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Speeding tortoise drives YouTube traffic

Thoughts on speeding tortoises, dead cats and time travel have helped boost video views of The Open University’s dedicated YouTube channel.

The combined version of 60-Second Adventures in Thought, a quirky look at philosophy narrated by comedian David Mitchell has had half a million views since it was posted in November.

The animation explains how, theoretically, Greek hero Achilles should never be able to beat a tortoise in a race and a cat cannot be both alive and dead – unlike atomic particles.

Also examined is the Grandfather Paradox – can a time traveller shoot his own grandfather to alter history, or confirm it?

David Mitchell tells us the Grandfather Paradox is: "a mainstay of physics, philosophy and the Back to the Future trilogy!”

Up to mid-December there had been 8.1 million views of the OU YouTube channel and it keeps growing.

The success of 60-Second Adventures in Thought follows the also very popular animated History of English in 60 Seconds series narrated by Clive Anderson posted in the summer which has also become a combined version..

Adventures in Thought and History of English as well as other great videos are also downloadable on iTunes U.

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Tweet Thoughts on speeding tortoises, dead cats and time travel have helped boost video views of The Open University’s dedicated YouTube channel. The combined version of 60-Second Adventures in Thought, a quirky look at philosophy narrated by comedian David Mitchell has had half a million views since it was posted in November. The animation explains how, theoretically, ...

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