YouTube Trends

Super Tuesday: Most Viewed GOP Videos This Season

2012-03-06T15:00:00.000-05:00

Today's Super Tuesday in the United States with 10 states holding primary elections to help determine which Republican candidate will be selected to run against President Barack Obama this Fall.

We went through the data and saw that videos posted by the official GOP candidate channels were viewed over 40 million times since last the start of last June. Taking a look at the top 10 most viewed clips in that bunch (below) reveals that it was Governor Rick Perry who drew the most attention.

On the Scene Footage: March Midwest Tornadoes

2012-03-06T10:05:00.001-05:00

An unusual series of devastating tornadoes tore through parts of the South and Midwestern United States late last week. >Over 100 are said to have been reported on Friday alone. A number of residents -- as well as storm chasers -- captured images of these disasters in action.

In this video, for example, a tornado is seem forming over what's said to be West Liberty, Kentucky on Friday.

Over 4,000 videos with "tornado" in the title were posted in the past week. Several of them have been collected in the playlist below.

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

You can follow this story at YouTube.com/CitizenTube

The New Classical: YouTube Showcases New Music in Old Styles

2012-03-02T16:38:00.000-05:00

This post was authored by Bailey Johnson of CBSNews.com's The Feed, for a YouTube Trends series exploring viral video phenomena.

YouTube has led the charge into this brave new world of online content. Video creators have invented new genres of entertainment, and in some cases completely changed what being an “entertainer” means. But what often gets overlooked is how YouTube can make the old new again. Take, for example, one of the oldest forms of culture: classical music. Musicians have been able to hone their craft into new and exciting forms using some of the oldest styles and instruments out there. What does this “new classical” music sound like? Take a look.

Violinist Lindsey Stirling used her classical violin training to create something on the cutting edge with this music video, “Crystalize.” The video calls it “dubstep violin” and it’s not far off. It can’t be easy taking a nearly 500-year-old instrument and using it to create a new style. But Stirling makes it look easy; almost as easy as finding an audience hungry for something unique. “Crystalize” has been viewed nearly five million times in the few weeks it’s been online. Of course, the awesome sweeping visuals didn’t hurt.

The Piano Guys are another group making the old new again. These classically trained musicians use a piano, some cellos, and expert editing to transform their centuries-old instruments into modern hits. David Guetta is about as cutting-edge as music gets these days, but The Piano Guys show us that there’s really nothing new under the sun. Even Beethoven could’ve made these beats. You know, if he had the ear for it.

Speaking of cellos, let’s take a look at the aptly named 2CELLOS. Using, yes, two cellos, Stjepan Hauser and Luka Sulic have become something like superstars in their field. They’ve made several television appearences, go on tour, and have a booming YouTube channel. “Smooth Criminal” above has been viewed over 5.5 million times.

The real catalyst for this article – besides all the awesome music – was this video we posted on The Feed last week. As my pal Will Goodman wrote, “You know you’re doing something right when a band posts your video up on their Facebook page with the simple word ‘whoah’ to describe it.” Transforming the Foo Fighters’ classic “Everlong” into a sweeping piano piece is an inspired work of art that perfectly captures the everything-old-is-new-again aesthetic of budding classical musicians worldwide.

Today's Trend analysis provided by

The Popular Trailers of 2012 So Far: Avengers, Hunger Games

2012-03-02T12:22:00.000-05:00

Now that the Academy Awards has taken place, it's time to shift focus to what some might consider the other end of the spectrum: the 2012 slate of blockbuster movies. There are plenty of films to look forward to this year, but by trailer popularity there are two big-time adaptations fans are hotly anticipating...

In 2012, the two top searches associated with trailers on YouTube so far are for Hunger Games, out later this month, and Marvel's The Avengers.

Searches for The Avengers hit their largest spike back in October, when the first trailer was released. It's since been seen over 10 million times. There have been subsequent spikes when their Super Bowl trailer ran and this week when a new longer version was released. This new one has been seen over 4 million times in just two days.

The adaptation of the young-adult novel Hunger Games also saw its first spike in buzz this past fall, with initial trailer hitting the web in November. A new trailer was released in February that's racked up over 6 million views.

The fastest rising "trailer" search so far has been Chronicle, which was released last month and also had a very popular first trailer.

We're only two months in, so we'll have to check back closer to the summer to see how things have changed.

