoken publicly about the issue, which he finds infuriating. (00:24:57)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Animesh Sinha: Answering a chat question, Dr. Sinha says skin tests only show past exposure to TB bacteria, not active disease, so GeneXpert, not skin testing, is the test of choice for most people with TB. (00:27:22)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John says so many people have been exposed to TB that something like two and a half or three billion might test positive on a skin test; Dr. Sinha agrees. — hedged: “something like” (00:28:09)
    • two and a half or three billion (people) — people who would test positive on a tuberculosis skin test · for people worldwide · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Carole Mitnick: Dr. Mitnick says bedaquiline was part of the regimen that finally cured Phumeza, as John saw with his friend Henry; many call it a Lazarus effect, like early antiretroviral therapy for HIV. (00:30:05)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Carole Mitnick: Dr. Mitnick says bedaquiline is now the linchpin of every multidrug-resistant TB regimen, for adults, children, pregnant people and people with HIV. (00:30:35)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Carole Mitnick: Dr. Mitnick says about 500,000 people newly get drug-resistant TB each year, only around 200,000 or fewer are treated, and a backlog of one to one and a half million untreated people accumulates. (00:31:02)
    • 500,000 (people) — new drug-resistant tuberculosis cases per year · for people worldwide · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 200,000 or less (people) — people treated for drug-resistant tuberculosis per year · for people with drug-resistant tuberculosis · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • million or million and a half (people) — accumulated backlog of untreated people with drug-resistant tuberculosis · for people with drug-resistant tuberculosis · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Carole Mitnick: Dr. Mitnick likens bedaquiline to pyrazinamide and rifampin in the 1970s, which cut ordinary TB treatment from 18 to six months; now more people can be treated for less money and toxicity. (00:31:46)
    • 18 months — length of standard tuberculosis treatment before pyrazinamide and rifampin · in the world · as of 1970s · no source named · unchecked
    • six months — length of standard tuberculosis treatment after pyrazinamide and rifampin · in the world · as of 1970s · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John says Dr. Mitnick helped prove in Peru in the early 1990s that MDR-TB could be treated in poor countries; she described the earlier WHO approach as leaving people by the road to die. (00:32:16)
    • early 1990s (years) — when research in Peru showed MDR-TB could be treated in low and middle income countries · in Peru · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Carole Mitnick: Dr. Mitnick says estimated public, largely US, tax-funded investment in bedaquiline was 1.6 to 5 times J&J's own, including a phase three trial, and J&J also got an FDA accelerated-review voucher. (00:36:02)
    • between 1.6 and 5 times (ratio) — public investment in bedaquiline relative to Johnson & Johnson's investment · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John says Danaher shut down its public-facing phone line yesterday and it is still down, though another number takes messages. (00:37:33)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John says the pressure works: many Danaher and Cepheid employees message him that they dislike it and didn't enter the business to deny patients access; internal pressure is mounting. (00:38:31)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Asked by a viewer how much of GeneXpert's development was publicly funded, John says it was $250 million but he doesn't know what share of the total that was. (00:39:57)
    • $250 million (USD) — public funding for GeneXpert development · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Carole Mitnick: Dr. Mitnick says companies are totally opaque about cartridge and development costs; an MSF-commissioned study put the cost of a cartridge at $3.50 to $4. (00:40:54)
    • $3.50 (USD) — lower estimate of production cost per GeneXpert cartridge · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · source: Médecins Sans Frontières · unchecked
    • $4 (USD) — upper estimate of production cost per GeneXpert cartridge · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · source: Médecins Sans Frontières · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Animesh Sinha: Dr. Sinha adds that Cepheid received around $250 million in public funding to develop the Xpert technology. (00:40:54)
    • around $250 million (USD) — public funding received by Cepheid to develop Xpert technology · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John says much of that funding came from the NIH and American taxpayers, and some from taxpayers outside the US. (00:41:20)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — Nandita Venkatesan: Nandita says people fear TB as contagious without knowing that patients adhering to treatment become non-infectious within weeks or months and can date and live normally; such facts should be widely shared. (00:46:48)
  • 2023-09-14 · Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES — John says Alexander Fleming's 1928 discovery of penicillin was not the big innovation; that came in the early 1940s, when scientists working together learned to make it at scale. (00:56:52)
    • 1928 (year) — year Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • early 1940s (year) — period when mass production of penicillin was developed · in the world · as of 2023-09-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-19 · So, um.... GOOD NEWS?!?!?! — John reports that minutes before recording, USAID, the Global Fund and the Stop TB Partnership announced Danaher's standard TB cartridge would fall from $10 to $7.97, not the hoped-for 50% cut but significant. (00:00:00)
    • $10 (USD) — price per standard GeneXpert TB cartridge before the deal · in the world · as of 2023 · source: Danaher Corporation · unchecked
    • $7.97 (USD) — price per standard GeneXpert TB cartridge after the deal · in the world · as of 2023 · source: Danaher Corporation · unchecked
    • 50% (percent) — price reduction campaigners hoped for on the standard GeneXpert TB cartridge · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-19 · So, um.... GOOD NEWS?!?!?! — John says Danaher has committed to making no profit in poor countries from its standard TB cartridge. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-09-19 · So, um.... GOOD NEWS?!?!?! — John has heard Danaher committed to regular third-party verification of its at-cost pricing, so the test price falls if manufacturing costs fall. — hedged: “I've heard” (00:00:29)
  • 2023-09-19 · So, um.... GOOD NEWS?!?!?! — John says Danaher also agreed to improved maintenance conditions, making GeneXpert machines easier to fix when they break. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-09-19 · So, um.... GOOD NEWS?!?!?! — John reckons that if Cepheid sells 10 million cartridges a year at the reduced price, the world's poorest communities will save $200 million over a decade. — hedged: “Let's say” (00:00:58)
    • 10 million (cartridges) — assumed annual sales of standard GeneXpert TB cartridges · in the world · as of 2023-09-19 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • $200 million (USD) — savings to the poorest communities over a decade from the cartridge price cut · for impoverished communities · in the world · as of 2023-09-19 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-19 · So, um.... GOOD NEWS?!?!?! — John has heard that some people involved, potentially including community members, resorted to name-calling and even threats toward people who work at these companies. — hedged: “potentially” (00:03:29)
  • 2023-09-27 · John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? — John says the declaration sets big targets for reducing TB in the next few years which, if honored, will save millions of lives. (00:01:36)
    • millions (lives) — lives saved if the political declaration's tuberculosis targets are honored · in the world · as of 2023-09-27 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-27 · John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? — John says Shreya was a teenager who sued her own government in India for access to bedaquiline for herself and others; her fight reached India's highest court, where she won. (00:02:05)
  • 2023-09-27 · John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? — John says Shreya was a fan of his book The Fault in Our Stars. (00:02:05)
  • 2023-09-27 · John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? — John says this was the second UN high-level meeting on tuberculosis; at the last one, in 2018, Shreya Tripathi was still alive. (00:02:05)
    • second — UN high-level meetings on tuberculosis held · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-27 · John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? — John says by the time Shreya won it was too late: her lungs were too damaged for her to survive. (00:02:34)
  • 2023-09-27 · John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? — In his speech John recalls that 23 years ago Dr. Peter Mugyenyi said of HIV medications that the drugs are where the disease is not, and the disease where the drugs are not. (00:03:04)
    • 23 years ago — time since Peter Mugyenyi's remark on HIV medications · in the world · as of 2023-09-27 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-27 · John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? — John says TB has been curable for 75 years yet continues to kill 1.6 million people. (00:03:33)
    • 75 years — how long tuberculosis has been curable · in the world · as of 2023-09-27 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 1.6 million (deaths) — people tuberculosis continues to kill · for people · in the world · as of 2023-09-27 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-30 · An Incredible Update — The description says J&J confirmed it will not enforce secondary bedaquiline patents in any low- or middle-income country; the agreement covers 134 nations, essentially everything asked for. (video description)
    • 134 (countries) — nations covered by J&J's non-enforcement of bedaquiline patents · as of 2023-09-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-30 · An Incredible Update — John recalls that Nerdfighteria joined a campaign against J&J's secondary bedaquiline patent: the patent was expiring, but a backup patent extended J&J's monopoly a further four years. (00:00:29)
    • four years — extension of J&J's bedaquiline monopoly by the secondary patent · as of 2023-09-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-30 · An Incredible Update — John says people in low- and middle-income countries need bedaquiline, and generic competition is known to cut its price by more than 50%. (00:00:44)
    • more than 50% — drop in bedaquiline price with generic competition · for low- and middle-income countries · as of 2023-09-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-30 · An Incredible Update — John recalls that after days of pressure J&J and the Global Fund announced generic competition only in some countries, leaving out Ukraine, South Africa and many others: a compromise win. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-09-30 · An Incredible Update — John reports that today J&J announced it will not enforce its secondary bedaquiline patents in any of the 143 low- and middle-income countries. (00:01:27)
    • 143 (countries) — low- and middle-income countries where J&J will not enforce secondary bedaquiline patents · as of 2023-09-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · doubtful
  • 2023-09-30 · An Incredible Update — John says J&J has essentially agreed to everything Doctors Without Borders, Partners In Health, Treatment Action Group and many others asked for. (00:02:17)
  • 2023-09-30 · An Incredible Update — John says tens of millions of dollars will be saved by the Global Fund and low- and middle-income countries, money that can treat more people for tuberculosis. (00:02:36)
    • tens of millions of dollars (USD) — savings from the bedaquiline decision · for Global Fund and low- and middle-income countries · as of 2023-09-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-24 · A Tale of Two Cancers — John recalls that when Hank called with the diagnosis, one of the first things he said was that five-year survival is 93% with treatment and about 6% without. (00:00:33)
    • 93% (percent) — five-year survival rate of Hodgkin lymphoma with treatment · for people with Hodgkin lymphoma · as of 2023-10-24 (implied: upload date) · source: Hank · unchecked
    • about 6% (percent) — five-year survival rate of Hodgkin lymphoma without treatment · for people with Hodgkin lymphoma · as of 2023-10-24 (implied: upload date) · source: Hank · unchecked
  • 2023-10-24 · A Tale of Two Cancers — John says access to cancer care is inequitable everywhere, but most people who get cancer live in low and middle income countries, where appropriate care can be very hard to access. (00:00:50)
  • 2023-10-24 · A Tale of Two Cancers — John says that in Sierra Leone, a relatively small country, over 200 people get Hodgkin lymphoma every year. (00:00:58)
    • over 200 (people) — people who get Hodgkin lymphoma each year · for people in Sierra Leone · in Sierra Leone · as of 2023-10-24 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-24 · A Tale of Two Cancers — John says Hodgkin lymphoma is actually relatively inexpensive to treat, provided the systems for appropriate diagnostics and treatment are in place. (00:03:31)
  • 2023-10-24 · A Tale of Two Cancers — John says since Mondeh was treated such systems are starting to appear in Sierra Leone, with better imaging machines and better access to chemotherapy, but only starting. (00:03:38)
  • 2023-10-24 · A Tale of Two Cancers — John says Sierra Leone will soon, hopefully, have its first radiotherapy available for cancer patients. — hedged: “hopefully” (00:03:45)
  • 2023-10-24 · A Tale of Two Cancers — John says the devastating truth is that most people with Hodgkin lymphoma in a country like Sierra Leone will die even though they could have lived. (00:03:53)
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — John says a couple of weeks ago a tuberculosis research study presented at a conference got a standing ovation. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — Answering a commenter, John says generic competition makes drugs cheaper with volume through economies of scale, so bedaquiline's price may keep falling as more people take it. — hedged: “it's possible” (creator comment)
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — In a comment John says many high-burden countries rely on WHO recommendations, which tend to come slower than some would like. (creator comment)
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — John explains that curing tuberculosis requires a cocktail of antibiotics because its bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is notoriously hard to kill. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — John says MDR-TB patients lucky enough to be treated face an 18-to-24-month regimen with injectables so toxic and painful a TB survivor likened them to injected lava, plus around 13,000 pills. (00:00:29)
    • 18 (months) — duration of the standard MDR-TB treatment regimen (lower bound) · for people treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 24 (months) — duration of the standard MDR-TB treatment regimen (upper bound) · for people treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 13,000 (pills) — number of pills taken over the standard MDR-TB regimen · for people treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — John says the pill burden, side effects and length make many patients unable to finish treatment, so they die; with most never diagnosed or treated, only around 10% of people with MDR-TB are cured. (00:00:58)
    • around 10% (percent) — share of people with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis who are cured · for people with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — John says a much better regimen of five pills a day emerged in recent years, but it is still relatively expensive, uses a drug not widely available in poor countries, and is not for children or pregnant people. (00:01:27)
    • five (pills/day) — daily pill count of the newer MDR-TB regimen · for people treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — John says Partners In Health, Doctors Without Borders, Unitaid and others ran a randomized controlled trial over several years testing whether shorter regimens of existing drugs can cure MDR-TB. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — John reports the trial compared the 18-month standard with five nine-month regimens in seven countries: three matched or slightly beat the standard, and one cured significantly more, around 90%. (00:01:56)
    • seven (countries) — number of countries in the endTB trial · for endTB trial · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • five (regimens) — number of new nine-month regimens tested · for endTB trial · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • nine (months) — duration of the new endTB regimens · for endTB trial · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • three (regimens) — number of new regimens with similar or slightly better cure rates than the 18-month standard · for endTB trial · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • around 90% (percent) — cure rate of the best nine-month endTB regimen · for endTB trial participants · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — John says the 18-month regimen costs about $5,000 per person, while the two best nine-month endTB regimens cost about $300. (00:02:26)
    • around $5,000 (USD) — cost per person of the 18-month MDR-TB regimen · for people treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • around $300 (USD) — cost per person of the two best nine-month endTB regimens · for people treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — John says the low price is partly because Johnson & Johnson is not pursuing secondary patents on bedaquiline, which is in part thanks to Nerdfighteria. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — John says the two best regimens were also fairly safe and the least expensive: no toxic injectables, nine months instead of 18, better cure rates for less money. (00:02:26)
    • nine (months) — duration of the two best endTB regimens · for endTB trial · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-05 · MASSIVE Tuberculosis News — John says 1.6 million people will die of TB this year (2023). (00:03:53)
    • 1.6 million (people) — deaths from tuberculosis · for worldwide · in the world · as of 2023-12-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-19 · End of a Rough Year — John says the test cartridges are amazing: within a couple of hours caregivers know which antibiotics a person's TB will respond to, so it can usually be cured within six to nine months. (00:00:29)
    • a couple hours — time for a test to show which antibiotics a person's TB will respond to · as of 2023-12-19 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • six to nine months — time to cure TB on the right antibiotic regimen once susceptibility is known · as of 2023-12-19 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-19 · End of a Rough Year — John says TB survivor Phumeza Tisile took 20 to 30 thousand pills over three years and eight months of drug-resistant TB treatment and lost her hearing to a drug she didn't need, because the test didn't exist then. (00:00:58)
    • three years and eight months — duration of Phumeza Tisile's drug-resistant TB treatment · for Phumeza Tisile · as of 2023-12-19 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • between 20 and 30,000 pills — pills taken during her drug-resistant TB treatment · for Phumeza Tisile · as of 2023-12-19 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-19 · End of a Rough Year — John says that without the identification of the bacterium that causes tuberculosis in 1882 and ever better strategies to kill it, TB would not be curable today. (00:01:40)
    • 1882 (year) — year the bacterium that causes tuberculosis was identified · as of 2023-12-19 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-19 · End of a Rough Year — John says Danaher and Cepheid lowered the price of their standard TB test cartridge and pledged no profit on it in low- and middle-income countries, but have not lowered the price of the drug-resistant TB cartridge. (00:02:55)
  • 2023-12-19 · End of a Rough Year — John calls it unacceptable that 200,000 people will die of drug-resistant TB this year (2023), most never able to get one of the molecular tests because there aren't enough. (00:03:40)
    • 200,000 (people) — deaths from drug-resistant tuberculosis per year · for people with drug-resistant TB · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-19 · End of a Rough Year — John says that with existing resources twice as many people could be tested, and Danaher could still make money, if the tests cost half as much. (00:03:56)
    • twice as many people — people who could be tested with existing resources at half the test price · as of 2023-12-19 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • half as much — test price at which Danaher could still make money · as of 2023-12-19 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked

