Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown don’t think of themselves as Youtubers.

Their shared channel ASAPScience may have over 8 million subscribers, but the self-described “science communicators” don’t limit their work to just one platform. The proof is in their podcast — more specifically, their new podcast, Sidenote.

First recorded May 9 2018, Sidenote’s purpose is to entertain and educate, with weekly mind-blowing episodes covering a vast range of topics. Beginning with a ‘what we learned this week’ segment, then going into a storytime, ending with a heated debate, and incorporating scientific facts and information throughout, the structure of the episodes keeps things interesting for the audience while sticking to their scholastic roots.

Their unconventionality does not stop at their structure, however. It might seem odd to bring a scientific eye to discussions about influencers, or the worth of video games, or whether or not Elon Musk is secretly a supervillain, but the atypical subject matter is what makes Sidenote so great. It also shows listeners how applicable scientific thinking is — the podcast proves that everyday situations can be approached with a critical eye.

These topics play into how Sidenote engages their audience. They’re sneaky, wrapping important information in pretty and peculiar packaging; their audience can listen to a story about Brown breaking into Paris Hilton’s car and — miraculously — come away with an understanding of alcohol’s impact on the brain. This aspect elevates their entire podcast: peaking interest, drawing in listeners and proving that science can be fun.

Moffit and Brown also have spoken out about their experience as a gay couple, and use Sidenote as a platform to promote acceptance of underrepresented groups within the scientific community. One episode featured a female scientist who was criticized for her social media presence in a Science Mag editorial linked below. The editorial was widely critiqued as sexist, and Samantha Yammine — or ‘Science Sam’ — appeared on Sidenote after the fact to address the piece. It is this sort of effort from notable figures like Brown and Moffit that moves us closer to a scientific world accessible to all.

Sidenote is a podcast for the curious. It speaks to those who want to laugh, learn, and dive deep; it's also available on Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. Give it a listen.