Former Veritasium writer, director and video producer Emily Zhang, an astrophysicist and New York-based filmmaker, announced the launch of her independent YouTube channel, Rabbit Hole.
The new project marks a major transition for Zhang, who previously spearheaded some of the most viral educational content on the internet, garnering over 250 million views during her tenure at the award-winning science platform.
Zhang stated that her new mission is to reclaim the “rabbit hole” concept from negative online conspiracy theories and redirect it toward curiosity about the physical world.
The creator spent years working as a core creative force for Veritasium, a science channel with over 18 million subscribers led by Derek Muller.
Zhang was responsible for writing and directing several of the platform’s most successful videos, including a 34-million-view documentary on the invention of the Blue LED and a 22-million-view feature on the world’s fastest maze-solving robots.
Her work often involved complex logistics, such as coordinating international shoots in Japan and interviewing Nobel laureates to explain advanced physics to a global audience.
In addition to her defining work at Veritasium, Zhang expanded her influence across the science communication niche by working freelance with other major creators.
She contributed her expertise to Cleo Abram, a prominent tech journalist and creator of the Huge If True series, as well as the storytelling-focused channel Howtown. This diverse experience across different production styles allowed her to refine a signature approach that combines rigorous research with high-end visual storytelling.
After transitioning to freelance work in 2024 to collaborate with other legendary digital creators, Zhang is now focusing on “extraordinary answers to everyday questions.”
Her new channel, Rabbit Hole, will investigate the science hidden in plain sight, such as the engineering of office chairs or the hidden patterns in sidewalk cracks.
She emphasized that her content is designed to fight “doom scrolling”, the habit of mindlessly consuming negative digital content, by encouraging viewers to engage more deeply with their actual surroundings.
To support the venture, Lin-Zhang is implementing a unique business model on Patreon, a platform that allows fans to provide financial support to independent artists.
In a move that challenges traditional “paywalls”, she announced that all Rabbit Hole videos and research notes will remain free for everyone.
Instead of tiered access based on wealth, she is experimenting with a loyalty-based reward system where benefits are earned based on how many years a person has supported the channel.
The creator also introduced a “living document” system, which will be linked in the description of every video. These documents will contain her “first principles,” research sources, and any necessary corrections to ensure scientific accuracy.
For aspiring creators, this provides a rare look at the “workflow” used by a high-level professional in the science communication niche.
Lin-Zhang’s move into independent content reflects a growing shift in the creator economy, where behind-the-scenes specialists are leveraging their expertise to build personal brands.
By moving from a major multi-channel environment to a solo operation, she joins a wave of educators seeking a more direct and transparent connection with their audience.
Her background in astrophysics and her track record of producing 10 of the top-performing videos for Veritasium position her as a significant new voice in the independent science space.