Science & nature (101)

  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — The description says the aquarium is about two hours south of San Francisco and partners with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, which did most of the collections for Into the Deep. (video description)
    • about two hours — travel distance from San Francisco to the Monterey Bay Aquarium · in California · as of 2023-01-20 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — Hank says the ocean differs greatly with depth, and deep-sea animals are seen by basically no one because the deep sea is extremely hard to reach. (00:00:34)
  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — Hank says deep-sea animals are hard to bring to the surface, and surface seawater is so different from deep-sea water that they cannot survive in it. (00:00:34)
  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — Hank says the Monterey Bay Aquarium's exhibit lets visitors walk in the dark through halls surrounded by deep-sea animals, designed to feel effortless rather than to explain the engineering. (00:01:03)
  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — Hank says the pressure difference between the bottom and top of the sea is bigger than the difference between air pressure at sea level and in space. (00:02:01)
  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — Hank expected pressurizing the water to be the hardest part, but many deep-sea creatures hold little gas, so brought up slowly they are fine and the water need not be pressurized. (00:02:01)
  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — Hank says the real trouble is that deep-sea water itself differs: higher salinity, a consistently low temperature and very different gas concentrations. (00:02:01)
  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — Hank says systems behind every wall of the exhibit take water from Monterey Bay and turn it into a simulation of deep-sea water. (00:02:30)
  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — Hank says the hardest part is removing just the right amount of oxygen: it is very reactive, and surface-level oxygen would kill many of these animals used to very low concentrations. (00:02:30)
  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — Hank says all the aquarium's water runs through equipment designed for semiconductor and pharmaceutical manufacturing, where chemical levels must be tightly controlled. (00:03:00)
  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — Hank says the water runs over many thin-membrane straws with very low pressure inside, so the oxygen is sucked out toward the lower-oxygen area. (00:03:00)
  • 2023-01-20 · Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea — Hank says they cannot remove too much oxygen or the animals will asphyxiate, so it must be balanced every hour of every day. (00:03:00)
  • 2023-03-10 · Is it Good or Bad that we Haven't Met Aliens? — Hank corrects himself: he misstated the Great Filter, which could lie before or after humanity's current point, so it spans both his first and second options. (video description)
  • 2023-03-10 · Is it Good or Bad that we Haven't Met Aliens? — Hank says there are a hundred million stars in our galaxy and most of them seem to have solar systems. — hedged: “it seems like” (00:00:02)
    • a hundred million (stars) — number of stars · for stars · in Milky Way · as of 2023-03-10 (implied: upload date) · no source named · doubtful
  • 2023-03-10 · Is it Good or Bad that we Haven't Met Aliens? — Hank says the universe is 13.7 billion years old. (00:01:01)
    • 13.7 billion (years) — age of the universe · for universe · as of 2023-03-10 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-10 · Is it Good or Bad that we Haven't Met Aliens? — Hank says life on Earth has existed for about 28% of the universe's age, but civilizational life only a couple hundred thousand years at most: we are a blip. (00:01:30)
    • 28% (percent) — share of the universe's age during which life has existed on Earth · for life on Earth · in Earth · as of 2023-03-10 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • a couple hundred thousand years — duration of civilizational life · for human civilization · in Earth · as of 2023-03-10 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-10 · Is it Good or Bad that we Haven't Met Aliens? — Hank says such communities have a term for this, the great filter: whatever prevents civilizations from existing for long periods of time. (00:01:59)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says discs can wear out from getting older, from injury, and from load placed on them out of alignment. (00:00:43)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says standing puts weight roughly where it should be, but sitting, especially slouching with the butt forward, adds pressure on the lower-back discs. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says genetics matter too, such as the kinds of collagen proteins you make and the shape of your spine and vertebrae. (00:01:08)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank explains that if the disc breaks down enough, the gel leaks out: that is a herniated disc, and it is painful. (00:01:15)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans, our three closest relatives, don't get herniated discs, which raises the question of why. (00:01:35)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says the first hypothesis is that apes' bodies evolved for their lifestyle; it looked good at first because people with hunter-gatherer lifestyles reported less back pain. (00:01:45)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says on closer study it was the reporting of back pain, not the pain, that was rare: people were just living through their pain. — hedged: “it seemed like” (00:01:56)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says there is now lots of evidence of ruptured discs in the human fossil record, so they seem to have been a thing the whole time. (00:02:05)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says the other hypothesis is that something is not great about human backs: we are seven million years into the shift to bipedalism, a relatively large shift. (00:02:18)
    • seven million (years) — time since the start of the shift to bipedalism · for human lineage · as of 2023-03-24 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says having all your body weight stacked on the vertebral column is totally different from it hanging off the column, as for a dog or, to some extent, a chimpanzee. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says scientists comparing human vertebrae found those with damaged discs much more likely to resemble chimpanzee vertebrae, as if those spines were more ancestral. (00:02:35)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says a follow-up study using three-dimensional scans led one author to say humans with disc herniations tend to have vertebra shapes statistically indistinguishable from chimpanzees'. (00:03:03)
  • 2023-03-24 · The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs — Hank says some of those researchers found that spines can swing too far toward bipedal optimization, causing spondylolysis, which causes stress fractures in the spine. (00:03:24)
  • 2023-04-14 · The Organism that Broke Biology — The description cites bacterial conjugation, exchanging genetic information by touch, and prokaryotic consortia, like lichen for bacteria, as further weird things organisms do. (video description)
  • 2023-04-14 · The Organism that Broke Biology — Hank says no one had heard the word symbiosis until 1877, when Albert Bernhard Frank coined it for something many people then did not believe existed. (00:00:52)
    • 1877 (year) — year the word symbiosis was coined · as of 2023-04-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-14 · The Organism that Broke Biology — Hank says early microscope views of lichen looked mostly like algae, and people took lichen for just another kind of plant, like a moss or fern. (00:00:52)
  • 2023-04-14 · The Organism that Broke Biology — Hank says in the 1860s, about 10 years before the term symbiosis, Swiss botanist Simon Schwendener saw fungus parts among lichen's algae; people disagreed and argued for a long time. (00:01:10)
    • 1860s (decade) — when Schwendener saw fungus parts in lichen · as of 2023-04-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 10 years — time between Schwendener's observation and the coining of symbiosis · as of 2023-04-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-14 · The Organism that Broke Biology — Hank says many things, including our own bodies, exist symbiotically, though the word itself is less than 150 years old. (00:02:17)
    • less than 150 years old — age of the word symbiosis · as of 2023-04-14 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — The description calls IceCube a square kilometer of transparent ancient ice holding five thousand light detectors, and says it counts as a telescope. (video description)
    • five thousand — light detectors in IceCube · for IceCube Neutrino Observatory · as of 2023-07-21 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • a square kilometer — size of IceCube's ice · for IceCube Neutrino Observatory · as of 2023-07-21 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says that when Galileo first saw the moons of Jupiter he was looking at visible light photons. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says Jocelyn Bell Burnell's discovery of the rapid radio blinking of pulsars also came from telescopes detecting photons. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says a year after JWST's first photos, its strength is seeing further into the infrared, which requires being very cold because warm objects, including its mirror, emit infrared. (00:00:58)
    • a year — time since JWST's first photos · for James Webb Space Telescope · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says the different kinds of electromagnetic radiation (infrared, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays, microwaves) each give different clues about how the universe works. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says a powerful new method detects gravitational waves by timing distant pulsars in our galaxy, turning the whole galaxy into a giant gravitational wave detector. (00:01:56)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says gravitational waves move things closer or further by about a meter per light year, detectable because pulsars flash so regularly. (00:02:42)
    • a meter per light year — displacement caused by gravitational waves · for spacetime · as of 2023-07-21 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says pulsar timing has, for the first time, detected the gravitational wave background, which he calls extraordinarily cool. (00:02:42)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says events in the universe emit photons and also massive particles such as electrons, protons and nuclei, but those are absorbed by galactic gas and dust, so they are not very useful. (00:03:12)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says a neutrino is like an electron but neutral, and that about 3% of the energy the Sun emits is emitted as neutrinos. (00:03:38)
    • 3% — share of the Sun's energy emitted as neutrinos · for Sun · as of 2023-07-21 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says about a hundred trillion neutrinos pass through each person every second. (00:03:38)
    • a hundred trillion (per) — neutrinos passing through a human body · for human body · as of 2023-07-21 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says that because neutrinos are neutral and atoms are mostly empty space, nearly all neutrinos fly right through matter. (00:03:38)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says detecting neutrinos has been a big deal in recent decades of science, earning several Nobel Prizes; when one hits a nucleus, light can be emitted or an element transformed. (00:03:38)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says detecting many neutrinos would need a block of a substance kilometers on a side, more transparent than anything made in a lab, filled with light detectors. (00:04:22)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says deep Antarctic snow compressed over time becomes ice more transparent than anything we have, lying in darkness, so by chance Earth has the perfect neutrino detector. (00:04:51)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says scientists drilled holes in the ice with hot water drills and lowered instruments to detect faint light flashes from neutrino collisions: the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. (00:05:26)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says IceCube has detected over 100,000 neutrino collisions, a very small share of the neutrinos passing through it. (00:05:55)
    • over 100,000 — neutrino collisions detected by IceCube · for IceCube Neutrino Observatory · as of 2023-07-21 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says about 99.9% of detected neutrinos come from the Sun and must be separated from the far fewer coming from our galaxy. (00:06:53)
    • 99.9% — share of neutrinos that come from the Sun · for neutrinos detected on Earth · as of 2023-07-21 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says machine learning made it possible to pick out galactic neutrinos and create the first map of our galaxy not based on photons, still very low resolution. (00:06:53)
  • 2023-07-21 · The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built — Hank says that unlike photons, neutrinos change: they can travel at different speeds and have different characteristics that reveal where they came from and what they experienced. (00:07:52)