Don't Try This at Home: First-Person Perspective Puts You in the Extreme Action

2012-02-24T16:04:00.000-05:00

This post was authored by Will Goodman, managing editor of CBSNews.com's The Feed, for a YouTube Trends series exploring viral video phenomena.

Action sports are booming. BASE Jumpers can make national headlines and snowboarders can become Olympic gold-medalists.It's fair to say we are in a golden-age of extreme sports. And with the rise of the Go Pro sports cameras and others like them, the action has never felt more real on YouTube.

Much like the title, do not try to emulate these videos at home. Or outside. Or in any context whatsoever. But do make sure to have a lot of fun engaging in the experiences vicariously. That’s the whole point.

While the above video is a clear example of a professional, Marcelo Gutierrez, showing us what he sees and does while engaging in an urban biking competition, the great part of this growing trend is that it’s not just limited to the pros. Everyone is starting to share their first-person perspective experiences and the range of action you can find on YouTube seems to know no bounds.

A simple bicycle ride through the mountains doesn't look so simple when you're strapped to the helmet. Okay, so this bike ride isn't so simple no matter where you're standing. But in first-person we get the rush of the ride without the whole worry of getting injured, maimed or killed. And in high-definition too!

Wasn’t that refreshing? Short, simple, but compelling all the same. Being able to share in the experiences of travel and adventure has never been so available at any other time. Want to know what it’s like to go cliff diving? It's out there. How about riding a motorbike on a snow-covered mountain top? Yup, it’s there, too. Okay, what about doing a luge along the Great Wall of China?Guess what.

Which leads me full-circle to the point I cannot emphasize enough: while these kinds of videos are amazing to behold, they’re best left to the pros (or at least advanced practitioners.) There’s always the chance that something will go wrong. And the more extreme the sport, the bigger that chance gets. So for our final example, let’s all vicariously engage in a very close call to get a feel for what can go wrong, even when done by people who know what they’re doing.

Today's Trend analysis provided by

Big in India: The Singapore JK Wedding Dance?

2012-02-24T13:07:00.000-05:00

One of 2009's most famous viral videos -- and a clip that you've certainly seen -- was the "JK Wedding Dance." The marital entrance, which was set to Chris Brown's "Forever" and captured at Jill Peterson and Kevin Heinz's nuptials at a Minnesotta church, was a massive hit that's now been seen over 70 millian times.

Now, this week, one of the most-viewed and most-shared videos in India is some footage captured at a wedding in Singapore. Rather than Chris Brown, this wedding march, which took place at the Sree MahaMariamman Temple on February 12th, appears to be set to music from some Tamil-language Indian action-comedy films.

Either way, the reaction is essentially the same for the audience.

Facebook Parenting: The Most Discussed Video of the Week

2012-02-17T18:42:00.000-05:00

At this point, most of us have seen the controversial and most-discussed video of the past week: "Facebook Parenting: For the troubled teen." But not everyone may realize the speed in which it took off.

The clip, which first spread last Thursday, hit 11 million views at its peak last Friday alone. For reference, that's almost double the spike last year's most viewed video, Rebecca Black's "Friday," saw when it first spiked with 6 million views in a single day.

The video picked up over 215,000 comments in one week and it remains one of our Most Shared videos.

The video caused such a stir that over 1,000 videos tagged "facebook parenting" have been posted this week, some serious and some... a bit more humorous.

Local Internet Boy Makes Good, and Other Talking Animal Stories

2012-02-17T11:32:00.001-05:00

This post was authored by Bailey Johnson of CBSNews.com's The Feed for a YouTube Trends series exploring viral video phenomena.

It’s always fun when the big boys in old media notice the Internet. When Hollywood executives deign to notice the little people here online, someone always goes home happy. Or if not happy, at least with a little more padding in their wallet. Today, that someone is Andrew Grantham, creator of his own Talking Animals channel and producer of the second most-watched clip of 2011 (after Rebecca Black's "Friday"): “Ultimate Dog Tease.”

You’ve seen it haven’t you? So have over 94 million other people.

Oh man, it’s so great. I’ve watched this video many, many times (I’m not the only one, right? Right?) So it’s thrilling to hear that “Ultimate Dog Tease” is currently being developed into a feature film by Paramount Studios. How exactly they plan on turning an 80-second long clip into a full length movie is anyone’s guess. But it got us thinking: what other talking animals should get the Hollywood treatment?

