Ask Lemmy

While not exactly what you are asking, check out Nebula as it has a lot of long form content that is not slop because they actively monitor it.

Even if you can't afford Nebula, I recommend browsing its explore section, because many of its high quality creators and videos are also on YouTube. The following are some of my favourite creators on YouTube.

30 minute animated documentary-style videos: LEMMiNO, melodysheep, fern, Hoog, neo, PolyMatter, Imperial, Cipher, Real Engineering, Mustard

Shorter explainer videos: Posy, Kurzgesagt, PBS Space Time, Sciencephile the AI, minutephysics, Steve Mould, Half as Interesting

A few channels I like that I think should fit. AFAIK none of them use AI whatsoever.

Stefan Milo (Prehistory/Archaeology)

Told in Stone (Ancient History)

World of Antiquity (Ancient History)

The Pharao Nerd (History)

Trey the Explainer (History and random topics)

Anton Petrov (Space and Science)

Big Joel (Culture/Media)

STRANGE ÆONS (Internet culture and random stuff)

Not sure if these are what you're looking for, but:

• Dr. Becky [professional commentary on astronomy and astrophysics]

• Anton Petrov [professional commentary on astronomy and astrophysics]

• What's Going On With Shipping? [videos about the ins and outs of international maritime shipping]

• Not Just Bikes [focuses on the many ways urban infrastructure can be improved]

• Sampson Boat Co. [~seven years worth of videos where Leo rebuilds a 1910 gaff cutter from the keel up. Currently sailing it back to London to participate in race the same boat won a century ago]

• Primitive Technology [builds cool things with sticks, mud, water and pond scum]

• Bad Obsession Motorsport [bought an old mini-cooper and shoved an engine from a Celica GT-Four into it]

• Practical Engineering [a practical look at engineering projects that most people ignore, mostly because they're underground]

• B1M [videos focusing on large mega projects like tunnels and nuclear reactors]

• Jay and Mark [map guys that rightfully complain about Londons infrastructure]

• Florian Gadsby [skilled (practised) potter that makes really satisfying pieces]

There are also channels that are focused on the war in Ukraine and related international shenanigans (in order of avg. video length):

• Perun

• Denys Davydov

• Reporting from Ukraine

• Suchomimus (poor chap made a channel to nerd out about dinosaurs, then the Russians attacked...)

Also check out ytch.xyz; It serves videos from a curated list of channels such that it behaves like cable television.

Also also check out nebula.tv if you can afford it.

Usually not as long, but the PBS stuff and Dr Becky are pretty good for astrophysics.

Veritasium

Fren

Johnny Harris

Compterphile

3blue1brown

tldrNews (several channel each for different region)

RealLifeLore

Money and Macro (actual economist, not finance bro)

I like:

Technology Connections. Alec is a refrigeration cycle enthusiast from the American Midwest in a tweed jacket who talks about gadgetry. He'll change your understanding of dishwashers.

History For Granite. Join him to explore ancient Egypt. A no bullshit no ancient aliens channel focusing on old kingdom Egyptian monuments, particularly the pyramids of Giza and Dahshur. His hot takes include "The ascending passage of the Great Pyramid is built of lower quality limestone, possibly because the higher quality Tura limestone used for most passageways wasn't available. As the passage ascends, you can see the work getting more consistent and gaining quality, as if the masons were gaining skill working with this inferior material." And he casts solar eclipse quantities of shade at Zahi Hawass. It's hilarious.

Cathode Ray Dude. A computer and video hardware enthusiast from the Pacific Northwest. He'll find some electronics artifact and explore its quirks and features, including a whole series on weird old laptops.

Paul Fellows. Bri'ish astronomer type who delivers short-ish briefings on astronomical objects. "Once Around: The Large Magellanic Cloud." I'm getting to where I prefer his content to SEA or Astrum.

TierZoo. Animal documentaries in the style of video game commentary. Animals are player characters in a massively multiplayer game called Outside. A typical video will be titled "Are snakes OP?" and he will rank various snakes on a tier list. "Next we have the rattlesnake. Rattlesnakes have spent evolution points on the rattle ability, a mid-level intimidation and area denial attack intended to evade encounters with carnivore mains." The fact he's been able to keep up this shtick so long is the most entertaining part.

Depending on which language you speak I can recommend Arte, a French-German cooperation.

If you are interested in (astro)physics, here are two channels which i enjoy and can assure for their correctness on research topics:

Dr. Becky Astrophysicist talking about what's happening in space from planets currently visible by nakedness eye to new impactfull research papers. She explains everything in an approachable way.

Angela Collier Theoretical physicist, makes long story telling videos about physics and societal topics surrounding research. Most videos are >50 minutes, some are more than three hours. However, they often stray from the original topic.

For some talk about philosophy, I can recommend Philosophy Tube. Most videos are somewhat short of an hour, but explain some philosophical topic in an approachable and interesting manner. Just don't be detered by her extraordinary costumes for each session. I think she research the philosophical questions quite well.

Don't see "Half As Interesting" listed here. His stuff doesn't usually go super deep, but I've learned a lot from him.

And just recently he was accused of using AI for a thumbnail and this was his response:

No one seems to have mentioned Steve Mould.
Super specific topics, interesting (to me anyway) and definitely no slop.
Edit:mentionded?

CRD and tech connections is all I watch really.

More perfect union, according to Nicole, Zac rios

3 of my favorites in last few months.

Darknet diaries is the shit for podcasts. Also on YouTube.

