YouTube star Simone Giertz has some life and science lessons to share with you

YouTube inventor Simone Giertz turned robot comedy into a science career. Here’s how

The Swedish engineer influencer has spent over a decade on YouTube growing a loyal audience of over 2.5 million followers, but for her, the journey was all about living a less typical life in science.

By Emma Gometz , Rachel Feltman , Jeffery DelViscio & Kelso Harper

Feltman: For Scientific American ’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman.

Simone Giertz started her career on YouTube building what she called “shitty robots”—deliberately flawed contraptions that made people laugh. But over the years, she’s evolved into a different kind of inventor. Now she tackles everyday problems through creative engineering. My personal favorite addresses a universal problem: You know those clothes that are too clean to put in the hamper but too dirty to hang in the closet? If they don’t end up on the floor, they’re liable to go on a chair, right? Simone recently created a gorgeous chair that’s designed to actually hold those garments on purpose, then subtly stow them away when you’re tidying up for company. Simone’s ethos is all about questioning why we use certain objects the way we do—and realizing that anyone can make up a new thing to make their lives a little better.

We recently got to chat with Simone about the benefits of bringing an outsider mindset to science and technology. Here’s her conversation with SciAm newsletter editor Emma Gometz.

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing . By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

Simone Giertz: My name is Simone Giertz. I am from Stockholm, Sweden. And uh my job is that I am an inventor and Y ouTuber .