Mishka the Talking Husky, of course! This popular pooch has been in the game for a while now. She became a break-out star back in 2008 by howling something that sounded an awful lot like, “I love you.” Can Miska: The Movie be far behind? She even has her comedic sidekick ready in Laika, the other dog in the above video.
But what if Hollywood is looking for more than just talking dogs?

Meet Teddy Bear, the future star of “Ultimate Dog Tease 2: More Than Just Talking Dogs.” Teddy is already a star at Zooniversity, a Texas-based wildlife education company. Why not take the next step? Maybe he’s waiting for his moment. When it’s 2017 and we’re all jaded about the release of yet another talking dog movie, Teddy will pop back up to save us from the tedium. It’s only a matter of time.

But is there another breed of animal destined for stardom? Perhaps another common domestic pet, beloved by millions and ready or the silver screen?

Guess not.

Today's Trend analysis provided by

Tributes: Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You'

2012-02-13T17:24:00.000-05:00

With the sad news of vocalist Whitney Houston's passing this weekend, many long-time fans came to YouTube to remember her and seek out her best-known music videos.

Her talents made her a favorite of musicians with many young, aspiring singers finding inspiration in her skills and powerful, emotional voice. In the particular, her song "I Will Always Love You" has remained a standby and, while it's certainly a difficult song to nail, many talented fans have posted their own takes on this hit in tribute over the past two days. We've collected just 10 of them in the playlist below.

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

The city of Dubai also paid tribute to her using the song in a display over the weekend orchestrated using their famed fountain.

It's a song that has traditionally commanded a great deal of respect for those who can perform it well, making it incredibly popular on television talent programs for years. Taiwan's Lin Hu Chung might have the most famous version around the web. He became an international sensation when his performance spread across the world in 2010:

'Linsanity' on the Rise on YouTube

2012-02-13T11:55:00.001-05:00

The NBA's newest star, NY Knick guard Jeremy Lin, has drawn the attention of sports fans around the globe, and his stellar play of late has caused big spike in YT searches, making his name one of the top rising search terms, globally, on YouTube last week.

Lin's stardom hit its highest thus far over the weekend, with much of the interest in the 23-year-old coming from New York and San Francisco as well as internationally from Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Lin highlights on the NBA's channel have been seen over 1.5 million times this month and countless fan videos and even rap songs.

The last athlete we saw reach this level of popularity this quickly was LA Clipper Blake Griffin, whose high-flying dunks are still a big draw.

Most Viewed Ads So Far After the Big Game ...and Before

2012-02-09T20:03:00.001-05:00

It's time to check back in on the data and see which ads from Sunday's big Giants' win were the most popular among fans of football (and commercials). We looked at all the videos posted in the past month by advertisers who ran spots during the game to find out which teasers, previews, ads, and extended cuts drew the most attention before AND after.

Top 10 Most viewed commercials before Sunday (Playlist)

(May take a moment to load.)

What about after the game? Which ads drew the most views on gameday and the next morning? Find out...

Top 10 Most viewed commercials from Sunday and Monday (Playlist)

Want more? See them all at YouTube.com/AdBlitz.

What Were People Searching for on YouTube During the Game?

2012-02-06T00:22:00.000-05:00

Each year, YouTube sees a big spike in ad-related searches during and after the Super Bowl as sports fans -- and non-sports-fans -- check out the game's most memorable commercials.

Over the first half of the 2012's game, top rising searches included "bud light platinum commercial," "OKGo needing getting" (a new music video previewed by Chevrolet) and "m&m commercial," a reference to the spot that introduced the Ms. Brown character.

Heading into the fourth quarter, "Doritos superbowl commercial" and "David Beckham superbowl commercial" were trending.

Other top searches we saw late in the game: "clint eastwood commercial" and "betty white super bowl commercial." Afterward, Samsung's ad caused a spike in searches for "i believe in a thing called love."

Over the weekend, Chevy's Mayan "end of the world" ad titled "2012" became a top trending video and was one of the most-shared and most-viewed clips.

As we noted last week, 2012 has seen a pre-Super Bowl ad bonanza, with many of the top commercials either being teased or posted in-full well in advance of the game. In fact, Super Bowl ads or "ad teasers" were watched over 30 million times on YouTube before the big weekend this year.