  • 2023-08-04 · The Biggest Science Story of the Week — Hank says humans have been doing reckless, accidental geoengineering for a hundred years, mostly by emitting carbon dioxide, which keeps heat from radiating to space and warms the planet. (00:00:58)
    • the last hundred years — duration of accidental human geoengineering · for humanity · in Earth · as of 2023-08-04 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-08-04 · The Biggest Science Story of the Week — Hank says burning dirty fuels like coal and fuel oil releases sulfur dioxide, which briefly cools an area by seeding more and fluffier clouds through sulfuric acid droplets. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-08-04 · The Biggest Science Story of the Week — Hank says big container ships are a major sulfur dioxide source because they burn the cheapest, worst leftover oil, high in sulfur. (00:01:56)
  • 2023-08-04 · The Biggest Science Story of the Week — Hank says this is a known effect: erupting volcanoes release dust and sulfur dioxide that can cool the planet. (00:01:56)
  • 2023-08-04 · The Biggest Science Story of the Week — Hank says the clouds seeded by ships' sulfur dioxide, called ship tracks, are visible from space. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-08-04 · The Biggest Science Story of the Week — Hank says that because sulfur dioxide harms people, animals and the earth, the UN's International Maritime Organization required big ships to burn low-sulfur fuel from 2020, and there have since been significantly fewer ship tracks. (00:02:26)
    • 2020 — year the IMO low-sulfur ship fuel rule took effect · for cargo ships · in the world · as of 2023-08-04 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-08-04 · The Biggest Science Story of the Week — Hank says scientists' models show almost all of the new North Atlantic surface warming comes from extra sunlight reaching the sea, mostly because of fewer ship tracks. (00:02:55)
  • 2023-08-04 · The Biggest Science Story of the Week — Hank adds that part of the extra light came from less Saharan dust this year (2023), for what he thinks are unrelated reasons. — hedged: “I think” (00:02:55)
  • 2023-08-04 · The Biggest Science Story of the Week — Hank says clouds can be seeded without sulfur dioxide's acid rain and asthma, e.g. by misting seawater into the air so the salt crystals left behind seed clouds and fall back into the ocean. (00:04:11)
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says giraffes range from just south of the Sahara to South Africa: New York and London are closer together, and John is closer to Brazil than West African giraffes are to South African ones. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says whole-genome analyses showed giraffes should probably not be considered one species; there might be three, four, five or six. — hedged: “probably” (00:01:27)
    • three (species) — number of giraffe species (lowest estimate) · for giraffes · in Africa · as of 2023-09-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • four (species) — number of giraffe species · for giraffes · in Africa · as of 2023-09-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • five (species) — number of giraffe species · for giraffes · in Africa · as of 2023-09-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • six (species) — number of giraffe species (highest estimate) · for giraffes · in Africa · as of 2023-09-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says the species question matters: counted as one species there are hundreds of thousands of giraffes, but split into four species some are very endangered. (00:01:56)
    • hundreds of thousands (giraffes) — giraffe population · for all giraffes counted as one species · in Africa · as of 2023-09-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says giraffes were long thought barely to vocalize (some thought their necks too long), but recently we learned they hum, often at night, at a very low pitch barely audible to humans. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says the humming is part of how giraffes communicate and maintain their culture. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says female giraffes live long after they can no longer breed: about 30% of a female giraffe's lifespan comes after she can have babies. (00:02:55)
    • 30% (percent) — share of lifespan after reproductive age · for female giraffes · as of 2023-09-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says post-reproductive females are rare: humans, killer whales, some other whales (pilot whales, he thinks), arguably elephants, and now giraffes. (00:02:55)
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank explains the grandmother hypothesis: post-reproductive females occur in species where passing knowledge from older to younger generations is really important. (00:03:24)
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says giraffes have very high blood pressure to move their blood, high enough that it would damage a human heart. (00:03:53)
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says researchers put a giraffe gene linked to heart resilience into mice; given high blood pressure, mice with the gene had much less heart scarring. (00:04:22)
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says herders and wildlife were long imagined as opposed, which is partly true and complicated, but people have herded in sub-Saharan Africa for many millennia. (00:04:52)
    • many millennia — duration of herding · for herders · in sub-Saharan Africa · as of 2023-09-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says recent research also looks at ways herding people might be good for the savanna and its wildlife. — hedged: “might be” (00:05:21)
  • 2023-09-08 · Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought — Hank says that compared with farming, mining or charcoal production, herding has much less impact on the savanna and its wildlife. (00:05:21)
  • 2023-10-02 · The Hottest Place and the Coldest Place in the Universe are the SAME PLACE — Hank says the Boomerang Nebula, the second coldest known place, is 1 Kelvin, while the universe averages 2.7 Kelvin. (00:00:28)
    • 2.7 Kelvin — average temperature · for universe · as of 2023-10-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 1 Kelvin — temperature · for Boomerang Nebula · as of 2023-10-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-02 · The Hottest Place and the Coldest Place in the Universe are the SAME PLACE — Hank explains the Boomerang Nebula cools by expelling matter: the most energetic matter leaves more easily, much as sweating cools you when hotter water molecules evaporate. (00:00:28)
  • 2023-10-02 · The Hottest Place and the Coldest Place in the Universe are the SAME PLACE — Hank says the lab record is so much colder than anything natural that, apart from other intelligent systems, it is probably the coldest any matter in the universe has ever been. — hedged: “we're pretty sure” (00:01:28)
  • 2023-10-02 · The Hottest Place and the Coldest Place in the Universe are the SAME PLACE — Hank says the coldest place in the known universe is a laboratory on Earth (labs trade the record): the coldest we have made something is 38 picokelvins, against the Boomerang Nebula's 1 Kelvin. (00:01:57)
    • 38 picokelvins — lowest temperature ever reached by matter · for laboratory record · in Earth · as of 2023-10-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-02 · The Hottest Place and the Coldest Place in the Universe are the SAME PLACE — Hank says black holes emit Hawking radiation; counted as heat, a Sun-mass black hole would be warmer than the German lab's record, but the biggest black holes would be colder. (00:02:26)
    • 38 picokelv (picokelvin) — lowest temperature reached in a laboratory · for lab in Germany · in Germany · as of 2023-10-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-02 · The Hottest Place and the Coldest Place in the Universe are the SAME PLACE — Hank says the core of the Sun is 15 million Kelvin, about 30 million degrees Fahrenheit. (00:03:19)
    • 15 million Kelvin — core temperature · for Sun · as of 2023-10-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 30 million degrees Fahrenheit — core temperature · for Sun · as of 2023-10-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-02 · The Hottest Place and the Coldest Place in the Universe are the SAME PLACE — Hank says a supergiant's core may exceed a billion Kelvin, and a supergiant going supernova could in some areas exceed 100 billion Kelvin. — hedged: “could” (00:03:48)
    • 100 billion Kelvin — peak temperature · for supergiant star going supernova · as of 2023-10-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-02 · The Hottest Place and the Coldest Place in the Universe are the SAME PLACE — Hank says the hottest thing in the universe since the Big Bang, 13.7 billion years ago, happened on Earth: particles in a particle accelerator reached 7 trillion Kelvin. — hedged: “as far as we can tell” (00:04:26)
    • 7 trillion Kelvin — highest temperature reached · for particles in a particle accelerator · in Earth · as of 2023-10-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 13.7 billion years — time since the Big Bang · for universe · as of 2023-10-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-02 · The Hottest Place and the Coldest Place in the Universe are the SAME PLACE — Hank allows that unknown events may be hotter, and that billions of years from now the expanding universe might become colder than the German lab. — hedged: “might” (00:05:02)
    • many, many billions of years — time until the universe may become colder than the lab record · for universe · as of 2023-10-02 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-03 · Nourished by Leaving — In a channel comment John says much White River pollution comes from far upriver; Indianapolis is working to end sewage dumps, but the river will stay polluted for the foreseeable future. (creator comment)
  • 2023-10-03 · Nourished by Leaving — John says life on Earth has existed continuously for about 3.7 billion years, around 23% of the history of the universe. (00:00:49)
    • 3.7 billion years — duration of continuous life on Earth · for life on Earth · in Earth · as of 2023-10-03 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 23% (percent) — share of the universe's history during which life on Earth has existed · for life on Earth · in Earth · as of 2023-10-03 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-03 · Nourished by Leaving — John says even the tuatara, which existed before large dinosaurs, is only around 250 million years old, less than 10% of the history of life on Earth. (00:01:07)
    • 250 million years — age of the tuatara lineage · for tuatara · as of 2023-10-03 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • less than 10% (percent) — tuatara's age as a share of the history of life on Earth · for tuatara · in Earth · as of 2023-10-03 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-03 · Nourished by Leaving — John says the urban-ish forest holds steel husks and concrete structures once used to house whiskey barrels during Prohibition. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-10-03 · Nourished by Leaving — John says the forest was once private property of Albert Lieber, who made and lost a fortune selling booze and was novelist Kurt Vonnegut's grandfather. (00:01:39)
  • 2023-10-03 · Nourished by Leaving — John explains autumn as to non-Earth folk: as parts of Earth tilt away from our star it gets colder, and trees' leaves change color, fall, and regrow when Earth tilts back. (00:02:46)
  • 2023-10-03 · Nourished by Leaving — John says leaves dropped by young trees may in time become soil that helps support the same tree as it ages. — hedged: “may” (00:03:36)
  • 2023-10-04 · A Messy and Unhinged Introduction to Geoengineering — Hank says painting roofs white is already geoengineering: it mainly cuts air-conditioning bills and energy use, but also reflects some, unmeasurable, energy to space. (00:02:22)
  • 2023-10-04 · A Messy and Unhinged Introduction to Geoengineering — Hank lists techniques of rising impact: high-albedo crops, ocean mirrors, marine cloud brightening, thinning heat-trapping cirrus clouds, and stratospheric sulfur dioxide injection. (00:03:07)
  • 2023-10-04 · A Messy and Unhinged Introduction to Geoengineering — Hank says high-albedo crops would have a small, local, reversible effect, stratospheric injection a large, global, long-term one; all are solar radiation management techniques. (00:03:37)
  • 2023-10-04 · A Messy and Unhinged Introduction to Geoengineering — Hank says the cost of solar, wind and batteries has fallen about a thousand times since he graduated college, and they are already better than fossil fuel infrastructure in most ways. — hedged: “like” (00:05:54)
    • thousand times — fall in the cost of solar, wind and batteries since Hank graduated from college · for solar, wind and battery technology · in the world · as of 2023-10-04 (implied: upload date) · no source named · doubtful
  • 2023-10-04 · A Messy and Unhinged Introduction to Geoengineering — Hank says suddenly stopping after doing it for a while is very scary: climate models show possibly chaotic consequences, called termination shock. (00:08:53)
  • 2023-10-04 · A Messy and Unhinged Introduction to Geoengineering — Hank reports Miriam's point: geoengineering should not be done unilaterally but could be, since it is cheap enough for a single, even small, country to start. (00:08:53)
  • 2023-10-04 · A Messy and Unhinged Introduction to Geoengineering — Hank's second most compelling objection: we don't understand it well yet; Miriam says aerosols add the most to climate models' error bars. (00:09:52)
  • 2023-10-04 · A Messy and Unhinged Introduction to Geoengineering — Hank reports Adam's point that an experiment revealing geoengineering's impacts already requires geoengineering. (00:11:16)

Health (71)

