Universe is weird, yo.
Existence is terrifying.
Exurb1a
is a YouTube channel run by a British physics student turned philosophy major. With a strange mix of scientific knowledge and introspective inquiry, Smith decided to combine his two talents in video format, pondering the moral implications of scientific advancement and what it means for humanity as a whole.
That said, another one of Exurb1a's draws is his wit and dry comedy. He tackles topics like the history of rocket science through song and describes the dangers of a genocidal artificial intelligence with a bingo sheet. This blend of introspection, scientific speculation and comic relief form Exurb1a's unique identity.
This channel provides examples of:
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: A frequent point of discussion on the channel. Exurb1a proposes that artificial intelligence inevitably will supplant humanity as the next step in the evolution of sentience. Examples include:
- "27"
- "Genocide Bingo."
- Averted with Gaius.
- "27
- Alcubierre Drive
- Canis Latinicus: Describes the British human as "Homo Cynicus" in "England: A Beginner's Guide."
- Country Matters: A Curse Cut Short used to describe Microsoft and a particular Windows update.
- Deadpan Snarker: The tone of almost every video is invariably deadpan, even when in song.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: The earlier videos resembled the format of Vi Hart, and the snark is somewhat downplayed.
- Eldritch Abomination: The Arthyria, in which humanity and artificial intelligence combine into one being and begins to assimilate the universe.
-
Esoteric Happy Ending: Humanity: Good Ending. Humanity merges with AI and surrenders its wills and the Earth to a greater being, which itself seeks out similar entities to grow even bigger. - Expospeak Gag: How Casual Sex Should Work employs this as an alternative to hours of small talk that precede casual sex.
- First Contact: Played with in a series of videos.
- F--: Exurb1a gives the Standard Model an E- for not resolving gravitynote , the Higgs Bosonnote , and homoerotic undertonesnote .
- Formula-Breaking Episode: Discusses Dune in one video.
- Fun with Subtitles: A fan uses a minute of silence in Quitting Smoking to plug Exurb1a's Patreon.
- Hypocritical Humor: Exurb1a gives some advice on "How To Quit Drugs," only to be seen preparing cocaine just below the frame.
- The Internet Is for Porn: All other tabs on his browser are for admiring Christina Hendricks. Also serves as a Freeze-Frame Bonus.
- And Faye Reagan can come, too.
- Mood Dissonance: "A Song About Rockets" is a cheery piano song, but it still discusses the Nazi's bombing of London, JFK's assassination and the threat of nuclear war.
- Shout-Out:
- "A Song About Rockets" makes references to Pokémon GO, Total Recall (1990) and Iron Man.
- Arrakis is an alien planet Earth interacts with in several videos.
- "Hardly any civilizations actually get to a post-human level. Maybe they blow themselves up first or discover TV Tropes.com or something."
- The Singularity: Describes this in "Humanity: Good Ending" as the best ultimate outcome of an intelligent species.