In 2011, Volkswagon's ad "The Force" went viral before the game and picked up roughly 10 million views heading into the big day. Seeming to build off that trend, the pre-Super Bowl activity we saw in 2012 was even higher and spread across significantly more brands.

Latest Trending Videos: Week of Feb 4

2012-02-05T10:31:00.001-05:00

Ads, swarms, flips, and dunks: here are 10 of this week's top trending videos from YouTube Trends:

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

Modern 'Partridge Families' Sing and Play Their Hearts out on YouTube

2012-02-03T13:48:00.000-05:00

This post was authored by Will Goodman, managing editor of CBSNews.com's The Feed, for a YouTube Trends series exploring viral video phenomena.

If we’ve learned anything from watching “The Partridge Family” growing up, it’s that the family that sings together, stays together. Okay, so if you’re like me you probably didn’t watch the actual show growing up and may have simply caught the occasional rerun episode on Nickelodeon. And, yes, they were actors and not a real family, but that doesn’t mean the lesson doesn’t ring true. Just look what’s happening on YouTube.

This video of Dicken Schrader and his two children, Milah and Korben, accompanying him in an amazing cover of Depeche Mode’s “Everything Counts” is just the most recent example of what is becoming a hit-maker online – families coming together to perform covers on YouTube. But like any trend you have to try and hone in on where it all began. In this case, it really can be pinpointed to one major and easily recognizable moment...

Jorge and Alexa Narvaez, the father/daughter duo who captured the hearts of America back in 2010 with their hit cover of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros’ “Home” is without a doubt the defining moment. I still remember the first time I caught this endearing cover… and the second, third and fourth time because they were all within the same hour. Along with it being an actually well-rendered cover of a popular song at the time, there was just something so endearing about the father and his young daughter playing and singing their hearts out. The video spread through social media like wildfire along with a television interview on Ellen and repeat performance (which also went viral on YouTube).

And while you may be noticing a trend towards fathers and young children (and they are by far the most successful combination), some viral hit makers are more in line with The Jackson 5 (or The Jonas Brothers if you want to be a more contemporary) than The Partridge Family.

While this video was actually posted earlier than Jorge and Alexa Narvaez, the cover of the Foo Fighter’s “Everlong” by brother and sister Lauren and Dylan (or “Sandalwood”) ended up going viral about a year ago. So we’ve established that singing families may not be new exactly (See: Family, Partridge.) But there has definitely been a resurgence in family music making it big online. Why is that? Well, it could be the music. It could be the sight of a happy family playing together. But it’s probably the simplest, and most important reason for any viral success: cute kids.

Today's Trend analysis provided by

Top Rising Search: 'Don Cornelius'

2012-02-01T13:51:00.001-05:00

With word of his passing at age 75, "Soul Train" host Don Cornelius has become the top rising search on YouTube Wednesday afternoon as music fans of all ages seek out video of the long-time broadcaster.

On it's YouTube channel, "Soul Train" has a number of classic interviews conducted by Cornelius with some of music's biggest stars through the 1970s and 80s that remind us of his work and of the dance music that surrounded him.

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

Automotive Ad Teasers Becoming the Norm Ahead of the Big Game

2012-01-30T18:44:00.001-05:00

We won't see all the top commercials until they officially debut on Sunday, but many brands have posted "teasers" and other sneak peaks well ahead of the game. And some of these clips have already drawn millions of views, specifically some of those posted by car manufacturers.

Last year, Volkswagon posted it's big hit, "The Force" a few days ahead of the game, and it was seen over 5 million times heading into the weekend. This year, we're a week out and Volkswagen's teaser for its latest Star Wars-themed spot has over 10 million views since it was posted on the 18th.

Honda, though at the time the brand was unknown, posted a "teaser" starring Matthew Broderick last week that created a lot of stir among fans of 1986's "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Since last Thursday, the Bueller teaser has been seen over 4 million times, with as many as 1.5 million views on Friday.

Today, the full-length extended version was released and immediately drew lots of buzz on pop culture, business, and automotive blogs. You can see it here.

Other manufacturers who've also posted ads include Hyundai, Suzuki, and Audi, who's ad also has over one million views.

Update: Acura.

Latest Trending Videos: The Week of January 28

2012-01-29T12:37:00.000-05:00

Crashes, catches, and bats: here are 12 of this week's top trending videos from YouTube Trends:

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

Dubstep: Skrillex, Dancing and A Capella (Oh, My!)