  • 2023-02-07 · Mid-Morning Existential Crisis: The Format Returns — John says authors were very susceptible to TB not because of their passions but because, at the time, TB caused about a third of all deaths in England. (00:01:03)
    • about a third (share) — share of all deaths caused by tuberculosis · for all deaths · in England · as of 19th century · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-02-07 · Mid-Morning Existential Crisis: The Format Returns — John says a group of nerdfighters has raised over $300,000 for a matching fund so that everyone who donates during the P4A gets their donation matched. (00:02:20)
    • $300,000 (USD) — money pledged to the P4A 2023 matching fund (over) · for nerdfighters in the matching fund · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-02-07 · Mid-Morning Existential Crisis: The Format Returns — John says he learned that the Inuit, Chinese, Arabic and English words for soul or spirit all derive on some level from the word for breath. (00:02:20)
  • 2023-02-07 · Mid-Morning Existential Crisis: The Format Returns — John notes that inspiration literally means to breathe in, while to be expired is to be unable to take in air. (00:02:20)
  • 2023-02-07 · Mid-Morning Existential Crisis: The Format Returns — John says we know the exact speed of light and what the universe was doing two minutes after the Big Bang, but not why there is matter. (00:03:07)
    • two minutes — earliest time after the Big Bang whose state of the universe is known · for the universe · as of 2023-02-07 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-02-28 · Empathy and its Limits — John says over 150,000 people are going to die today. (00:00:29)
    • 150,000 (people) — deaths per day (over) · for people worldwide · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-02-28 · Empathy and its Limits — John says invalids often couldn't get out of bed, making it hard to join social interactions deemed essential to humanity, from worship services to physical chores. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-02-28 · Empathy and its Limits — John says about 93% of all humans currently alive will eventually die of illness, so commonly that such deaths are called natural causes. (00:01:58)
    • 93% (percent) — share who will eventually die of illness (about) · for humans currently alive · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-06-13 · touched by a king — Answering a viewer in the comments, John says TB kills more people every year than malaria, typhoid, homicide and war combined. (creator comment)
  • 2023-06-13 · touched by a king — In a comment John says one much-publicised model claimed up to half of all humans died of malaria, but most models indicate this is nowhere near true. (creator comment)
    • up to half — share of all humans who died of malaria · for all humans · in the world · as of 2023-06-13 (implied: upload date) · source: one model · unchecked
  • 2023-06-13 · touched by a king — John's comment says malaria remains a huge, cheaply preventable and treatable problem, but TB is deadlier and probably always has been. — hedged: “probably” (creator comment)
  • 2023-06-13 · touched by a king — John recalls Hank pointing out that lymphoma was originally believed to be a type of tuberculosis, which makes sense given shared symptoms: night sweats, fevers, sometimes coughing. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-06-13 · touched by a king — John says the other symptom TB and lymphoma share is swollen lymph nodes. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-06-13 · touched by a king — When TB invades the lymphatic system it is called scrofula, and it can make lymph nodes swell so much that they rupture through the skin. (00:01:14)
  • 2023-06-13 · touched by a king — John says Hank's swollen lymph nodes turned out to be lymphoma, but almost always swollen lymph nodes are no big deal, just the body dealing with an infection. (00:01:43)
  • 2023-06-13 · touched by a king — John says people whose swollen lymph nodes turn out to be TB also have a significant problem, especially if the nodes rupture. (00:01:43)
  • 2023-06-13 · touched by a king — Not long ago, at least in Europe, the most reliable cure for scrofula was widely believed to be the king's touch: being touched by the king. (00:02:19)
  • 2023-06-13 · touched by a king — John explains the belief: the king touched your head or wound and you were cured, since his healing power supposedly came through an apostolic line back to Jesus. (00:02:19)
  • 2023-06-23 · Understanding Cancer Survival Rates — Hank says about 9,000 people in the US get Hodgkin lymphoma each year and about 900 die of it, a crude figure of 10% killed. (00:00:58)
    • 9,000 (people) — new Hodgkin lymphoma cases per year · for people · in United States · as of 2023-06-23 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 900 (people) — Hodgkin lymphoma deaths per year · for people · in United States · as of 2023-06-23 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 10% — share of people who get Hodgkin lymphoma who are killed by it (crude) · for people with Hodgkin lymphoma · in United States · as of 2023-06-23 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-06-23 · Understanding Cancer Survival Rates — Hank notes the disease is officially called Hodgkin lymphoma and used to be called Hodgkin's disease. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-06-23 · Understanding Cancer Survival Rates — Hank says that, because of the cancer and its treatment, Hodgkin lymphoma survivors are more likely to die of heart disease, lung disease and other cancers. (00:01:56)
  • 2023-06-23 · Understanding Cancer Survival Rates — Hank says Hodgkin lymphoma patients alive five years later are very likely never to relapse and will probably die at a fairly normal age of something else. (00:04:22)
  • 2023-06-23 · Understanding Cancer Survival Rates — Hank says people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia are just as likely to be alive at five years but very unlikely to be rid of the disease. (00:04:52)
  • 2023-06-23 · Understanding Cancer Survival Rates — Hank explains that a cancer's stage almost defines a different disease, with different treatment and prognosis, and its grade is how aggressively it acts. (00:06:10)
  • 2023-06-23 · Understanding Cancer Survival Rates — Hank explains disease-free survival: alive with no signs of cancer, which does not rule out relapse but is a good sign. (00:07:19)
  • 2023-06-23 · Understanding Cancer Survival Rates — Hank explains progression-free survival: the person is alive and the cancer has stopped spreading. (00:07:48)
  • 2023-06-23 · Understanding Cancer Survival Rates — Hank says some cancers, especially in older people, are now treated as chronic diseases because curative treatment would cost too much quality of life or risk death. (00:07:48)
  • 2023-06-23 · Understanding Cancer Survival Rates — Hank says a person of his age with his stage of Hodgkin lymphoma has about a 94% five-year survival rate and about a 90% chance of five-year disease-free survival. (00:10:49)
    • 94% — five-year survival rate · for people of Hank's age with his stage of Hodgkin lymphoma · as of 2023-06-23 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 90% — five-year disease-free survival · for people of Hank's age with his stage of Hodgkin lymphoma · as of 2023-06-23 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-06-23 · Understanding Cancer Survival Rates — Hank says the numbers are high partly because Hodgkin cells are bad at repairing themselves and die when treated. (00:11:18)
  • 2023-07-28 · Let's Try Radiation Therapy! — Hank explains that cancer cells are more susceptible to radiation than regular cells, so the beam damages some regular cells too but hurts the cancer cells worse. (00:01:06)
  • 2023-07-28 · Let's Try Radiation Therapy! — Hank says radiation therapy means lying before a particle accelerator that shoots high-energy photons at a rate somewhat comparable to what Fukushima workers received after the meltdown. (00:01:20)
  • 2023-07-28 · Let's Try Radiation Therapy! — Hank says the dose would kill you immediately if given to the whole body at once; it is spread over several weeks and aimed at one area instead. (00:01:35)
  • 2023-07-28 · Let's Try Radiation Therapy! — Hank explains that the machine shoots from several angles so the diseased area where beams intersect gets a high dose: with five beams, five times the dose, elsewhere about one-fifth. (00:02:05)
    • five times — radiation dose where beams meet, relative to a single beam · for five-beam radiation therapy treatment · as of 2023-07-28 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • one-fifth — radiation dose outside the beam intersection, relative to the middle · for five-beam radiation therapy treatment · as of 2023-07-28 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-07-28 · Let's Try Radiation Therapy! — Hank describes an adaptive shutter that changes shape to fit the beam to where his lymph node inflammation was; it almost looks alive. (00:02:33)
  • 2023-07-28 · Let's Try Radiation Therapy! — Hank lists side effects of treatment that can kill: heart failure needing a transplant, secondary cancers more dangerous than his current one, pulmonary embolism and stroke. (00:03:54)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — The description adds that TB may replicate slowly for evolutionary advantage too: possibly, having lived with humans so long, it evolved to linger rather than kill quickly. — hedged: “Possibly” (video description)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says tuberculosis has been the deadliest infectious disease for like 99% of the last 10,000 years, overtaken only every once in a while by the Spanish flu, the Black Death or, very briefly, COVID. (00:00:12)
    • like 99% (percent) — share of the last 10,000 years in which tuberculosis was the deadliest infectious disease · for humans · in the world · as of 2023-09-15 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says tuberculosis has now taken back its title as deadliest infectious disease and is a strong contender for the oldest infectious disease. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says he once thought tuberculosis, like pneumonia, described symptoms rather than a specific disease, but it is caused by a specific bacterium. (00:00:44)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says the thick wall keeps antibiotics out, and many antibiotics work by breaking bacterial cell walls, which differ from human cell membranes, so they work less well on TB's unusual wall. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says scientists think the wall makes it easier for TB to form strong biofilms, which keep out antibiotics and immune cells and let TB hold on in the body for a long time. — hedged: “we think” (00:01:56)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says a bigger, weirder cell wall gives more places for antibiotic resistance to evolve; this is called cell wall remodeling, and TB is good at it. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says the complicated wall is hard to manufacture, so TB replicates much more slowly than most bacteria. (00:02:36)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says many antibiotics target fast-replicating cells, so they are less good at attacking slow-replicating tuberculosis. (00:02:55)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says that to treat TB one must find out whether a person has it, what kind and which antibiotics it resists, by growing bacteria from their spit in a petri dish. (00:03:02)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says a well-fed E. coli colony doubles every 20 minutes, while for tuberculosis doubling takes about a day. (00:03:24)
    • every 20 minutes — doubling time of a well-fed E. coli colony · as of 2023-09-15 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • about a day — doubling time of tuberculosis bacteria in culture · as of 2023-09-15 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says diagnosing TB and testing its resistance means culturing it many times against different antibiotics, which takes much labor, time, petri dishes and space. (00:03:31)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says that would be fine if a thousand people a year got tuberculosis, but about 10 million people a year get it. (00:03:53)
    • like 10 million (people) — people who get tuberculosis per year · for people worldwide · in the world · as of 2023-09-15 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says sequencing many TB strains revealed the resistance sequences, so a machine can run a sample through a cartridge that shows both whether it is TB and whether it is drug-resistant. (00:03:56)
  • 2023-09-15 · The Worst Disease in Human History — Hank says the machine runs many different tests for many diseases all over the world. (00:04:15)
  • 2023-10-20 · My 'Injury' — In a channel comment, Hank says the data do not show cancer is predominantly metabolic: almost all cancers involve both poor DNA repair and odd metabolism, and diet cannot control it. (creator comment)
  • 2023-10-20 · My 'Injury' — Hank says cancer is anywhere between hundreds and billions of diseases. (00:01:00)
    • hundreds (diseases) — number of distinct diseases called cancer (lower bound) · for cancers · as of 2023-10-20 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • billions (diseases) — number of distinct diseases called cancer (upper bound) · for cancers · as of 2023-10-20 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-20 · My 'Injury' — Hank says the lower count reflects common pathways to cancer; classical Hodgkin lymphoma is one, so its cells behave alike and patients have similar prognoses and treatment responses. (00:01:05)
  • 2023-10-20 · My 'Injury' — Hank says the upper count reflects that every cancer is genetically distinct, so two people with the same kind of classical Hodgkin lymphoma can respond differently to treatment. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-10-20 · My 'Injury' — Hank says by the time a cancer is advanced there is much genetic variation within the body's cancer population, which is why late-stage cancer is so hard to treat. (00:01:50)
  • 2023-10-20 · My 'Injury' — Hank compares cancer to bacterial infections: most are curable but some aren't and people still die of them; likewise some cancers can be cured, some cannot, many in between. (00:03:05)
  • 2023-10-20 · My 'Injury' — Hank says the US recently passed a milestone: more than half of people diagnosed with cancer will not be killed by it, either cured or dying with it rather than of it. (00:03:25)
    • more than half (share) — share of people diagnosed with cancer who will not be killed by it · for people diagnosed with cancer · in United States · as of 2023-10-20 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-20 · My 'Injury' — Hank says glioblastoma is as different from Hodgkin lymphoma as Ebola is from the common cold. (00:03:45)
  • 2023-11-21 · Minus Its Charms — John says the community helped encourage Danaher to lower the price of its tuberculosis tests, which will let 5 million more people be tested for TB every year. (00:00:16)
    • five million (people) — additional people tested for TB each year after Danaher's test price cut · for people tested for tuberculosis · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-11-21 · Minus Its Charms — John says people have raised enough money over the last few days to cancel $50 million of medical debt in Casey's memory. (00:03:05)
    • $50 million (USD) — medical debt cancelled by donations in Casey McIntyre's memory · for medical debtors · as of 2023-11 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-08 · Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? — Hank says Hodgkin lymphoma was one of the first cancers shown to respond well to both chemotherapy and radiation, so chemo was never in question. (00:00:16)
  • 2023-12-08 · Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? — Hank says three of the four chemo drugs he was on are natural: they come from nature. (00:00:37)
    • three out of the four (drugs) — chemo drugs in Hank's regimen that come from nature · for Hank's Hodgkin lymphoma chemotherapy · as of 2023-12-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-08 · Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? — Hank says vinblastine comes from the Madagascar periwinkle, a flower known to Madagascar's indigenous people, in which scientists found anti-cancer properties. (00:00:43)
  • 2023-12-08 · Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? — Hank says adriamycin, also called doxorubicin, was found in soil microbes at the base of an Italian castle. (00:00:56)
  • 2023-12-08 · Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? — Hank says the third, bleomycin, was found in a soil microbe called Streptomyces verticillus. (00:01:02)
  • 2023-12-08 · Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? — Hank says soil microbes have been known for centuries to fight bacteria: people packed wounds with certain soils to prevent infection without knowing why. (00:01:06)
  • 2023-12-08 · Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? — Hank explains that many bacteria make antibiotics to compete with other bacteria, and many antibiotics are also good chemotherapies because they disrupt cells' ability to replicate. (00:01:15)
  • 2023-12-08 · Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? — Hank says Streptomyces verticillus was never used in traditional medicine, as far as is known. — hedged: “as far as we know” (00:01:25)
  • 2023-12-08 · Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? — Hank says chemo side effects include not just vomiting but long-term damage such as lung scarring, cardiac effects or secondary cancer. (00:01:58)
  • 2023-12-08 · Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? — Hank says most cancer cases on Earth, and an even greater majority of cancer deaths, occur outside high-income countries. (00:04:47)
    • The majority — share of cancer cases that occur outside high-income countries · for cancer cases worldwide · in Earth · as of 2023-12-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • an even greater majority — share of cancer deaths that occur outside high-income countries · for cancer deaths worldwide · in Earth · as of 2023-12-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-08 · Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? — Hank says 10 years ago his treatment would have been worse, 30 years before that horrible and probably disabling for life, and 30 years before that nonexistent. — hedged: “probably” (00:05:49)
    • 10 years ago — time before today when Hank's Hodgkin lymphoma treatment would have been worse · for Hodgkin lymphoma patients · in United States · as of 2023-12-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 30 years before that — further time back when the treatment would have been horrible and probably disabling, and again until it did not exist · for Hodgkin lymphoma patients · in United States · as of 2023-12-08 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked

Personal life (35)

  • 2023-02-21 · Maybe Art Only Needs to Be — Throwing pots feels ancient to John, but it is not that ancient: eating bread and drinking beer are older than wheels and wheel-thrown pottery. (00:01:47)
  • 2023-02-21 · Maybe Art Only Needs to Be — John says wheels were not initially invented for transport but for pottery. (00:01:47)
  • 2023-05-19 · So, I've got cancer — Hank says the prognosis for people with Hodgkin's lymphoma is very good. (00:02:45)
  • 2023-05-19 · So, I've got cancer — Hank explains that for solid tumors such as lung or prostate cancer, living elsewhere in the body means the cells have evolved new survival strategies, which is why metastasis is a big deal. (00:02:57)
  • 2023-05-19 · So, I've got cancer — Lymphoma is a cancer of immune cells that are already all over the body, so its spread, though worse, means less than in solid tumors: the gap between early and late stages is smaller. (00:03:21)
  • 2023-05-19 · So, I've got cancer — Hank explains chemotherapy as intentionally poisoning the body so the hungriest cells are poisoned more and die, and says it works well. (00:06:42)
  • 2023-05-23 · Rough Week — John says Partners In Health talks a lot about accompaniment: walking someone's path with them so they don't feel alone, always listening and helping when you can. (00:02:14)
  • 2023-05-23 · Rough Week — John thanks the over 100 people who work for DFTBA and Complexly for stepping up and supporting each other. (00:03:30)
    • over 100 (people) — employees of DFTBA and Complexly · for DFTBA and Complexly · as of 2023-05-23 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-06-02 · Chemo is Weird, Y'all — Hank explains that his four chemo drugs interfere with rapidly dividing cells, mostly cancer cells but also some normal cells, which makes patients feel sick. (00:00:00)
    • four (drugs) — chemo drugs in Hank's regimen · for Hank · as of 2023-06-01 (implied: date said in the video) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-06-02 · Chemo is Weird, Y'all — Hank says the off week lets patients recover, so they stay in treatment, feel less bad and avoid complications from piled-up side effects. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-06-02 · Chemo is Weird, Y'all — Hank says dexamethasone is kind of a chemotherapy drug but is mostly taken to hold back nausea and feel better after treatment. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-06-02 · Chemo is Weird, Y'all — Hank explains red urine during chemo: one drug is red and can come out in urine and sweat, enough to make sweat pink. (00:01:56)
  • 2023-06-02 · Chemo is Weird, Y'all — Hank says hippos have pink sweat that protects them from the sun, maybe so they don't get skin cancer. — hedged: “maybe” (00:02:26)
  • 2023-06-02 · Chemo is Weird, Y'all — Hank stresses that chemo regimens, drugs and responses differ greatly between people, so he is not representing a universal experience. (00:03:39)
  • 2023-06-02 · Chemo is Weird, Y'all — Hank says he has been told hair loss begins on day 14, which is tomorrow. (00:03:39)
    • 14 (day) — day of chemotherapy when hair loss begins · for chemotherapy patients · as of 2023-06-01 (implied: date said in the video) · source: unspecified · unchecked
  • 2023-06-27 · Alone on the Cancer Boat: A Vlogbrothers Reunion — John says that when people figured out how antibiotics worked, life expectancy increased by 30 years over the course of 30 years. (00:04:39)
    • 30 years — increase in life expectancy after antibiotics · for people · as of 2023-06-27 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 30 years — period over which life expectancy rose by 30 years · for people · as of 2023-06-27 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-06-27 · Alone on the Cancer Boat: A Vlogbrothers Reunion — John says a family member was just diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a cancer whose survival rate is 100%, so nobody says they have cancer. (00:05:07)
    • 100% (percent) — survival rate · for people with basal cell carcinoma · as of 2023-06-27 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-06-27 · Alone on the Cancer Boat: A Vlogbrothers Reunion — John says the drugs for even very treatable diseases are known and not that expensive, Hodgkin's drugs included. (00:06:13)
  • 2023-06-27 · Alone on the Cancer Boat: A Vlogbrothers Reunion — John says Wikipedia taught him the concept of micromorts, which he describes as how many minutes of life each activity takes away. (00:07:04)
  • 2023-06-30 · Bon Your Vivant — The brothers note they forgot to ask viewers to like or subscribe for the last seven years and have been between three and four million subscribers for about twelve years. (00:00:21)
    • three and four million (subscribers) — Vlogbrothers subscriber count · for Vlogbrothers channel · as of 2023-06-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · doubtful
    • twelve years — time spent between three and four million subscribers · for Vlogbrothers channel · as of 2023-06-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · doubtful
  • 2023-08-22 · The Panera Phenomenon — Citing the book, John says that in 1852, when Franklin Pierce was elected US president, his wife was sick with tuberculosis. (00:00:58)
    • 1852 (year) — year Franklin Pierce was elected president · for Franklin Pierce · in United States · as of 2023-08-22 (implied: upload date) · source: Living in the Shadow of Death · unchecked
  • 2023-08-22 · The Panera Phenomenon — John says Pierce's secretary of state was mourning a son who had just died of tuberculosis, and his vice president was in Cuba trying to cure his own tuberculosis. (00:01:10)
  • 2023-08-22 · The Panera Phenomenon — John says Franklin Pierce probably had tuberculosis too, but drank himself to death before it could kill him. — hedged: “probably” (00:01:20)
  • 2023-08-22 · The Panera Phenomenon — John says he thinks about how frequently the fast casual chain Panera has been mentioned in hip-hop lyrics lately. (00:01:50)
  • 2023-08-22 · The Panera Phenomenon — John first noticed this in the Prof song Pack a Lunch, where Redman names Panera. (00:02:05)
  • 2023-08-22 · The Panera Phenomenon — A couple of weeks later John heard a Yung Gravy song that mentions Panera. (00:02:10)
  • 2023-08-22 · The Panera Phenomenon — John says many rappers mention Panera, among them Lil Uzi Vert, Rick Ross and Lil Yachty, and the list goes on. (00:02:30)
  • 2023-08-25 · Remission — Hank says untreated Hodgkin lymphoma has about a 90% chance of killing you within five years, and about a 10% chance if treated. — hedged: “like” (00:00:21)
    • 90% — chance of death within five years · for people with untreated Hodgkin lymphoma · as of 2023-08-25 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 10% — chance of death · for people with treated Hodgkin lymphoma · as of 2023-08-25 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-08-25 · Remission — Hank says Hodgkin lymphoma, when it responds to treatment, tends to respond very well, and in his case it worked about as well as it does. (00:01:22)
  • 2023-08-25 · Remission — Showing his before scan, Hank explains a PET scan shows glucose uptake; his cancer mass consumed a lot of glucose because it was dividing fast. (00:01:33)
  • 2023-08-25 · Remission — Hank says Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer where doctors say you can move from remission to cure, yet after cure recurrence remains much likelier than in the general population. (00:05:03)
  • 2023-08-25 · Remission — Hank explains that relapse (in remission) and recurrence (after cure) differ not in what the cancer does but statistically, by how unlikely its return is after certain periods. (00:05:15)
  • 2023-09-01 · The Weirdest Post-Chemo Symptoms — Hank says people told him that hair lost to chemo grows back re-rolled: curly may become straight, bald may regrow, gray may be lost or gained, some become gingers. (00:00:55)
  • 2023-09-22 · A Feeling I've Never Felt Before — Hank says persistent, polite communication resulted in literally hundreds of millions of dollars of impact. (00:03:27)
    • hundreds of millions of dollars (USD) — impact of the community's persistent, polite communication campaign · as of 2023-09-22 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-12 · POTATO! — John says tuberculosis is the world's deadliest infectious disease among humans, and that it is curable. (00:02:32)

Projects (28)

  • 2023-01-27 · An Announcement 3 Years in the Making — Hank says a three-credit course at a state school currently costs about $1,200. (00:01:14)
    • about $1,200 (USD) — cost of a three-credit course · for state school students · in United States · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-01-27 · An Announcement 3 Years in the Making — Hank says students can earn college credits in high school, but sometimes those credits don't transfer, and many credits don't transfer easily between schools. (00:01:20)
  • 2023-01-27 · An Announcement 3 Years in the Making — Hank says their research identified not knowing how the system works as one of the main barriers, since it can lead to costly mistakes. (00:01:45)
  • 2023-01-27 · An Announcement 3 Years in the Making — Hank says the other big barrier, the one most often cited by people who drop out of school, is cost. (00:01:57)
  • 2023-01-27 · An Announcement 3 Years in the Making — Hank describes ASU as a large public research university that judges itself by how many people it includes rather than by rejection rates and exclusivity. (00:02:10)
  • 2023-01-27 · An Announcement 3 Years in the Making — Hank explains the model: videos stay free; a course costs $25 to start, the first begins March 7 with a cohort and faculty support, and satisfied students can pay $400 for transferable credit. (00:02:55)
    • $25 (USD) — price to sign up for a Study Hall course · for Study Hall students · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
    • $400 (USD) — price of transferable college credit for a completed Study Hall course · for Study Hall students · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-28 · I Discovered a Soap Secret — Hank says that a couple of years ago he learned that a warehouse in his hometown, once part of a lumber mill, makes soap for organic luxury beauty brands he cannot name. (00:00:03)
  • 2023-04-28 · I Discovered a Soap Secret — Hank explains that because great soap is hard to make, soap companies work with suppliers. (00:00:15)
  • 2023-04-28 · I Discovered a Soap Secret — Hank says a company wanting amazing, delicious-smelling, fully organic soap has a good chance of ending up working with Botanie. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-04-28 · I Discovered a Soap Secret — Hank says Botanie's client list is very secret because companies want buyers to imagine the soap simply came into being from their own perfect vision. (00:00:47)
  • 2023-04-28 · I Discovered a Soap Secret — Hank says that on average a well-drained bar of soap lasts about a month for a person who showers once a day. (00:02:35)
    • about a month — lifespan of a well-drained bar of soap · for a person who showers once a day · as of 2023-04-28 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-30 · How Does He Do It? — John says the idea alone did not get Crash Course its 15 million YouTube subscribers (he said 'billion' by mistake and says so in a comment), over 1.8 billion views and a place in many American high schools and colleges. (00:00:43)
    • 15 billion (subscribers) — YouTube subscribers of Crash Course · for Crash Course channel · as of 2023 · no source named · speaker error
    • over 1.8 billion (views) — YouTube views of Crash Course · for Crash Course channel · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-30 · How Does He Do It? — John notes that a few human lifetimes ago we did not even know there were galaxies; now we know the smudge in the image is a galaxy. (00:03:00)
    • a few human lifetimes ago — time since humans learned that galaxies exist · for humanity · as of 2023-05-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-30 · How Does He Do It? — John says the coins are vital: the Patreon and coin campaigns are the single largest slice of Crash Course's annual budget, not a tiny slice of a corporate pie. (00:03:30)
  • 2023-06-20 · Reflections from a Terrible CEO — John says over 100 people work full-time with the brothers between Complexly and DFTBA.com, ranging from 20-somethings to grandparents. (00:00:00)
    • over 100 (people) — full-time workers · for employees of Complexly and DFTBA.com · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-08-29 · Breaking News: CEO Demoted — John says the clubs donate 100% of their profit to charity and have so far raised over $5 million for better child and maternal health in Sierra Leone. (00:00:00)
    • 100% (percent) — share of the clubs' profit donated to charity · for DFTBA's clubs (socks, coffee, soap) · as of 2023-08-29 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • over $5 million (USD) — money raised by the clubs for child and maternal health · for DFTBA's clubs (socks, coffee, soap) · in Sierra Leone · as of 2023-08-29 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-13 · Cancer Made me Do It. — Hank says humans are unique in laughing and crying: other animals do neither, and humans have specific physiological reactions for both. (00:04:08)
  • 2023-11-10 · My Final Chemo Secret — Hank says Hodgkin lymphoma is a curable cancer: with treatment you have almost a 90% chance of dying of something else when old. (00:02:22)
    • almost a 90% (percent) — chance of dying of another cause when old, with treatment · for people with Hodgkin lymphoma who get treatment · as of 2023-11-10 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-11-10 · My Final Chemo Secret — Hank says the treatments are old and not that expensive, but hard to get to different places. (00:02:32)
  • 2023-11-10 · My Final Chemo Secret — Recalling John's video, Hank says a child in Sierra Leone waited years for a Hodgkin's diagnosis, then more years for good chemo at a hospital in Rwanda, over 4,000 miles away. (00:02:37)
    • over 4,000 (miles) — distance of the journey to treatment · for the child from Sierra Leone · in Sierra Leone to Rwanda · as of 2023-11-10 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-11-17 · WHAT AM I DOING — Hank says Gubbins is on iOS and Android and is currently the number two word game and number 14 free game in the App Store. (00:04:43)
    • number two (rank) — Gubbins's chart rank among word games · for App Store · as of 2023-11-17 · no source named · unchecked
    • number 14 (rank) — Gubbins's chart rank among free games · for App Store · as of 2023-11-17 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-01 · It's OK if you think less of me after this! — Hank thinks over 50 people now work full-time for DFTBA, which is 15 years old and has become quite big. — hedged: “I think” (00:01:08)
    • over 50 (people) — full-time employees of DFTBA · for DFTBA staff · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-01 · It's OK if you think less of me after this! — Hank says DFTBA mostly helps creators sell products to their audiences, working with the McElroy brothers, Kurzgesagt and a company called Item Label, and doing the logistics behind Dropout TV. (00:01:38)
  • 2023-12-01 · It's OK if you think less of me after this! — Hank says in 2016 they started the first version of the Awesome Socks Club, shipping around 400 pairs a month and donating a lot to charity; the number is different now. (00:01:38)
    • around 400 (pairs/month) — pairs of socks shipped per month by the Awesome Socks Club · for Awesome Socks Club · as of 2016 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-01 · It's OK if you think less of me after this! — Hank says 1 in 17 women in Sierra Leone die in childbirth. (00:03:15)
    • 1 in 17 — women who die in childbirth · for women · in Sierra Leone · as of 2023-12-01 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-01 · It's OK if you think less of me after this! — Hank says their model was Newman's Own, started by actor Paul Newman, who didn't need the money and gave all the salad-dressing profit to charity: 'let's give it all away'. (00:04:14)
  • 2023-12-01 · It's OK if you think less of me after this! — Hank says Newman's Own is, as far as he knows, the only big consumer brand that gives all its profit away, except maybe Good Store. — hedged: “as far as I know” (00:04:55)
  • 2023-12-01 · It's OK if you think less of me after this! — Hank says Newman's Own has given away more than $600 million to charity; Good Store would need hundreds of years at current levels to match it. (00:04:55)
    • more than $600 million (USD) — money given to charity by Newman's Own over its existence · for Newman's Own · as of 2023-12-01 (implied: upload date) · source: Hank · unchecked
    • hundreds of years — time Good Store would need at current levels to match Newman's Own's giving · for Good Store · as of 2023-12-01 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked

History & curiosities (27)

  • 2023-05-16 · Did TB Cause World War I? — John recalls the usual causes of World War I, as taught by Crash Course: Europe's complicated alliance system and the growing militarization and expansion of empires. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-05-16 · Did TB Cause World War I? — John says World War I began after the assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, a tragedy that led to the deaths of tens of millions. (00:00:29)
    • tens of millions (people) — deaths resulting from World War I · for people · in the world · as of 2023-05-16 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-16 · Did TB Cause World War I? — John says the assassins were not random child anarchists: they worked for a larger network including Serbian army leaders trying to liberate Serbia from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-05-16 · Did TB Cause World War I? — John says three teenagers from Belgrade, Princip, Čabrinović and Grabež, went to Sarajevo to kill the Archduke, each given a gun, bombs and a cyanide pill to take once he was dead. (00:01:28)
    • three — number of teenage would-be assassins sent from Belgrade · for would-be assassins of Franz Ferdinand · in Sarajevo · as of 2023-05-16 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-16 · Did TB Cause World War I? — John says TB had earlier been romanticized in Europe as a beautiful way to die, a disease of civilization and refinement affecting beautiful, intelligent and sensitive people. (00:01:57)
  • 2023-05-16 · Did TB Cause World War I? — John says that after Robert Koch proved in 1882 that a bacterium causes TB, it came to be seen as an illness of contamination, filth and poverty, and people with it were hugely and unjustly stigmatized, a tradition he says would continue. (00:02:26)
    • 1882 — year Koch proved tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium · as of 1882 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-16 · Did TB Cause World War I? — John says six people lined the parade route; two lost their courage, Čabrinović's bomb missed and hit another car, his cyanide failed, and the river he jumped into was only four inches deep. (00:02:55)
    • six — people lining the parade route to kill the Archduke · for would-be assassins · in Sarajevo · as of 2023-05-16 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • four inches — depth of the river Čabrinović jumped into · in Sarajevo · as of 2023-05-16 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-16 · Did TB Cause World War I? — John says rather than returning to the hotel, a companion talked the couple into driving on, and their driver, not knowing Sarajevo, took a wrong turn and stalled while reversing. (00:03:25)
  • 2023-05-16 · Did TB Cause World War I? — John says Gavrilo Princip, standing right by the stalled car, shot the Archduke and Duchess dead, and his cyanide pill also failed to kill him. (00:03:54)
  • 2023-05-16 · Did TB Cause World War I? — John says all three teenagers from Belgrade survived the assassination, were imprisoned, and died of tuberculosis within a few years. (00:04:23)
  • 2023-05-16 · Did TB Cause World War I? — John says that between 1914 and 1945 more people died of tuberculosis than died in both world wars combined. (00:04:52)
    • more people died from TB than died from both those wars combined — tuberculosis deaths compared with deaths in World War I and World War II · for people · in the world · as of 1914-1945 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-11-24 · It Wasn't Supposed to be Thanksgiving Yesterday — Hank says the early US had a holiday, Evacuation Day, on the last Thursday (23 November 2023) of November, marking the day the British left; Thanksgiving eventually took its place. (00:00:38)
  • 2023-11-24 · It Wasn't Supposed to be Thanksgiving Yesterday — Hank says most states held Thanksgiving at the end of November, Lincoln made that national, and after the Civil War and Reconstruction everyone celebrated it then. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-11-24 · It Wasn't Supposed to be Thanksgiving Yesterday — Hank says that in 1939 FDR on his own moved Thanksgiving to the second-to-last Thursday (23 November 2023) of November to give people more shopping time before Christmas, announcing it on October 31. (00:01:27)
    • October 31st (date) — date FDR announced the change of Thanksgiving's date · for US public · in United States · as of 2023-11-24 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-11-24 · It Wasn't Supposed to be Thanksgiving Yesterday — Hank says people hated the change: FDR's fans went along, but about 70% of the country opposed it, especially on such short notice. (00:01:45)
    • 70% (percent) — share of the country opposed to moving Thanksgiving · for US population · in United States · as of 2023-11-24 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-11-24 · It Wasn't Supposed to be Thanksgiving Yesterday — Hank says FDR's opponents mockingly called it Franksgiving, and his main Republican challenger said he had sprung it on an unprepared country with the omnipotence of a Hitler. (00:02:05)
  • 2023-11-24 · It Wasn't Supposed to be Thanksgiving Yesterday — Hank says states began celebrating Thanksgiving on different days, so Congress stepped in with the most confusing compromise: the fourth Thursday of November. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-11-24 · It Wasn't Supposed to be Thanksgiving Yesterday — Hank says Thanksgiving can now fall anywhere from the 22nd to the 28th of November, which he finds annoying, and the rule added a few days to the Christmas season. (00:02:55)
    • between the 22nd and the 28th (day of month) — possible dates of Thanksgiving · for US · in United States · as of 2023-11-24 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-11-24 · It Wasn't Supposed to be Thanksgiving Yesterday — Hank says FDR was a little bit right: in years with more days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, US employment numbers significantly increase. (00:03:04)
  • 2023-11-24 · It Wasn't Supposed to be Thanksgiving Yesterday — Hank says that for a while there was a separate Thanksgiving for Republicans and for Democrats. (00:03:15)
  • 2023-12-15 · Cat...I Farted. — French people on Twitter told Hank they tend to say "chat" for the internet sense, which makes it "chat, I farted" and keeps the joke intact. (00:01:58)
  • 2023-12-15 · Cat...I Farted. — Hank reads ChatGPT's answer: its first example is the Chevrolet Nova ('doesn't go' in Spanish), which it itself calls an urban legend: the Nova sold well in Spanish-speaking countries. (00:02:28)
  • 2023-12-15 · Cat...I Farted. — Hank says the Norwegian cheese brand Kavli needed a name change in Greece, where the name is a vulgar term for penis. (00:02:57)
  • 2023-12-15 · Cat...I Farted. — Hank says that while the Chevrolet Nova was a fine name in Spanish-speaking markets, the Mazda Laputa was not. (00:02:57)
  • 2023-12-15 · Cat...I Farted. — Hank says Gerber baby food needed a name change in France because the word means vomit in French. (00:02:57)
  • 2023-12-15 · Cat...I Farted. — Hank says IKEA's bunk bed name ran into a vulgar German word, which was also a problem for the US cold-medicine company Vicks. (00:02:57)
  • 2023-12-15 · Cat...I Farted. — Hank says many people in France seem to avoid the pun by pronouncing ChatGPT phonetically in English. — hedged: “it seems like” (00:03:37)

Internet & YouTube (25)

