Simple Things - Surprising Histories YouTube channel thumbnail

Subscribers 158K

Videos 124

Views 17.9M

Channels Like Simple Things - Surprising Histories

Simple Things – Surprising Histories explores the origins and hidden stories behind everyday objects, answering questions like how things began, why they’re named a certain way, and how they became popular. The channel presents short to mid-length explainers and deep-dives on topics ranging from the history of measurements to the evolution of common items, with a tutorial/educational vibe. It publishes regularly, with recent videos covering topics such as what expiration dates really mean and why ships use knots, and averages about 1.3 million views per video across its 124 uploads (158K subscribers, India).

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Similar Channels

We found 42 YouTube channels similar to Simple Things - Surprising Histories

#1

Ryan George view on YouTube ▶

85% relevance

Subscribers 1.8M

Videos 416

Views 698.6M

Appearances 20

SERP 100%

Similarity 75%

how things got named how tools were named

High search overlap on how things got named and how tools were named, aligning with Simple Things’ curiosity about origin of names, while his content lore often leans into naming and etymology humor rather than historical exploration.

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#2

TED-Ed view on YouTube ▶

57% relevance

Subscribers 22.4M

Videos 2.3K

Views 4.5B

Appearances 10

SERP 32%

Similarity 74%

history of measurements how things work history ancient and modern technologies

Shared interest in the history of measurements, how things work history, and ancient/modern technologies, with TED-Ed delivering structured educational history videos that complement Simple Things’ surprising histories approach.

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History of Simple Things YouTube channel thumbnail

#3

History of Simple Things view on YouTube ▶

56% relevance

Subscribers 869K

Videos 2.4K

Views 115.8M

Appearances 4

SERP 13%

Similarity 85%

how things work history history of common tools

Direct overlap in queries about how things work history and history of common tools, with very similar topical scope but potentially different presentation style and pacing.

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#4

BRIGHT SIDE view on YouTube ▶

56% relevance

Subscribers 44.7M

Videos 11K

Views 11.8B

Appearances 3

SERP 24%

Similarity 76%

how things work history invention origins invention discovery stories

Covers how things work history and invention origins, plus invention/discovery stories, matching the same audience seeking curious origins though BRIGHT SIDE often emphasizes list formats and rapid-fire storytelling.

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#5

Reece Batts view on YouTube ▶

55% relevance

Subscribers 170K

Videos 30

Views 125.6M

Appearances 2

SERP 26%

Similarity 75%

history of measurements history of measurement systems

Centers on the history of measurements and measurement systems, aligning with Simple Things’ focus on how measurements and units evolved, though Reece Batts leans into metric/imperial specifics.

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#6

Name Explain view on YouTube ▶

55% relevance

Subscribers 391K

Videos 1.1K

Views 72.1M

Appearances 4

SERP 29%

Similarity 72%

history of naming conventions origins of everyday names

Explores history of naming conventions and origins of everyday names, closely mirroring Simple Things’ interest in why things are named the way they are, with a similar emphasis on etymology.

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Content Landscape

Discovered competitors include TED-Ed (57% match, 22.4M subscribers) and BRIGHT SIDE (56% match, 44.7M subscribers) as top rivals by match strength, sharing overlapping queries like history of measurements, how things work, and invention origins. Ryan George (85% match, 1.8M subscribers) also competes on queries about how things got named or named tools, bridging similar naming-origin topics. History of Simple Things (56% match, 869K subscribers) similarly targets how things work history and history of common tools. Simple Things – Surprising Histories, with 158K subscribers, sits well behind these competitors in size, but aligns closely on core topics such as origins, measurements, and the science/history behind everyday objects.