2012-01-27T13:43:00.001-05:00

This post was authored by Bailey Johnson of CBSNews.com's The Feed for a YouTube Trends series exploring viral video phenomena.

Wubwubwub. The metallic crunch of dubstep was inescapable in 2011. (Ed. Note, see: Interest in Dubstep Grows and Grows.)

Once a sub-set of UK bass music, the genre exploded last year, with electronic music festivals drawing tens of thousands of fans and acts like Skrillex topping charts. (Facebook’s year-end rankings of the most-played songs on their site found not one but two Skrillex jams in the top ten.) One could argue that the soaring popularity of dubstep – and the growing acceptance of club music in general – was the top trend in music last year.

Like they always do, YouTube users embraced the growth of dubstep, using it in endlessly creative ways – from amateur dance numbers to a capella covers. (There’s even a channel dedicated to dubstep “lyrics.”) Let’s take a look at some of the most popular bass-rocking clips from last year.

Warning: Body-moving, party-grooving beats incoming.

Marquese Scott, from the dance crew RemoteKontrols, kicks us off with this incredible one-shot video. With a dubstep remix of Foster the People’s “Pumped up Kicks” behind him, Scott shows off his chops. Scott has been featured on “So You Think You Can Dance” and “America’s Got Talent” (in addition to our site, The Feed.) He also racked up nearly 30 million views with this video. How can a dance be so robotic and yet so fluid? That, friends, is the power of dubstep.

Speaking of the power of dubstep, this clever video shows the three young dancers overcome by the teeth-rattling bass coming from a mysterious pair of headphones. The robotic, full-body control this style of dancing requires fits perfectly with the idea that these dancers are possessed by the beats. The song, by the way, is “Louder (Docter P & Flux PavilionRemix)” by DJ Fresh. So far we’ve seen people dance to dubstep, but is it possible to actually play it? As a matter of fact, it is.

Crafting electronic music is generally a solo pursuit. DJs spend hours hunched over their laptops working out all the beeps, bloops and screeches on a track. But it turns out bands can get in on the act too, as is the case with Pinn Panelle and their cover of Skrillex’s “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites.” Without the use of sequencers or backing tracks, these guys do a pretty good job replicating the squalls and base drops of a dubstep jam. But they are still using instruments.

That’s where Aaron of AaronicStuff comes in. Using nothing but a laptop, some sick editing skills, and the power of his voice, Aaron brings us this a capella Skrillex cover. Is it safe to say dubstep has gone mainstream once the a capella covers come out? We think so. Of course, this song – “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” – was also nominated for a Grammy award. (One of five nominations for Skrillex, including Best New Artist.) Doesn’t get more mainstream than that.

With thousands of fans, millions of YouTube views, and even Grammy recognition, it’s clear that 2011 was dubstep’s year. What can we expect in 2012? Probably even more bass drops. Then again, not everyone is a fan.

Today's Trend analysis provided by

'Stuff People Say' Goes Local

2012-01-26T18:02:00.002-05:00

It's a trend that's been going on for more than a month, but in the past week or so, we've seen the "Stuff ___ Say" trend has seen a new shift in style and popularity. Whereas initially the trend was focused on demographics and other cultural criteria -- race, gender, interests, clubs -- we've started to see way more localized versions popping up in YouTube's trending video feeds.

For example, in the past few days we've seen from a number of cities across the United States. These are among the estimated several thousand videos that exist as a part of this trend.

(Note: Some contain adult language)

Los Angeles	Minnesota

Toronto	Silicon Valley

San Francisco	Washington

Miami	Chicago

These are just a few, and you've probably seen ones for other cities floating around (drop them in the comments!). California seems to be particularly well represented, and the New York take, which first went viral last week, has been seen upwards of 2.6 million times.

Footage from Tahrir on Egypt's Anniversary

2012-01-25T17:51:00.000-05:00

Today marks one year from the start of Egypt's revolution, a time marked by demonstrations, marches, and, in some cases, clashes between citizen's and police and other security forces.