(This is slightly UK centric)

Posts regularly:

• Ensemble issues: Reading is a Skill, SlimeE101, The Everyman Reads BasqueIcelandicPigeon [focus on linguistics],

• Architecture and Cities: Manuel Bravo, [english and spanish] TheGoodTasteChannel

• ComicBook History: ComicLads, [AKA the gooner lads... watch at your own peril] ComicDrake, BaysTalks, TheRealMoeSchomo

• Environment/Gardening - Huw Richards, Bill Sutherlands' Conservation Concepts, MossyEarth, LeaveCurious

• Geography: VologdaMapping

• History: UsefulCharts [geneology focus and religion], Northern Introvert, Ellie Dashwood, Historian's Craft, Lots of the ones in PonyOfWar's comment notably toldinstone

• Law: Mike Rafi (Also has a short-form focus)

• Logic and Maths: MindYourDecisions

• Mathematics: BlackPenRedPen [alt channel for higher difficulty i think], Dr Barker polymathematic

• News/BUSINESS: Patrick Boyle,

• News/POLITICS: Academic Agent, ibx2cat, Peter McCormack

• News/TECH: Louis Rossman

• Politics: Caleb Maupin

• Psych/therapy: Spencer Greenberg

• Religion: ReadyToHarvest, ReligionForBreakfast, Mike Winger,

• Trains and Transport: Geoff Marshall

• Writing/TV and Movies: EmpathyMachines

• Writing/LITERATURE: BookFox

Less-often post schedule:

• Ensemble: Lindybeige [modern issues and histroy]
• Science: VSauce, Sabin Civil Engineering, Gabriel Carcassi [Physics and Maths]
• Therapy/Psychology: Daniel Mackler
• TV and cinema facts: TheFactFiend

SmarterEveryDay is cool, it's a former NASA engineer just explaining cool shit. I'm a fan of his 'how do helicopters work' deep dive, and the world's greatest archer videos.

Veritassium is kinda the same thing, though I don't know his stuff quite as well.

PBS and Nova are good. Science Channel as well. Most vids are short but they put out some banger full length documentaries every so often.

History Time is also really good. The length of the vids can be hella long.

The History Channel has some cool stuff too.

Look at the list of creators on nebula and check their videos out, I think most of them should fit the bill.

If you find something you like, you can get a nebula sub (or lifetime pass) and cut out all the YouTube nonsense from the experience too!

Check out Simon Whistler and his team’s channels. Tons of informative stuff and I think they make a sizable portion of all YouTube content lol

https://www.simonwhistler.com/

LaurieWired

allegedly Scary Interesting uses no AI generated content

Scary Interesting does some horror documentary stuff about, idk, scary situations people have been stuck in. No AI images, which is saying something, cause he always has some kind of background or graphic going.

I like Matt Orchard Crime and Society (MOCaS). Like the name suggests, he does long format videos usually on crimes that are either bizarre or unusual for one reason or another. What makes the videos interesting is his sort of cynical take on it and the easy-to-follow dissection of whatever he's talking about. The focus is not on the gore or shock value, rather the morals involved, human behavior and often the law.

This is the best, most comprehensive list I've found: https://www.clicknourishment.com/

Not quite documentaries, but Clabretro makes long videos where you sort of learn about old computer equipment along with him as he figures out how to use a new thing he got. He used to use LLMs to try to figure stuff out in his videos which was a little annoying but he doesn't seem to anymore.

plus he has a cute cat named chloe

I have some regulars, probably more mid length than long form but they all have the occasional longer piece every so often:

History with Kayleigh - Charming Dutch creator with a focus on pre-historical human and hominids

Extra History - Cartoonified History with a humorous style

Flight Formula - Aviation History

History Buffs - Historical Analysis of Movies and TV

Technology Connections - Ascerbic presentation of technology often delving into the historic context

Gavin the Medievalist - Dr of English who specialises in medieval literature

Four Keys Book Arts - Calm and Patient Book Binder, sidelines in paper marbling

Noah Caldwell-Gervais - Video game analysis, super in depth with a focus on games as narrative

Missing a heap but those are the channels that sprang to mind.

Kyle Hill, Kurzgesagt - In a nutshell (they have channels in many languages) and fern come to mind

I've enjoyed DW Documentaries since I found them on a now defunct community TV channel back in the early 2000s. The format is the same now as it was then, so if they've worked in some AI slop, I haven't noticed. Topics are varied - science, history, politics, the environment, how local traditions of varying places cope with change - as are the run times.

Some examples:

Zanzibar - Island Paradise in Flux

Father Unknown? Life as a Sperm Donor's Child

Organic Farming as a Career Choice - Italy's Young Farmers

Neutrios: Do They Reveal the Secrets of the Universe?

The Swiss Bar Fire Disaster - Life After the Nightmare

Toxic Colonialism: Secret Chemical Warfare in Algeria

Strong Women: The Fight for Self-Determination

Muscles - More Than Power and Pumping Iron

Final Days Full of Life - Hospice Stories

Opioid Crisis in the US Part 01: Business and Addiction

Opioid Crisis in the US Part 02: Business and Addiction

IF you like warhammer 40k or want to get into the lore (it's god damn insanely deep and interesting) there are a few VERY good videos that are multiple hours long that pretty much come out on a weekly basis. https://www.youtube.com/@Luetin09 is my favourite. if I have nothing to do one a weekend afternoon i'll just put his vids on while I do some dev work or play around with my pc configs. each video is easily 2+ hours. and it's just lore.

I don't even know how to play WH40k, I don't own any of the minitures, but damn do I know all the lore because of his vids.

Cathode Ray Dude he does 1 hour plus videos on the history of a niche product or technology. He just did one that is 2+ hours on how they film tvs for movies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qicQUvSUbPM

Just watch stuff from before 2023 or so? There's still lots.

There's slop, slop, slop, information and slop. It hasn't got much slop in it...