The Sensory Nerd Presents: Sensory Science Video Roundup
Everything you wanted to know about sensory but were too afraid to ask!
I have always been a big fan of learning. I am subscribed to a lot of science (and disability) channels on YouTube.
When Neuromix Consulting started officially in 2025, I wasn’t just learning for fun and personal interest sake anymore. I was learning to solve a real problem.
Now that my focus has narrowed more around sensory stuff, I’ve been finding some great videos that explain some of the science behind our senses.
Consider it a very basic ‘crash course’ in how your sensory perception actually works!
Do you personally struggle with sensory issues? Fill out our Sensory Survey to help with research and advocacy.
I am going to go through the videos by category in the order of SOLACE (plus taste):
Sound
Olfactory (smell)
Light
[Taste]
Temperature
Touch [Ergonomics]
SOUND
I have been a musician for over 20 years and have produced several of my own albums. Through that, I have a better than average understanding of audio production and acoustic design concepts.
Ever wondered how your ear actually works, physiologically? Benn Jordan (a professional audio engineer) has a great video.
The Wild Economy of Hearing Loss
Video length: 25:42
Next, let’s address one of the questions people most often ask: How do I actually make my space (such as a bedroom or home office) quieter?
You might be tempted to buy a bunch of foam pyramid sound panels, but maybe don’t just run out to the store just yet. Here’s why:
The Most Overrated Acoustic Product
Video length: 13:12
That video mentioned an anechoic chamber (anechoic means ‘no echo’).
This next video explains (and demonstrates) what an anechoic chamber is and how it works.
Testing if 60 Minutes of Silence Drives You Crazy
Video length: 10:33
This great video from Veritasium helps explain more about sound dampening.
Interesting quote from Derek during the test:
”I can say that really small sounds seem amplified, it’s like my brain has re-calibrated so that quiet things seem much louder”
Why Do You Hate the Sound of Your Own Voice?
Video length: less than 2 min
Now to get a little bit more technical on the music production side - this video comes from URM Academy, a youtube channel and community dedicated to helping people learn how to mix music better - specifically heavy music.
In heavy music there is a lot more competition for low and mid-range frequencies, and it needs to be ‘as loud as possible’ while remaining ‘clean’:
Downtuned Guitars Are Out Of Control
Video length: 9:54
I watched this video a couple of years ago and found it really fascinating:
The Story of the THX Deep Note (and Why It’s So Loud)
Video length: 11:34
And we’ll end on two more excellent videos from Benn Jordan, the master of sound:
A video about the infrasound from datacenters and its health impacts on people:
Datacenters Behaving Like Acoustic Weapons
Video length: 29:05
The X-Files of sound explainer videos:
The Controversial Sound Only 2% of People Hear
Video length: 32:38
OLFACTORY
This totally blew my mind!
We know that dogs have much better sense of smell than humans, that is part of why dogs are often used for solving crimes or detecting danger like drugs or bombs.
Turns out, some humans have really good sniffer powers also!
It seems impossible that humans would be able to smell diseases, but science proved it:
POV: You Can Smell Diseases
Video length: less than 1 minute
This next video is primarily about dog vision, but in the latter half of the video, it also talks about how dogs ‘see’ the world differently than us because of their olfactory supremacy.
Dog Vision Explained (Including Smell)
Video length: 10:49
Very interesting!
Why Only One Nostril Works At A Time
Video length: 2:30
LIGHT
Here’s a cool video that shows how the ‘compact eyes’ of insects actually work - it was a fun surprise for me! The difference between human eyes and insect eyes is actually really fascinating!
I Simulated Insect Vision and It Go Weird
Video length: 10:17
Finally, a video that explains why Red/Yellow/Blue is taught to us as the ‘primary colours’ in school, but Red/Green/Blue is ubiquitous in the virtual/computer realm.
Why Are The Primary Colours For Light and Paint Different?
Video length: less than 2 minutes
Rainbows for Dogs
This video is a repeat in here, but touches on a few different things including colorblindness and how it works:
Video length: 10:49
I love a good science video that ties multiple related concepts together, and that video is a champ.
Did you know that eagles have more than twice as many cones in their eyes than humans?
Just How Good is Eagle Vision?
Video length: 6:20
This video talks a lot about light and colour spectrums and how different types of lighting affect our perception:
The Colour That Ruined Filmmaking (and Our Homes)
Video length: 19:55
Interesting quotes from the video:
”I think it’s wild that plants actually need colour to grow”
”An image recorded with a blue LED can never be color-corrected because it is essentially black and white. It’s monochromatic”
Related is this video about how traffic lights came to be green and red:
Traffic Lights Are So Much Weirder Than You Realize
Video length: 18:26
And speaking of traffic lights, here’s a video about car headlights and why halogen (traditional) vs LED (modern) matters!
