Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
What this strange quantum effect reveals about potentials. Sponsored by Planet Wild. Want to restore the planet’s ecosystems and see your impact in monthly videos? The first 150 people to join Planet Wild will get the first month for free at: planetwild.com/r/veritasium/join
If you want to get to know them better first, check out their project stopping plastic waste before it reaches the ocean: planetwild.com/r/veritasium/m34
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - ve42.co/Newsletter
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Chapters:
0:00 The 3 Body Problem
4:16 Potential Energies
7:09 What is the curl in mathematics?
11:59 Bohm and Oppenheimer
14:36 Potentials in the Schrödinger Equation
18:40 The Aharonov-Bohm Effect
25:29 The Donut Experiment
27:49 Can potentials affect reality?
33:51 The Gravitational Aharonov-Bohm Effect
▀▀▀
A special thank you to Prof. Yakir Aharonov for discussing your own original research with us.
And a huge thank you to Prof. David Kaiser, Prof. Steven Strogatz, Dr Peter Asenbaum, Prof. Olival Freire Jr., and Prof. Yuval Gefen for your invaluable expertise and contributions to this video.
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References - ve42.co/ABRefs
Image refs - ve42.co/Ty
Thumbnail image: Based on work by Perosello (CC BY-SA 4.0) commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:5_4_800_36_downscaled.gif
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Special thanks to our Patreon supporters:
Adam Foreman, Albert Wenger, Alex Porter, Alexander Tamas, Anton Ragin, Armedtoe, Balkrishna Heroor, Bertrand Serlet, Blake Byers, Bruce, Data Don, Dave Kircher, David Johnston, David Tseng, EJ Alexandra, Evgeny Skvortsov, Garrett Mueller, Gnare, gpoly, Hayden Christensen, Ibby Hadeed, Jeromy Johnson, Jesse Brandsoy, Jon Jamison, Juan Benet, KeyWestr, Kyi, Lee Redden, Marinus Kuivenhoven, Mark Heising, Martin Paull, Meekay, meg noah, Michael Bush, Orlando Bassotto, Paul Peijzel, Richard Sundvall, Robson, Sam Lutfi, Shalva Bukia, Sinan Taifour, Tj Steyn, Ubiquity Ventures, Vahe Andonians, wolfee
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Writers: Daniel Leonard, Casper Mebius & Derek Muller
Producer and Director: Daniel Leonard
Presenters: Derek Muller, Casper Mebius & Gregor Čavlović
Editor: Jack Saxon
Additional Editor: James Stuart
Animators: Emma Wright, Fabio Abertelli, Andrew Neet & Ivy Trello
Illustrators: Jakub Misiek, Grace Nemanic & Isaac McRee
Researchers: Gabe Strong & Callum Cuttle
Thumbnail designers: Abdallah Rabah, Ren Hurley & Ben Powell
Production Team: Josh Pitt, Matthew Cavanagh, Anna Milkovic, Katy Southwood & Jess Bishop-Laggett
Executive Producers: Derek Muller, Casper Mebius & Gregor Čavlović
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images and Pond5
Music from Epidemic Sound
What this strange quantum effect reveals about potentials. Sponsored by Planet Wild. Want to restore the planet’s ecosystems and see your impact in monthly videos? The first 150 people to join Planet Wild will get the first month for free at: planetwild.com/r/veritasium/join
If you want to get to know them better first, check out their project stopping plastic waste before it reaches the ocean: planetwild.com/r/veritasium/m34
If you’re looking for a molecular modelling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically - ve42.co/SnatomsV
Sign up for the Veritasium newsletter for weekly science updates - ve42.co/Newsletter
▀▀▀
Chapters:
0:00 The 3 Body Problem
4:16 Potential Energies
7:09 What is the curl in mathematics?
11:59 Bohm and Oppenheimer
14:36 Potentials in the Schrödinger Equation
18:40 The Aharonov-Bohm Effect
25:29 The Donut Experiment
27:49 Can potentials affect reality?
33:51 The Gravitational Aharonov-Bohm Effect
▀▀▀
A special thank you to Prof. Yakir Aharonov for discussing your own original research with us.
And a huge thank you to Prof. David Kaiser, Prof. Steven Strogatz, Dr Peter Asenbaum, Prof. Olival Freire Jr., and Prof. Yuval Gefen for your invaluable expertise and contributions to this video.
▀▀▀
References - ve42.co/ABRefs
Image refs - ve42.co/Ty
Thumbnail image: Based on work by Perosello (CC BY-SA 4.0) commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:5_4_800_36_downscaled.gif
▀▀▀
Special thanks to our Patreon supporters:
Adam Foreman, Albert Wenger, Alex Porter, Alexander Tamas, Anton Ragin, Armedtoe, Balkrishna Heroor, Bertrand Serlet, Blake Byers, Bruce, Data Don, Dave Kircher, David Johnston, David Tseng, EJ Alexandra, Evgeny Skvortsov, Garrett Mueller, Gnare, gpoly, Hayden Christensen, Ibby Hadeed, Jeromy Johnson, Jesse Brandsoy, Jon Jamison, Juan Benet, KeyWestr, Kyi, Lee Redden, Marinus Kuivenhoven, Mark Heising, Martin Paull, Meekay, meg noah, Michael Bush, Orlando Bassotto, Paul Peijzel, Richard Sundvall, Robson, Sam Lutfi, Shalva Bukia, Sinan Taifour, Tj Steyn, Ubiquity Ventures, Vahe Andonians, wolfee
▀▀▀
Writers: Daniel Leonard, Casper Mebius & Derek Muller
Producer and Director: Daniel Leonard
Presenters: Derek Muller, Casper Mebius & Gregor Čavlović
Editor: Jack Saxon
Additional Editor: James Stuart
Animators: Emma Wright, Fabio Abertelli, Andrew Neet & Ivy Trello
Illustrators: Jakub Misiek, Grace Nemanic & Isaac McRee
Researchers: Gabe Strong & Callum Cuttle
Thumbnail designers: Abdallah Rabah, Ren Hurley & Ben Powell
Production Team: Josh Pitt, Matthew Cavanagh, Anna Milkovic, Katy Southwood & Jess Bishop-Laggett
Executive Producers: Derek Muller, Casper Mebius & Gregor Čavlović
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images and Pond5
Music from Epidemic Sound