To commemorate the occasion, many Egyptians gathered once again in Tahrir Square in large numbers. You can see some of the footage -- which, like many of the events of the initial revolution, was filmed by citizens and other bystanders -- at CitizenTube or in the playlist below:

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

New Dazzling Videos of the Northern Lights

2012-01-25T11:58:00.000-05:00

For amateur and professional photographers and videographers living at high latitudes, the aurora boralis, aka the Northern Lights, are popular subject matter... when they appear, that is. This week, the lights, which are normally visible in areas close to the arctic circle, were seen as far south as Scotland and England.

This kind of visibility is said to only occur once every 11 years:

In the past, these sightings have generally caused a surge in uploads. Below you can see some of the numerous videos posted by those who were lucky enough to witness the phenomenon this week.

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

Wild Wind Storm in Palm Springs

2012-01-23T11:16:00.000-05:00

Palm Springs, California witnessed a sudden, intense wind storm this weekend that left many trees down and homes without power. Some of the gusts were reportedly 80-90 miles per hour.

A number of residents captured video of the unusual weather occurrence and posted them to their channels on YouTube. We've collected eight of them in the playlist below.

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

Latest Trending Videos: The Week of January 21

2012-01-22T11:25:00.001-05:00

Books, buildings, thieves, and goalies: here are 11 of this week's top trending videos from YouTube Trends:

(Use the arrows to navigate between videos or watch them all here.)

She Blinded Me with Science (and LOLs)!

2012-01-19T18:07:00.000-05:00

This post was authored by Will Goodman, managing editor of CBSNews.com's The Feed, for a YouTube Trends series exploring viral video phenomena.

One of the most amazing things about the rise of YouTube videos and Internet culture is that there is no limitation to the kind of material that can go viral. Once upon time the domain for what would spread on a large-scale level was largely limited to the land of LOLs, FAILs, cats, babies and a few other Internet-popular subjects that tended towards the least-common denominator (no offense meant to cats or babies).

But no more! Now viral videos can broaden your mind and educate while also entertaining you. Let’s put the focus on learning today, particularly on the subject of science, and kick things off with one of the most recent entries to hit The Feed, though also the closest to the aforementioned topics of old (in this case, something of a FAIL).

Was there chemistry involved? Yes. Did you learn a lot from it? Maybe not, but there is definitely a lesson in here on avoiding putting liquid nitrogen in a closed container unless you’re looking to cause some damage (most likely to yourself). But fear not, because that was just a recent example to engage you and now we turn our focus towards actually educating and expanding your mind, which is exactly what our next video does in the most amazing of ways.

This one will get your mind turning and your feet tapping. Watch Bobby McFerrin, whom you might remember from the hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy", demonstrate the power of the pentatonic scale.

Now did you learn something this time? Yes you did, though you probably barely realized it while it was happening. (One of the best possible ways to learn, in this blogger’s humble opinion.) And that is exactly the lesson that a Biola University math teacher, Matthew Weathers, incorporates extremely well into his creative class presentation in our next video. Educators, take note!

It’s always a thrill to catch moments like these on video. But there are now quite a few people on YouTube who regularly create informative and entertaining videos. Take one of my favorites, C.G.P. Grey, who puts out videos on a variety of subjects from currency to geography to mathematics and more. It’s still early in the year and some folks are still shopping for their 2012 calendars, so let’s take a quick look at one of his more recent entries explaining just how the modern calendar we use came to be as a quick example of his work.

So there you have it. You can get your laugh and learn on just about any day of the week with the help of YouTube. Now I like to try and come full circle whenever possible, which is why it’s so amazing that I can finish with a clip showing stuff exploding… but for science! No, for real this time. The video below is a fun compilation put out by The Periodic Table of Videos, a video series between the University of Nottingham's School of Chemistry and video journalist Brady Haran that really teaches you chemical reactions. Isn’t science just the coolest?

Boom! I hope you’ve all learned something today.

Today's Trend analysis provided by

Exploring Viral Phenomenon with Think Quarterly

2012-01-18T11:58:00.001-05:00

The latest edition of Google's Think Quarterly -- the Speed edition -- explores some interesting Trends-related insights and background that are definitely worth exploring:

RACE TO THE TOP

This game/tool uses YouTube Trends data to help us understand what separates the fastest rising videos on YouTube from others. Click the image below to play and see how much you know about viral phenomenon on YouTube:

VIRAL VELOCITY

At this point, we all know the story of the Talking Twin Babies from Brooklyn, who became famous around the world for their unintelligible conversation. But now, click the image below to hear the story from the family's perspective via a Joe McDermott cartoon strip: