Science teacher wins fame, acclaim with online videos

Li Yongle is the kind of teacher most students wish they had. He is funny, smart and most importantly, he believes math and physics are not just tools to explain our existence but also deal with everyday concerns, from romance and bank rates to aliens.

How to find your Mr or Mrs Right, what is the loan prime rate and how is it different from a fixed rate mortgage, what is COVID-19, and where exactly are all the aliens? Everything seems to be covered in Li's short videos on the Xigua video app. With more than 11 million followers, the 37-year-old, who has been teaching physics for 11 years at the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China in Beijing, delves into theories behind hot issues with a skeptical eye and a sense of humor.

Since 2017, he has posted over 400 videos simplifying complex topics. When China launched Tianwen 1, the country's first independent Mars mission, on July 23, he posted a video explaining how the launch date was chosen, what the Hohmann transfer orbit is, and what is considered the best route from Earth to Mars. "I am not Mr Know-It-All. I just reproduce and reorganize the knowledge in books or online and present it in a relatable way, helping people better understand the world," Li said, adding the internet provides a good opportunity to achieve equal education for all.

To further promote equality in education and science education among the public, Li signed an exclusive cooperation contract with the video app in late July. Within the framework of the agreement, he plans to record basic classes taken in high school with other science video creators active on the app and post the videos on the platform for free.

Thanks to science video creators like Li, social media and video platforms have increased investment in supporting science video creation to make knowledge more accessible.