Uploaded March 2016 | Updated September 2026, 25 minutes ago
"The key was somehow to know what was important and what was not important, what was exciting, because I can’t learn everything." - Richard Feynman in 1966
Hear more interview outtakes and learn more about Richard Feynman
blankonblank.org/interviews/richard-feynman-physics-interview-lecture
If you don’t really have a head for math and science, physics may be the most intimidating subject of them all. It’s space and time, the make-up of the entire universe - incredibly abstract and mind-bending stuff, and enough to make a lot of students throw in the towel. And that’s where Professor Richard Feynman really made his mark - of course he did all kinds of groundbreaking work, like his theory of quantum electrodynamics…. he proposed the parton model in the field of particle physics… was even part of the atomic bomb project.
But he was also an amazing teacher, this dynamic and charismatic lecturer who made physics fun. He was one of those rare people who not only naturally understood math and science - he was actually able to make other people understand it too. And like it.
Starting in 1966, science historian Charles Weiner interviewed Richard Feynman as part of a big oral history project at the American Institute of Physics. Recording hours of conversation, Weiner captured the details of Feynman’s entire career, his whole life. In those hours, Feynman talked about his earliest memories - what and who shaped the world-famous physicist - and teacher he’d later become. And most influential of all…. a man who was neither a scientist nor a mathematician - a man who didn’t even have any formal education - his dad.
As part of our special series, The Experimenters -- uncovering interviews with the icons of science, technology, and innovation -- we found this interview with Feynman in the archives of the American Institute of Physics.
Support for this series comes from PRX and The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Subscribe for new episodes of Blank on Blank every other Tuesday... it's free:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c...
Executive Producer David Gerlach
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Help us caption & translate this video!
amara.org/v/Q8FB
"The key was somehow to know what was important and what was not important, what was exciting, because I can’t learn everything." - Richard Feynman in 1966
Hear more interview outtakes and learn more about Richard Feynman
blankonblank.org/interviews/richard-feynman-physics-interview-lecture
If you don’t really have a head for math and science, physics may be the most intimidating subject of them all. It’s space and time, the make-up of the entire universe - incredibly abstract and mind-bending stuff, and enough to make a lot of students throw in the towel. And that’s where Professor Richard Feynman really made his mark - of course he did all kinds of groundbreaking work, like his theory of quantum electrodynamics…. he proposed the parton model in the field of particle physics… was even part of the atomic bomb project.
But he was also an amazing teacher, this dynamic and charismatic lecturer who made physics fun. He was one of those rare people who not only naturally understood math and science - he was actually able to make other people understand it too. And like it.
Starting in 1966, science historian Charles Weiner interviewed Richard Feynman as part of a big oral history project at the American Institute of Physics. Recording hours of conversation, Weiner captured the details of Feynman’s entire career, his whole life. In those hours, Feynman talked about his earliest memories - what and who shaped the world-famous physicist - and teacher he’d later become. And most influential of all…. a man who was neither a scientist nor a mathematician - a man who didn’t even have any formal education - his dad.
As part of our special series, The Experimenters -- uncovering interviews with the icons of science, technology, and innovation -- we found this interview with Feynman in the archives of the American Institute of Physics.
Support for this series comes from PRX and The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Subscribe for new episodes of Blank on Blank every other Tuesday... it's free:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c...
Executive Producer David Gerlach
Animator Paul Ruttledge
Series Producer Amy Drozdowska
Watch More
Buckminster Fuller on The Geodesic Life
youtube.com/watch?v=-Fhnkkzk9oo
Temple Grandin on Her Search Engine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ifsh6...
Frank Lloyd Wright on Arrogance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muoVq...
Sally Ride on Dumb Questions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9eZ5...
Kurt Vonnegut on Man-Eating Lampreys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzWMH...
Nina Simone on Shock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQFhQ...
Bill Murray on Being Obnoxious
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6MQ...
Patty Hearst on Reasonable Doubt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bsi2...
Tom Waits on Everything and Nothing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyrDf...
Hunter S. Thompson on Outlaws
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3QoK...
BB King on The Blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tIph...
Elliott Smith on Freaks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAP3s...
Robin Williams on Masks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PHGm...
Wayne Coyne on Living with Death
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJXU7...
Maya Angelou on Con Men
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VybIJ...
Bette Davis on The Sexes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNnTU...
Michael Jackson on Godliness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoCa3...
Jimi Hendrix on The Experience
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK2lf...
Meryl Streep on Beauty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG_T5...
Philip Seymour Hoffman on Happiness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osn8r...
David Bowie on Stardust
youtu.be/lFIDXXDsxAo
Gene Wilder on The Truth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PUW2...
John Lennon on Love
youtu.be/DmvmnYEy9NY
Johnny Cash on The Gospel
youtu.be/ALGi0tcFCcw
Heath Ledger on Role Playing
youtu.be/qDRUzbAa6lI
Tupac on Life and Death
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x2FqX...
Kurt Cobain on Identity
youtu.be/C1Z2BkZaOQc
Janis Joplin on Rejection
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdF4b1...
Help us caption & translate this video!
amara.org/v/Q8FB
