"50X50: SCIENCE ACROSS AMERICA" GOES LIVE TODAY, UNITING THE BEST YOUTUBE CREATORS IN THE FIRST-EVER STATE-BY-STATE MEDIA INITIATIVE

Launch day unites a creator roster with a combined YouTube reach of more than 90 million subscribers, spotlighting one homegrown creator and scientist in every state, with new videos rolling out region by region every week through mid-November

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 50x50: Science Across America, the first-ever nationwide media initiative to spotlight a YouTube creator in every U.S. state, officially launches today. The project unites a roster of creators paired with local scientists, whose channels command a combined total of more than 90 million YouTube subscribers — the biggest coordinated gathering of independent science voices ever assembled for a single campaign.

Created by The Independent Media Initiative, 50x50 includes, among others: Destin Sandlin of Smarter Every Day (11.9M subscribers), Grant Sanderson of 3Blue1Brown (8.6M), Adam Savage of Adam Savage's Tested (7.2M), Lily Hevesh of Hevesh5 (4.62M); Henry Reich of Minute Physics (5.94M), Emily Graslie of The Brain Scoop (606K); and Joe Hanson of Be Smart (5.8M). Other important voices included are: Laura Wilson of Laura Farms (875K); Jeremiah Burton of Big Time (1.95M); Anne Briggs of Anne of All Trades (732K); Xyla Foxlin (585K); and Tim Dodd of Everyday Astronaut (2M).

Beginning today and continuing region by region through November 2026, 50x50 will publish new state-by-state videos on a rolling ten-week schedule, moving from the Southwest through the South, Southeast, East, Northeast, Great Lakes, Midwest, Plains, Mountain, and West regions. Each installment pairs a homegrown creator whose video embodies that state's contribution to American science with a local scientist working in the community.

"50x50 is the world's biggest science media project ever done, and one of the biggest projects done on YouTube. We're introducing audiences to 50 scientists living and working in their own backyards, one state at a time." IMI President and co-founder Stuart Sevier said. "These creators represent the best of the internet, and we're proud to partner with them to create a true panorama of American science today."

50×50: Science Across America is presented by the Independent Media Initiative, in collaboration with Emmy award-winning HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Winn Family Foundation, and the Shanahan Family Foundation, with additional support from the Allen Institute and The Brinson Foundation.

The initiative arrives at a moment when independent creators increasingly outpace traditional broadcast and cable outlets in reach among younger audiences. IMI describes 50x50 as both a media project and a national narrative: it's a large-scale portrait of how thoroughly science media has migrated to creator-led platforms, state by state, creator by creator.

Full creator biographies, the complete regional publication schedule, and participant and producer interview availability are available to press on request.

SOURCE The Independent Media Initiative