  • 2023-01-06 · After 12 hours in LA I'm a stand-up comic doing ASMR with a side gig as a music promoter — Hank finds it weird that Los Angeles is full of advertisements, tens of millions of dollars' worth, asking him to consider films or TV shows for awards. (00:00:00)
    • tens of millions of dollars (USD) — spending on awards-consideration advertisements · for film and TV awards campaigns · in Los Angeles · as of 2023-01-06 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-01-06 · After 12 hours in LA I'm a stand-up comic doing ASMR with a side gig as a music promoter — Hank says the Academy has 9,921 members, so each awards ad is for an audience of fewer than 10,000 people. (00:00:46)
    • 9921 (people) — members of the Academy · for Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters · as of 2023-01-06 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-01-24 · Behind the Scenes of my TUMBLR MEME LORD ERA — John says the Awesome Coffee Club supplies coffee, now including decaf, to over 10,000 subscribers in the US and Canada and donates 100% of its profits to charity. (00:02:58)
    • over 10,000 (subscribers) — Awesome Coffee Club subscribers · for Awesome Coffee Club subscribers · in United States and Canada · as of 2023-01-24 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 100% (percent) — share of profits donated to charity · for Awesome Coffee Club profits · as of 2023-01-24 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-03 · The Law That Made the Internet — Hank says that in August 2019 The New York Times ran an article saying Section 230 shields hate speech online, then corrected it the same day: the First Amendment protects it. (00:00:00)
    • August of 2019 — date The New York Times published, then corrected, its article blaming Section 230 for online hate speech · for The New York Times · in United States · as of 2019 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-03 · The Law That Made the Internet — Hank reports the Supreme Court is hearing a case arguing YouTube is not liable for the content of videos on its platform but is liable for recommending that content to people. (00:01:30)
  • 2023-03-03 · The Law That Made the Internet — Hank says it looks like the Supreme Court will not find YouTube liable in this case. — hedged: “It looks like” (00:02:15)
  • 2023-03-03 · The Law That Made the Internet — Hank says the provision at issue is 26 words written in 1996. (00:03:12)
    • 26 words — length of the key provision of Section 230 · in United States · as of 1996 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-31 · The Coming AI Invasion — Hank says mongooses are native to India and are small weasel-like carnivores that eat anything small enough to bite. (00:00:12)
  • 2023-03-31 · The Coming AI Invasion — Hank says Europeans colonizing Hawaii brought rats, which were a problem for, among other things, the colonizers' sugar plantations. (00:00:24)
  • 2023-03-31 · The Coming AI Invasion — Hank defines an invasive species as an introduced species that takes root and changes an area's ecology, and biological control as introducing a species to control it, which has often gone very wrong. (00:00:53)
  • 2023-03-31 · The Coming AI Invasion — Hank reports that Meta's large language model Llama was leaked. (00:01:05)
  • 2023-03-31 · The Coming AI Invasion — Hank says Hawaii has no native mammals except one very cute bat. (00:02:00)
    • one (species) — native mammal species · for mammals · in Hawaii · as of 2023-03-31 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-31 · The Coming AI Invasion — Hank says ecology offers lessons: more isolated, less diverse ecosystems are more fragile and at greater risk. (00:02:27)
  • 2023-03-31 · The Coming AI Invasion — Hank says biological control has improved, targeting specific species carefully, and many programs in the last 30 or 40 years succeeded unnoticed. (00:02:45)
    • 30 or 40 (years) — period in which many biological control programs succeeded · for biological control programs · as of 2023-03-31 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-31 · The Coming AI Invasion — Hank says the one certainty in ecology and everything else is change, but change is not linear: there are calm periods and periods of rapid change. (00:03:26)
  • 2023-04-07 · Getting One Million LinkedIn Followers — Hank says he had not realized that a million LinkedIn followers would make someone one of the top hundred business influencers in the world. (00:00:58)
    • a million (followers) — LinkedIn followers that put someone among the top business influencers · for business influencers on LinkedIn · in the world · as of 2023-04-07 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • hundred (rank) — rank among business influencers reached with a million LinkedIn followers · for business influencers on LinkedIn · in the world · as of 2023-04-07 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-07 · Getting One Million LinkedIn Followers — Hank's LinkedIn post: an elephant testicle can weigh more than a human head, and unusually for land mammals elephants have internal testicles. (00:01:49)
  • 2023-04-07 · Getting One Million LinkedIn Followers — Hank's post: Venus flytraps place their flowers far from their traps so they do not kill their pollinators. (00:02:43)
  • 2023-04-07 · Getting One Million LinkedIn Followers — Hank's post: 25% of meteorites falling on Earth come from one asteroid-belt collision half a billion years ago, and their rate has fallen every year since. (00:02:43)
    • 25% (percent) — share of meteorites falling on Earth that come from one asteroid-belt collision · for meteorites · in Earth · as of 2023-04-07 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • half a billion years ago — age of the asteroid-belt collision behind these meteorites · for meteorites · in asteroid belt · as of 2023-04-07 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 500 million years — period over which falls of these meteorites have declined · for meteorites · in Earth · as of 2023-04-07 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-21 · On TikTok Bans — Hank says he lives in Montana, the first state to pass a TikTok ban. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-04-21 · On TikTok Bans — Hank says Montana can probably not ban TikTok, at least at the moment. — hedged: “Kind of maybe, but probably” (00:00:47)
  • 2023-04-21 · On TikTok Bans — Hank says the ban, headed to Governor Greg Gianforte, who is expected to sign it, would stop people downloading TikTok from an app store. — hedged: “I think” (00:00:47)
  • 2023-04-21 · On TikTok Bans — Hank says that government requires companies operating in its country to do what it says. (00:02:41)
  • 2023-10-27 · I Keep Thinking About Taylor Swift — Hank reports a recent BBC piece on fake YouTube content, largely made with AI, watched and believed by many young people including preteens, often about aliens or climate change not being real. (00:00:55)
  • 2023-10-27 · I Keep Thinking About Taylor Swift — Hank says the BBC video began by watching videos it called good and credible, and all of them were SciShow videos. (00:01:13)

Economics (20)

  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Replying to a commenter's account that Black Friday was named after accounting records, Hank says it is a much better story but not the true one. (creator comment)
  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Hank says crowded facilities spread bird flu; farmers kill all birds in a facility when one is infected, and over 60 million birds killed cut egg supply while demand holds. (00:00:29)
    • Over 60 million (birds) — birds killed to control bird flu · for poultry · as of 2023-01-13 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Hank says a dozen eggs now costs $5, against $1.33 this time last year (2022). (00:00:45)
    • $5 (USD) — price of a dozen eggs · for consumers · as of 2023-01-13 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • $1.33 (USD) — price of a dozen eggs a year earlier · for consumers · as of 2023-01-13 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Hank explains the sky is blue because atmospheric gases scatter blue wavelengths out of white sunlight, so the sun looks a little yellow and the sky blue. (00:01:05)
  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Hank says green poop is probably from something eaten (green vegetables, food colouring) or medications such as antibiotics; with diarrhea or symptoms lasting days, see a doctor. — hedged: “Probably” (00:01:27)
  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Hank says nobody actually knows why eyes twitch, though twitching is definitely correlated with fatigue and stress. (00:01:45)
  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Hank explains that in the US, Canada and elsewhere flags fly halfway up in mourning, for national tragedies or deaths of officials and public servants, varying by state. (00:02:00)
  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Hank says black poop is more concerning and less common than green; it could mean bleeding in the GI tract, so see a doctor immediately. — hedged: “It could be” (00:02:25)
  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Hank looked up why it is called Black Friday and found the boring answer: heavy road traffic on the day after Thanksgiving that people disliked. (00:02:40)
  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Hank says diesel is pricier partly because it is taxed a bit higher and because the US recently began requiring low-sulfur diesel for health reasons. (00:02:55)
  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Hank says the main reason is that crude oil's diesel fraction is small and can become more valuable products like jet fuel, so higher-value demand drives up diesel's price. (00:03:04)
  • 2023-01-13 · Why is There an Egg Shortage (And More) — Hank says a shaking dog could be stressed, anxious, nervous, cold or excited; if it is new and worrying, see the vet, as he is no doctor. — hedged: “It could be” (00:03:40)
  • 2023-08-01 · Three Mornings — John introduces Marta, who owns and operates a small farm in Colombia and inspects her trees on the hillside each morning after her coffee. (00:00:31)
  • 2023-08-01 · Three Mornings — John says most Colombian coffee is not grown on big company farms: 98% comes from small family-owned farms, whose beans large suppliers then buy. (00:01:13)
    • 98% — share of coffee produced by small family-owned farms · for coffee from Colombia · in Colombia · as of 2023-08-01 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-08-01 · Three Mornings — John says large buyers used to short-change farmers and play them off each other; with suppliers like Sucafina, farmers now know prevailing prices and share what they are paid, which has raised prices, especially for the best beans. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-08-01 · Three Mornings — John introduces Dolores, who works in HR at the Green Coffee Company in Salgar, a large producer focused on its farmers and community that runs 36 farms employing hundreds of people. (00:02:34)
    • 36 (farms) — coffee farms run by the Green Coffee Company · in Salgar, Colombia · as of 2023-08-01 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • hundreds (people) — people employed on the farms · for Green Coffee Company workers · in Salgar, Colombia · as of 2023-08-01 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-08-01 · Three Mornings — John says each coffee farm job is highly skilled, taking time and training, but too often poorly paid with limited benefits. (00:02:50)
  • 2023-08-01 · Three Mornings — John says Dolores helped start a pilot program giving workers far more support than pay; retention has improved dramatically, as has farmers' quality of life. (00:03:03)
  • 2023-08-01 · Three Mornings — John says working with these suppliers is a gift to the club and its over 10,000 subscribers. (00:05:20)
    • over 10,000 (subscribers) — Awesome Coffee Club subscribers · as of 2023-08-01 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-08-01 · Three Mornings — John says the Awesome Coffee Club donates 100% of profit to charity; Awesome Coffee, Awesome Socks and Sun Basin Soap have donated over $5 million in three years to fight maternal and infant mortality in Sierra Leone. (00:05:20)
    • 100% — share of profit donated to charity · for Awesome Coffee Club · as of 2023-08-01 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • over $5 million (USD) — donations to fight maternal and infant mortality · for Awesome Coffee, Awesome Socks and Sun Basin Soap over the last three years · in Sierra Leone · as of 2023-08-01 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked

Nerdfighteria (20)

Philosophy & meaning (19)

  • 2023-03-14 · The Seduction of Despair — John says 1.6 million people will die of tuberculosis this year (2023), not for lack of understanding or cures, but because of inequitable access to health care, impoverishment and other injustice. (00:00:55)
    • 1.6 million (people) — tuberculosis deaths per year · for people worldwide · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-14 · The Seduction of Despair — John says millions of kids will die needlessly of impoverishment this year (2023), but 30 years ago kids were twice as likely to die before the age of five. (00:02:16)
    • millions — children dying needlessly due to impoverishment per year · for children worldwide · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
    • twice — likelihood of dying before age five, relative to today · for children worldwide · in the world · as of 1993 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-05-09 · on hope — John says there needn't have been a hospital here: it is happening because tens of thousands of people from around the world, across every barrier, made it happen. (00:03:20)
    • tens of thousands (people) — people who made the hospital happen · for supporters from around the world · as of 2023-05-09 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — 'Jo' is a Scots word for dear; auld lang syne literally means something like 'old long since', idiomatically 'the old times', close to 'for old times' sake'. (00:00:51)
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — The current song is owed to the Scottish poet Robert Burns, who in December 1788 wrote its first known draft on the back of a letter to his friend Frances Dunlop. (00:02:36)
    • December of 1788 — date of Burns's letter with the first known draft · for Auld Lang Syne · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — No one really knows when Auld Lang Syne was written; versions of its first verse date back at least 400 years. (00:02:36)
    • at least 400 years — age of versions of the first verse · for Auld Lang Syne · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — At least three of the verses were probably Burns's own, though he later said he took the song down from an old man. — hedged: “probably” (00:03:13)
    • At least three — verses probably written by Burns · for Auld Lang Syne · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — Burns had a different tune in mind, which he called mediocre and which is still heard, as in the 2008 film Sex and the City; the familiar melody first appeared in 1799 in George Thomson's collection. (00:06:57)
    • 1799 — first appearance of the familiar melody · for Auld Lang Syne · in Scotland · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — Burns died at only 37 of a heart condition, possibly worsened by his drinking. — hedged: “possibly” (00:07:36)
    • 37 (years) — age at death · for Robert Burns · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — Within decades the song joined Scotland's New Year's Eve, Hogmanay, rooted in winter solstice rituals; by 1818 Beethoven had arranged it and it was spreading through Europe and the English-speaking world. (00:08:02)
    • 1818 — year by which Beethoven had arranged the song · for Auld Lang Syne · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — The tune plays in Japanese department stores before closing, was used in South Korea's national anthem between 1945 and 1948, and inspired a famous Dutch football chant. (00:08:24)
    • Between 1945 and 1948 — period the tune was used in the national anthem · for South Korea · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — The song is a staple of film soundtracks, from Chaplin's The Gold Rush to It's a Wonderful Life and Minions. (00:08:24)
    • 1925 — release year of The Gold Rush · for The Gold Rush · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 1946 — release year of It's a Wonderful Life · for It's a Wonderful Life · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 2015 — release year of Minions · for Minions · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — Auld Lang Syne was popular in World War I, sung in the trenches by British, French, German and Austrian soldiers, and played a small role in the Christmas Truce. (00:14:56)
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — On Christmas Eve 1914, in what is now Belgium, around 100,000 British and German soldiers left their trenches and met in No Man's Land. (00:15:39)
    • around 100,000 — British and German soldiers who met in No Man's Land · for Christmas Truce, Christmas Eve 1914 · in Western Front, present-day Belgium · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — Soldiers' letters recall the truce: a British soldier wrote of handshakes and exchanged souvenirs, and a German one of a football game started with a British ball. (00:16:01)
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — Captain Sir Edward Hulse recalled a Christmas sing-along that ended with Auld Lang Syne, joined by English, Scots, Irish, Prussians and Württembergers alike. (00:16:28)
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — Hulse, then 25, was killed on the Western Front less than four months later. (00:16:54)
    • 25 years old — age at the time of the truce · for Edward Hulse · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — At least 17 million people died as a direct result of the war, more than half the current population of Canada. (00:16:54)
    • At least 17 million (people) — deaths as a direct result of the war · for World War I · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • more than half the current population of Canada — deaths compared with Canada's population · for World War I · in Canada · as of 2023-12-30 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-12-30 · John's Review of Auld Lang Syne — Later in the war, embittered by losses and poison gas and unsure why they fought, British soldiers sang the Auld Lang Syne tune with different, recursive words. (00:16:54)

Sports (19)

