2024-12-01

[public] 3.02K views, 224K likes, dislikes audio only

Veritasium

You probably don’t understand how a rainbow really works. Get a little smarter every day with Brilliant. Visit https://brilliant.org/veritasium to get 20% off your annual premium subscription.

Special thanks to Mats Vermeeren.

00:00 Most people don't understand rainbows

01:08 Light refraction explained

08:20 How does a rainbow form?

13:10 Circular rainbows

15:14 Why are rainbows curved?

17:30 Why can’t you see a rainbow with sunglasses?

18:43 Why is it brighter underneath a rainbow?

20:44 Different types of rainbow

23:46 Invention of the cloud chamber

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CORRECTION: We mistakenly used picture of the portrait artist Henry Tanworth Wells at 23:54. It should be a picture of CTR Wilson. Sorry! Thanks, @manicpixiedreambuoy, for pointing it out.

CORRECTION: The animation at 18:06 shows only the parallel polarization being transmitted, when in reality both parallel and perpendicular polarization light gets transmitted. Perpendicularly polarized light doesn't exhibit a Brester's angle so there's always both reflection and transmission when going from a high index of refraction material to a low index of refraction material.

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References: https://ve42.co/RefsRainbows

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Directed by Pablo Rovetto and Derek Muller

Written by Pablo Rovetto and Derek Muller

Edited by Nick Lear and Trenton

Animated by Mike Radjabov, Ivy Tello, David Szakaly, Emma Wright and Fabio Albertelli

Filmed by Derek Muller

Additional research by Gabe Strong and Geeta Thakur

Produced by Pablo Rovetto, Derek Muller, Emily Zhang, Rob Beasley Spence and Tori Brittain

Thumbnail contributions by Jakub Misiek, Ren Hurley and Peter Sheppard

Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images, Storyblocks

Music from Epidemic Sound