A little over 18 months ago, we started to think about how we might fill this gap at the University of Michigan Risk Science Center. At the time, I was intrigued by the success of YouTube channels like SciShow and MinutePhysics, and wanted to know whether we could do the same for risk as they were doing for science more generally.

So Risk Bites was born — short, entertaining and hopefully informative videos on the science behind risk and how we approach it in our everyday lives.

Over seventy videos later, the channel is doing well. We have a growing number of regular viewers, some enthusiastic fans, and are even part of an exhibit in the National Academies of Science Koshland Science Museum. But we’re still a boutique channel — often watched by people who “do risk” for a living.

Yet the videos are aimed at a much broader audience — pretty much anyone who is fascinated by how we see the world as humans, and how the world in turn impacts on us. Want to know anything from the risks (and benefits) of bisphenol A and HPV vaccines to the dangers of swallowing pool-pee or vaping e-cigarettes; we have it. Risk Bites even looks at how people think about risk and make decisions.

In other words, it’s time to spread the word and encourage people to get their risk geek on!

So how can you help? Assuming you agree with us that these videos should be watched by … well, everyone, here are three ways you can help us spread the word:

1. Point people toward riskbites.com — a somewhat funky introduction to the Risk Bites;


2. Tweet, Facebook, G+ and otherwise spread links to the Risk Bites trailers — 20 second video introductions to the channel;


3. Send your friends, family, colleagues over to Risk Bites to explore the videos for themselves.

Of course, Risk Bites is never going to compete with the informal science education greats on YouTube. But there’s some pretty cool content there for everyone from geeks and nerds to consumers and professionals. It’d be great to see it used more widely.

Images:

http://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/images_blogs

/wiredscience/2011/03/science-publishing-history-map.jpg