  • 2023-04-04 · The Search for Real Feeling — John says AFC Wimbledon have gone 1-0 up and then lost 2-1 more often over the last three seasons than any other team in professional soccer. (00:02:26)
    • more often in the last three seasons than any other team (rank) — times taking a 1-0 lead and losing 2-1 · for AFC Wimbledon, compared with all professional soccer teams · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-11 · Wrexham's Most Amazing Feeling — John says Plymouth Argyle have been promoted twice since that play-off final, and each time he thought 'great day for you lot'. (00:01:27)
    • two times (promotions) — promotions of Plymouth Argyle since the 2016 play-off final · for Plymouth Argyle · as of 2023-04-11 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-11 · Wrexham's Most Amazing Feeling — John explains that England and Wales have four tiers of full-time professional football, the Football League, with the best and worst teams promoted or relegated each season. (00:01:36)
    • four (tiers) — tiers of full-time professional football in the Football League · for English football · in England and Wales · as of 2023-04-11 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-11 · Wrexham's Most Amazing Feeling — John says the fifth tier below it, the National League, is 'the league from hell' because it has only two promotion spots: the league winner and the play-off winner. (00:01:47)
    • two (promotion) — promotion places from the National League per season · for National League · in England and Wales · as of 2023-04-11 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-11 · Wrexham's Most Amazing Feeling — John says Wimbledon escaped the National League in 2011 thanks to two brilliant saves by 19-year-old Seb Brown, and fans still sing about it every game. (00:01:56)
    • two (saves) — saves by Seb Brown that won AFC Wimbledon promotion · for AFC Wimbledon · as of 2011 · no source named · unchecked
    • 19-year-old — Seb Brown's age at the 2011 saves · for Seb Brown · as of 2011 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-11 · Wrexham's Most Amazing Feeling — John says Wrexham has been through hell in the last 20 years: five lost play-off promotions, bankruptcy, and fans pooling savings to save the club and its stadium. (00:02:07)
    • five separate times — play-off defeats costing Wrexham promotion in the last 20 years · for Wrexham AFC · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-11 · Wrexham's Most Amazing Feeling — John says Wrexham are locked in an epic title race with Notts County, whom they played yesterday in a game that might decide the title. (00:02:21)
  • 2023-04-11 · Wrexham's Most Amazing Feeling — John says Wrexham led 3-2 and gave up a penalty in the final minute; with goalkeeper Rob Lainton injured, they had brought 40-year-old Ben Foster out of retirement. (00:02:41)
    • three two (goals) — score in the final minute · for Wrexham v Notts County · in Wrexham · as of 2023-04-10 · no source named · unchecked
    • 40-year-old — Ben Foster's age · for Ben Foster · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-04-11 · Wrexham's Most Amazing Feeling — John says Foster, in about his fourth game after a year retired, dove right to save the Notts County penalty, and the game ended seconds later in joy. — hedged: “like” (00:02:55)
    • fourth game — Ben Foster's games for Wrexham after unretiring · for Ben Foster · as of 2023-04-10 · no source named · unchecked
    • a whole year — time Ben Foster was retired · for Ben Foster · as of 2023-04-10 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-05 · America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team — The description says AFC Wimbledon, which is not Wrexham, is in second place. (video description)
    • second — league position · for AFC Wimbledon · as of 2023-10-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-05 · America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team — John says AFC Wimbledon, of South London, is owned by its fans, each paying about $25 a year to vote on the club's leadership. (00:01:05)
    • $25 (USD) — yearly payment by each fan-owner to vote on the club's leadership · for AFC Wimbledon fan-owners · as of 2023-10-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-05 · America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team — John says Wimbledon has a beautiful new stadium owned and built by the fans that is packed every week. (00:01:38)
  • 2023-10-05 · America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team — John says Wimbledon were relegated from the third to the fourth tier and barely survived in the fourth tier last season. (00:01:46)
  • 2023-10-05 · America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team — John says Wimbledon currently sit narrowly ahead of Wrexham, owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, and several spots above the Milton Keynes club. (00:02:01)
  • 2023-10-05 · America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team — Striker Ali Al-Hamadi left Iraq as an infant after his father was imprisoned by Saddam Hussein's regime and is now a superstar for Wimbledon and Iraq's national team; John loves him. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-10-05 · America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team — John says the mustachioed James Tilley scored seven goals in his first nine games for Wimbledon. (00:02:41)
    • seven (goals) — goals scored in his first nine games for AFC Wimbledon · for James Tilley · as of 2023-10-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-05 · America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team — John says winger Aaron Sasu, 18, has played for Wimbledon's youth side since he was 10. (00:02:48)
    • 18 (years) — age · for Aaron Sasu · as of 2023-10-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 10 (years) — age when he started at Wimbledon's youth side · for Aaron Sasu · as of 2023-10-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-05 · America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team — John says great players are emerging from Wimbledon's academy, including fullbacks Jack Currie, his personal hero, at the club since 10, and Isaac Ovandera, who joined at 14. (00:02:54)
    • 10 (years) — age when he joined AFC Wimbledon · for Jack Currie · as of 2023-10-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • 14 (years) — age when he joined AFC Wimbledon · for Isaac Ovandera · as of 2023-10-05 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-05 · America's Second Favorite Fourth Tier English Soccer Team — John says AFC Wimbledon reformed 21 years ago after the English FA told the community there was no place for a football club there. (00:03:48)
    • 21 (years) — years since AFC Wimbledon reformed · for AFC Wimbledon · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked

World affairs (18)

  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the UN has six organs. (00:00:58)
    • six — number of principal organs of the United Nations · as of 2023-09-28 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the General Assembly includes every member state, though not every state is a member, which is contentious. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the General Assembly votes on which states can become members, which needs a two-thirds vote; some states seeking recognition are refused. (00:01:27)
    • two-thirds — vote share needed to admit a UN member state · as of 2023-09-28 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the General Assembly also sets the UN budget, deciding how money is spent and where it comes from, and tries to make peace happen. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China did not exist when the Council was founded but inherited their seats because they hold the same land. (00:02:06)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the Security Council has five permanent members with veto power, the big winners of World War II, and ten rotating members without veto. (00:02:06)
    • five — permanent members with veto power · for UN Security Council · as of 2023-09-28 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • ten — rotating non-permanent members · for UN Security Council · as of 2023-09-28 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says General Assembly resolutions are not binding: a member state that doesn't want to follow one doesn't have to. (00:03:24)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says what the Security Council decides is international law. (00:03:24)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says states defying the Security Council can face sanctions, blockades or even military intervention. (00:03:49)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the International Court of Justice, which he calls The Hague, is the only organ not headquartered in New York City; it sits in The Hague in the Netherlands. (00:03:49)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the International Court of Justice settles legal disputes between countries and prosecutes international law, including trying war criminals. (00:04:18)
    • prosecutes international law — functions of the International Court of Justice · as of 2023-09-28 (implied: upload date) · no source named · doubtful
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the court has 15 judges, no two from the same country, chosen by General Assembly and Security Council votes for nine-year terms. (00:04:18)
    • 15 (judges) — number of judges · for International Court of Justice · as of 2023-09-28 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • nine-year — length of a judge's term · for International Court of Justice · as of 2023-09-28 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the Secretariat is the organ that does things: it carries out what the General Assembly decides, such as international aid and peacekeeping missions. (00:04:47)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the Trusteeship Council is the least important organ because it finished its job and no longer exists. (00:04:47)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says the Economic and Social Council has become the catch-all for things that need doing, from women's rights to naming geographical features. (00:05:17)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says UNESCO sits inside it and decides World Heritage Sites, which sounds like a fun job. (00:05:17)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says UN bodies are administered differently: the UNHCR, for example, is run by both the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. (00:05:46)
  • 2023-09-28 · What the Heck is the UN? — Hank says five of the six main organs are in New York City, but many UN bodies are based elsewhere. (00:06:15)
    • five of the six — main UN organs based in New York City · in New York City · as of 2023-09-28 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked

Books & writing (13)

  • 2023-03-07 · What's the Deal with Paperback Publishing? — John says in 2005, at least for first-time authors, books came out in hardcover and, if they sold well enough, in paperback 12 to 24 months later. (00:00:00)
    • 12 to 24 months — time from hardcover to paperback release · for books by first-time authors that sold well enough · as of 2005 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-07 · What's the Deal with Paperback Publishing? — In a channel comment John says that outside the US books often come out in paperback first, or only in paperback. (creator comment)
  • 2023-03-07 · What's the Deal with Paperback Publishing? — John says that if he gets $3 or $4 per hardcover sale, he might get $2 per paperback sale. — hedged: “might” (00:00:58)
    • $3 or $4 (USD) — author's earnings per copy sold · for John's hardcover sales · as of 2023-03-07 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
    • $2 (USD) — author's earnings per copy sold · for John's paperback sales · as of 2023-03-07 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-07 · What's the Deal with Paperback Publishing? — John says publishers and bookstores make higher margins per hardcover, but cheaper paperbacks tend to sell more books overall. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-03-07 · What's the Deal with Paperback Publishing? — John says paperback publishing barely existed until 1935 and became big only when Armed Services Editions were distributed by the million to World War II soldiers. (00:01:27)
    • 1935 — year paperback publishing began to really exist · for paperback publishing · as of 1935 · no source named · unchecked
    • by the million (copies) — copies of Armed Services Editions distributed to soldiers · for Armed Services Editions · as of 2023-03-07 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-07 · What's the Deal with Paperback Publishing? — John says that, working at Booklist at the time, he knew the vast majority of novels sold fewer than a thousand copies. (00:01:56)
    • fewer than a thousand (copies) — copies sold · for the vast majority of novels · as of 2005 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-03-07 · What's the Deal with Paperback Publishing? — John says people now expect to read Looking for Alaska however they want: a $20 hardcover, $13 paperback, $12 audiobook or $11 e-book. (00:01:56)
    • $20 (USD) — price · for Looking for Alaska hardcover · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
    • $13 (USD) — price · for Looking for Alaska paperback · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
    • $12 (USD) — price · for Looking for Alaska audiobook · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
    • $11 (USD) — price · for Looking for Alaska e-book · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-09-05 · I Ain't Even Here, Sergeant. I'm in Cheyenne, Wyoming. — John reports the Stop TB Partnership has announced that in most high-tuberculosis countries generic competition will cut the price of bedaquiline by over 50%, which he calls amazing news. (00:00:40)
    • over 50% (percent) — drop in the price of bedaquiline due to generic competition · for bedaquiline buyers · in most countries with high rates of tuberculosis · as of 2023-09-05 (implied: upload date) · source: Stop TB Partnership · unchecked
  • 2023-10-17 · My Next Book — Over the last five years the community has raised over $40 million to build the Maternal Center of Excellence in Sierra Leone, which John says is coming along great. (00:01:27)
    • over $40 million (USD) — money raised by the community to build the Maternal Center of Excellence · for Nerdfighteria · in Sierra Leone · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-17 · My Next Book — In the last year Nerdfighteria has helped make hundreds of millions of dollars of impact in the cost of TB tests and treatment. (00:01:27)
    • hundreds of millions of dollars (USD) — impact on the cost of TB tests and treatment · for Nerdfighteria · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-10-17 · My Next Book — 1.6 million people die every year of tuberculosis, a disease most people in the rich world never worry or think about. (00:02:47)
    • 1.6 million (deaths) — annual deaths from tuberculosis · for worldwide · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-11-07 · NaFaDoYBIMSCoM — John explains that every November thousands of people worldwide take part in NaNoWriMo, writing a 50,000-word novel in a month by writing daily without worrying about getting it right. (00:00:00)
    • thousands (people) — NaNoWriMo participants each November · for people around the world · in the world · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked
    • 50,000 (words) — NaNoWriMo novel length target · for NaNoWriMo participants · in the world · as of 2023-11-07 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-11-28 · John's (Mostly Book) Holiday Gift Recommendations — John says the socks' profit, which goes to cancer care access, is looking like it will reach several hundred thousand dollars. — hedged: “it's looking like” (00:01:27)
    • several hundred thousand dollars (USD) — projected profit from Hank's Cancer Socks donated to expand cancer-care access · for cancer patients worldwide · as of 2023-11 · no source named · unchecked

Everyday life (4)

  • 2023-01-03 · TAKE IT DOWN A NOTCH — John says Booklist had come out for 104 consecutive years, so it would probably come out regardless. (00:02:26)
    • 104 (years) — consecutive years of Booklist publication · for Booklist magazine · as of 2023-01-03 (implied: upload date) · no source named · doubtful
  • 2023-01-31 · I'm Going Back to College? — John says that in 2022 more people died of tuberculosis than of homicide, war, malaria, typhoid and cholera combined. (00:00:58)
    • more people died of tuberculosis than died of homocide, war, malaria, typhoid, and cholera combined — tuberculosis deaths compared with deaths from homicide, war, malaria, typhoid and cholera combined · for all people · in the world · as of 2022 · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-01-31 · I'm Going Back to College? — John says tuberculosis, almost always curable, still kills a million and a half people per year. (00:01:27)
    • a million and a half (deaths) — annual deaths from tuberculosis · for all people · in the world · as of 2023-01-31 (implied: upload date) · no source named · unchecked
  • 2023-01-31 · I'm Going Back to College? — John explains that a Study Hall course costs $25 to sign up, and only after finishing with a grade do you decide whether to pay for college credit. (00:02:35)
    • $25 (USD) — price to sign up for a Study Hall course · for Study Hall students · as of 2023 · no source named · unchecked

Pop culture (1)