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Video Highlights

Didn't Make the Cut

36 additional channels that were close

Rank	Relevance	Channel	Similarity	Subscribers	SERP	Appearances
#7	55%	CrashCourse ▶	68%	16.9M	34%	10
#8	53%	Design Theory ▶	74%	743K	20%	6
#9	52%	HistoryofID • Matthew Bird	66%	27.1K	32%	7
#10	52%	Lost in Time	72%	2.3M	22%	3
#11	52%	The Atlantic	69%	912K	26%	2
#12	52%	RobWords ▶	72%	940K	21%	5
#13	52%	Ominous History	69%	1.5K	25%	4
#14	51%	Veritasium ▶	78%	20.4M	11%	2
#15	51%	Machine Thinking	77%	367K	11%	3
#16	51%	Institute of Human Anatomy ▶	75%	8.7M	14%	3
#17	50%	Origins Explained	73%	3.9M	15%	5
#18	50%	PBS Eons ▶	75%	3.2M	11%	1
#19	50%	Taylor Sparks ▶	75%	48.5K	11%	1
#20	50%	I am MoBo ▶	68%	10M	21%	2
#21	49%	Simple History ▶	70%	5.1M	17%	2
#22	49%	Forbes ▶	74%	2.1M	11%	1
#23	49%	Invention Flex ▶	74%	4.6K	11%	1
#24	49%	Fact Retriever	73%	7.3K	13%	2
#25	49%	Great Big Story ▶	72%	6.3M	14%	3
#26	49%	TEDx Talks ▶	67%	44.2M	22%	5
#27	49%	warmbru curiosity	75%	16.9K	10%	1
#28	48%	Global List	74%	51.5K	10%	2
#29	48%	Zach Star ▶	73%	1.4M	11%	1
#30	48%	Shattered History	71%	34.5K	13%	4
#31	48%	Harvard Magazine	72%	55.6K	11%	1
#32	48%	Uncharted Historian	72%	25.2K	11%	1
#33	48%	CBS Sunday Morning	68%	1.8M	18%	2
#34	47%	Hands-On Education	68%	2.0K	17%	2
#35	47%	Proko ▶	66%	4.3M	19%	2
#36	47%	The School of Life ▶	68%	9.6M	15%	2
#37	46%	Rhetty for History	67%	253K	16%	2
#38	46%	WatchMojo.com ▶	70%	25.9M	11%	2
#39	46%	Smile and Learn - English	66%	2.2M	14%	1
#40	46%	Jacob Geller ▶	68%	1.5M	11%	1
#41	45%	Red Stapler	68%	176K	11%	1
#42	44%	GDC Festival of Gaming ▶	63%	551K	14%	1

Search Queries Used

history of everyday objects origins of common items how things got named history of measurements engineering hidden histories material origins technology origins science behind everyday things how things work history industrial origins transportation history invention origins anatomy of objects history of naming conventions ancient and modern technologies history of common tools origins of everyday names how tools were named early engineering origins development of devices birth of inventions ancient technology origins history of consumer objects how everyday items evolved manufacturing history overview material origins explained design origins and evolution how products become popular history of measurement systems industrial design history powering technology origins transportation milestones history invention discovery stories science behind everyday objects anatomy of everyday items

Frequently Asked Questions

Which YouTube channels are most similar to Simple Things - Surprising Histories?

Ryan George (85% match, 1.8M subscribers) and TED-Ed (57% match, 22.4M subscribers) are Simple Things - Surprising Histories' biggest competitors, with History of Simple Things (56% match, 869K subscribers) close behind. They all produce educational or explanatory content that targets curious audiences with concise, informative videos.

What type of content does Simple Things - Surprising Histories make?

Simple Things - Surprising Histories creates short explanatory videos about the origins and histories of everyday things, as suggested by video titles like 'What Expiration Dates REALLY Mean,' 'Why Do Some Truck Tires Not Touch the Ground?,' and 'Why Ships and Planes Use Knots Instead of Miles per Hour?' The channel uploads frequently, with an average video view count around 1.3M per video, implying a high-engagement, regular posting schedule.

How do we determine which channels are similar to Simple Things - Surprising Histories?

We analyze Simple Things - Surprising Histories's recent videos, generate topic-relevant search queries, check YouTube search results, and compare the meaning of each channel's content to measure similarity. The result is a ranked list sorted by SERP overlap, semantic similarity, and search appearances.

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