Modern Car Headlights Are Dangerously Bright - Here’s Why No One Is Fixing It
Video lenght: 8:35
This youtuber dives into the science of supposed ‘colour vision fixing’ glasses.
Exposing the Fake Science Behind Color Blind Glasses
Video length: 42:13
This video shows you something about your visual perception that might surprise you:
The Magic of Adding Random Noise to Black and White Images
Video length: 20:04
Do you know how braille actually works?
Braille Does What?!
Video length: less than 1 minute
The history of the blue LED, the culprit in a lot of light related sensory struggles:
Why It Was Almost Impossible to Make the Blue LED
Video length: 33:45
Did you know IKEA engineered an LED lightbulb that only cost $1? They way they approached this was really interesting:
The $1 IKEA Lightbulb Phenomenon
Video length: 0:45
Lots of learning!
TASTE
So much cool information in this next one!
Everything I Thought I Knew About Flavour Was Wrong
Video length: 21:07
Notable quote from the above video:
Joe: “I had to ask Lauren, what is a flavour anyway?”
Lauren: “A flavour is aroma materials in a solvent that imparts aroma in taste, with no nutritional value”
Another quote:
“You might not expect it, but eating these chips is going to activate nearly every sensory system in my body - gustation, olfaction, hearing, somatosensation, and vision”
And:
“In fact, individual variation in sensory receptor density is way higher for taste than for any other sense”
And finally, another mind-blowing fact:
“We actually have more genes for olfactory receptors than any other type of gene in our genome”
This video has some cool science about tricking your sense of taste:
Brain Hacks to Make Your Food Taste Better
Video length: 6:47
Why Do We Eat Spicy Things?
The Hot Ones Challenge is a cultural phenomenon at this point, so you might be curious to learn more about the science of hot sauces:
The Truth About Hot Ones Sauces
Video length: 21:32
Lastly, this video talks a lot more specifically about flavour pairings
Exploring the Hidden Science Behind Flavour Pairings
Video length: 8:32
TEMPERATURE
Here is a fantastic video from Veritasium about temperature perception:
Misconceptions About Temperature
Video length: 3:59
This next video is a really fantastic, straight forward video about how and why we can get cold and struggle to warm back up, particularly out in the wilderness:
What No One Teaches You About Cold Weather
Video length: 10:45
This video goes into a bit more depth with some simple illustrations about homeostasis":
Video length: 21:59
This may be relevant to some of you:
Temperature Regulation Problems & CRPS Associated With Nerve Compression & Spinal Cord Tension
Video length: 27:11
The ‘Wet Bulb Effect’
This is a great video from PBS about heat waves and what they will look like for humans in the coming decades.
When Will Extreme Heat Become Unlivable?
Video length: 11:46
Noteworthy fact from the video: did you know that older bodies ‘sweat less efficiently’?
TOUCH (ERGONOMICS)
A good video about touch perception:
The Science of Tactile Perception
Video length: 7:24
It turns out we have different types of touch sensory fibers, one is more for analyzing objects and the other is more involved in how touch makes us feel.
And we have multiple different types of sense of touch. There are specialized receptors in the skin that will change their reaction based on speed, temperature, pressure, pain, etc.
More on that from Hannah Fry in this wholesome fact about gentle touch:
Why A Gentle Touch Feels Like Love
Video length: less than 2 minutes
Another great accessibility video here from Unsightly Opinions on YouTube:
Smart Homes Have Stupid Problems
Video length: 1:29
Another repeated video that applies in two different categories!
Braille Does What?!
Video length: less than 1 minute
Here is a video about a little tactile sensory trick you can play on your body:
Mind Bending Tactile Illusion
Video length: 1:15
And lest we not forget amputees & phantom pain!
What Phantom Pain Looks Like for Amputees
Video length: less than 1 minute
Tactile Sensitivity - Serious Science
Video length: 14:02
Physiology of Touch: Receptors and Pathways
Video length: 3:56
This is a surprisingly interesting video about the texture of satin (clothing texture is a whole category of sensory in itself!):
Satin of What? How Can Two ‘Satin’ Products Be Priced So Differently?
Video length: 2:33
Lastly, here’s a quickie, which I think may be AI generated, but also has good info:
The Intriguing Science of Fingertip Sensitivity: A Tactile Marvel
Video length: less than 1 minute
BONUS ROUND
Sensation vs Perception: What’s the Difference?
Video length: 15:59
Pain vs Nociception
Video length: 1:55
Sensory Pathways: Touch vs Pain and Temperature
Video length: 10:03
What was your favourite fact from any of these videos? Leave a comment!
Lacey Artemis (she/they) aka The Sensory Nerd is a neurodivergent researcher, speaker, and consultant focused on systems-level sensory inclusion and design. She is the founder of Neuromix Consulting, where her applied research and advisory work supports more comfortable, sensory-accessible public spaces.
Lacey is Autistic and has sensory processing issues, tinnitus, as well as a circulation disorder that contributes to temperature regulation difficulties.
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