John Green's Left Hand of Destiny - Objectivity 287

John Green is back to randomly pick some items from the Royal Society vaults... What will he find?! More links below ↓↓↓
Extra footage from John's visit for Patreon supporters: / new-video-and-106481083
Scan of the whole Evans letter on our Patreon page (with public access): / john-evans-106481692
Our previous video with John: • Priceless Books (feat....
One of our previous videos with Hank Green: • Darwin's Favourite Pho...
And see more guests wearing The White Gloves of Destiny: studio.youtube...
Objectivity on Patreon: / objectivity
Subscribe to Objectivity: bit.ly/Objectiv...
Films by James Hennessy and Brady Haran
Royal Society website: bit.ly/Royal_So...
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[@thomasjdurfee]

@4:05 "I am too ill to move out of the house, much less to travel". What are the odds that John Green (possibly) pulled a card that mentioned tuberculosis? That would be so fitting given his interest.

[@Fleever]

sometimes destiny is odd :)

[@Random3716]

I was really hoping the video would follow up on the contents of the letter at the end to find out what ailed John Evans and if ot was, in fact, tuberculosis. Unfortuneately he is obscure enough (and there are lots of non-obscure John Evanses) that cursory googling came up inconclusive.

[@markholm7050]

Brady, if you don’t want a guest who gets wrapped up in an obscure correspondence, don’t invite novelists.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Yeah, I think the white gloves channeled his energy into picking such a letter.

[@GovilGirl]

😂😂😂

[@justingraham4140]

Petition to republish the collection on Monsters and Longevity

[@bucurionutrusu3260]

Signed

[@backwashjoe7864]

Yes! You can't just do a drive-by of a collection with that title!

[@lafcursiax]

In favor!

[@BobOgden1]

🤚

[@davetremaine9688]

I legitimately was a little upset and like "why is Brady rushing him on the letter, it's pretty juicy gos'"

[@deepwatersgf]

I'm with John the drama in the letter is where it's at

[@Campfire_Bandit]

+

[@JMThought]

Same

[@williamhandrigan4575]

This letter is really interesting... I couldn't read all the words, but from what I could make out, the (heavily paraphrased) gist is : Hey, buddy, thanks so much for your letter! Sorry for not being at the last meeting, but I'm sick. I'm REALLY sick. I am so sick, that if I went to travel I would not get to London alive. That being said... What the absolute *$%& happened at the last meeting?!?!? What was said and WHO said it? You, being my best chum, would obviously love to tell me all about it, on the quiet, right now. Otherwise...I might have to ask the Society in an open meeting and I'm SURE you wouldn't want that now, eh? Because if you don't tell me, I'm just going to HAVE to ask around, and these things have a way of getting out. I got a brief account from my son, who suggested it was about somebody who black balled John C~~~ Hobhouse (sp?) and maybe some others. I know you'll tell me all about it in your next letter, which I am very anxiously waiting to read. Faithfully yours, etc. P.S. I'm still really sick.

[@melodysmash]

Thank you for this excellent summary!

[@ptarmigan1356]

Thank you! Now we really need to see the reply letter!

[@riripebby]

I live for John and Hank envying each other

[@Katiebartl]

It just shows how proud each one is of the other as well.

[@AlexAltair]

2:54 "Quite labyrinthine" says John, recalling his bought of labyrinthitis.

[@AndyLundell]

I guess this illustrates how I wish there was a long-form companion to this series. I love the completely random nature, but I wish that when we're done gawking at the document, there was a companion video that could do a little detailed research on what that item was. I realize that spending time researching entirely random piece of ephemera would feel like a waste of time, but I honestly think it would be more unique and interesting than a series where someone chooses a known topic deliberately. (There's no shortage of those, of course.)

[@OnkelPeters]

John’s next book title: Monsters of Longevity.

[@markholm7050]

No one ever picks a drawer at the margins of the cabinet.

[@JBLewis]

I agree, I was thinking that, given the opportunity, I'd stand in the middle and reach out as far as I could to pick a drawer.

[@kidmohair8151]

while sitting under a heat dome in N America, my thoughts immediately turned to how delightfully cool and dry the basements of the RS probably are...

[@Sgt-Gravy]

Make sure to switch your arrow mouse cursor to the white hand when visiting the archives online 😂

[@Bortnm]

Hank would have figured it out. Water fills up one side till its heavy and tips the scale, shifting the other side over under the water for it to fill. After shifting the opening on top allows the water to drain quickly so it can go back and forth.

[@MichaelPiz]

Roughly like a Japanese Shishi-odoshi.

[@SonOfSofaman]

Would you say it's a "teeter-water" or a "water-totter"? 😁

[@JBLewis]

@@SonOfSofaman The white gloves of (comment) destiny turned up this one. I hope you are doing well!

[@SweIceMan]

Cool, a connection to Sweden🙂 Some interesting facts about the provisionary water bellows document: Mårten Triewald, b 1691 - d 1747, was one of the founding members of The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Carl Fredrik Piper, b 1700 - d 1770, was also later a member of The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The Piper family is actually still around to this day.

[@marloesv9506]

Desperately want to know more about that letter!

[@ObjectivityVideos]

Scan of the whole letter on our Patreon page (with public access) - www.patreon.com/posts/john-evans-106481692

[@nanofan100]

I just posted the transcript above

[@nanofan100]

I just posted the full transcript above

[@grayautumnday]

@@ObjectivityVideosbut what about the RS meeting notes that John Evans was demanding to know more about?

[@oivinf]

The water bellows are quite genius in how incredibly simple they are. A reciprocating watermill that pushed two alternating bells into the water, forcing air up into the pipes

[@ScottKorin]

I have no idea what's going on, but I see a Green brother, I click.

[@terravarious]

John and Hank need to collab a short story using that letter as a writing prompt.

[@LucasCarter2]

I really do envy you guys getting to go into the archives where so much amazing history is stored. In the case of an apocalypse I think the archive room is in my top 3 places I would want to be. You could spend the rest of your life just learning about so many things and re-discovering so much history. For anyone interested my other top 3 are a supermarket that’s literally right next to a massive library that I used to visit, and an actual self sustaining bunker designed for survival.

[@fugithegreat]

That letter is actually quite fascinating!

[@protocol6]

Definitely need a followup on the drama.

[@NotKyleChicago]

I feel like the fact Rupert had to look up where to find the letter, meaning it's more obscure makes it a more interesting item.

[@lorawaring883]

The organization of the items in the royal society is amazing

[@nlm2nd]

John said "I want the 1830s drama!"

[@renerpho]

Not the worst outro ever... Congratuations, by the way, to his brother Hank, for the naming of asteroid 13943 Hankgreen! John must be very proud.

[@Satchboy71]

I want to know more about that first letter! Will you release it to the public?

[@ObjectivityVideos]

Scan of the whole letter on our Patreon page (with public access) - www.patreon.com/posts/john-evans-106481692

[@e.y.3868]

@@ObjectivityVideos Sorry can't read the handwriting, I'm sad you could not indulge the audience in John's interests in the letter tbh.

[@dielaughing73]

​@@e.y.3868 sounded like the ramblings of a delusional paranoid. Not that that's necessarily uninteresting

[@jurjenbos228]

Sibling rivalry can be a powerful force. For the good, in the case of John and Hank.

[@nathanisip]

Goodness I really want to know what issue the letter was discussing! Those records might seem boring but they contain all the juicy tidbits

[@LotsOfS]

Digging the simultaneous "And to the royal society". Very nice harmony.

[@pan-0]

I've been on a marathon watching the videos, thanks for creating them! I wish you all well.

[@abigailcooling6604]

This old difficult to read handwriting that was clearly standard at the time has made me wonder - in 500 years time will our descendants find our writing just as difficult to understand?

[@protocol6]

Hardly anyone even learns cursive anymore.

[@ssl3546]

@@protocol6 wrong - a few years experience of not teaching kids how to write (the foundation of civilization) has shown that it is necessary and many states are now passing laws (including California just recently) requiring teaching of cursive

[@crashmancer]

The spelling and grammar may drift, but most people today are typing documents and our typeset letterforms have changed very little in centuries.

[@chris24hdez]

so many official historical documents are written in cursive, history may be lost as creating digital interpretations of these documents may not happen otherwise.

[@CliffSedge-nu5fv]

What writing? You mean bits of data stored on a server somewhere?

[@donepearce]

Pumping bellows with a tipping bucket rain gauge. I like it

[@montymontgomeri]

I’m also fascinated by the letter!

[@GovilGirl]

I am immediately freaked out! My husband's grandfather was a "John Evans" and my father is a "J(ohn) A Paris"

[@royjohansen3730]

It would have taken me hours to get to the essence of the papers for the stunning beauty of the handwriting.

[@xamishia]

Great. But is there no easy way to find the next letters in that correspondence?

[@gastonmarian7261]

picking a card is bibliomancy

[@limbridk]

John and Hank are probably my favorite people in the world (of people who are not in my life)

[@pb_and_nutella]

That is a fabulous letter, beautiful and interesting

[@lewismassie]

Halfway through the Water Bellows part it clicked in my head how it all worked. Very neat design, somewhat similar to an old Japanese(?) water anvil.

[@LikelyToBeEatenByAGrue]

I need some amateur historian to go investigate that letter and it's context. I need the beef

[@dasiavou]

me, a nerd, when john said "quite labyrinthine": "NEEEEERD"

[@Everett-xe3eg]

I saw Left Hand Of Density and thought he had a really heavy hand at first.

[@Qenton]

I so want to see Matt Parker for a Lucky Dip. (Note: I think he was hinting he would like that on your last Numberphile video.)

[@antithese101]

That's a great outro, but I'm already subscribed to his channels 😉

[@Just_Loves_Music]

Yeah... so, we need a follow-up on the letter...

[@twojuiceman]

Brady and John are in a competition to see who can look more like Bernard from Megamind

[@livchapman8051]

For sure the letter was more interesting!!!!

[@Vardagaladhiel]

I’m with John on this one, I want to know what the drama was!

[@zam1am]

The 1st one is a pretty near miss. Nothing on wikipedia for a John Evans, who would exchange letters with the RS in 1831. John Ayrton Paris however is credited as the "possible" inventor of the thaumatrope, which is a lesser known name of for well known visual toy. And this "Around 1824 Paris wrote Philosophy in Sport made Science in Earnest: Being an Attempt to Implant in the Young Mind the First Principles of Natural Philosophy by the Aid of the Popular Toys and Sports of Youth. It was first published anonymously in 1827, but posthumous editions were credited to Paris. It showed how to use simple devices to demonstrate scientific principles." would make him a forefather to science blogging.

[@mariannetfinches]

We need to know the drama! Brady please may we have the tea

[@LoveLightMinnesotaAdvocacy]

John doing his best Mickey Mouse impression...

[@JMThought]

We need the gossip!

[@Max_Flashheart]

A whole webpage wow

[@abrodeur]

Whats the betting odds that the letter shows up in future John green book.

[@PaulG.x]

Is this a take off of Bill Bailey's The leg of Time? "Was it the man with the key to the door of reality Underneath the mat of insignificance."

[@Epinardscaramel]

I’m right there with John, I wanted to know the *drama* 😀

[@mjbates]

Brady lookin' good! 🎉

[@cholten99]

Why is Brady the only one with a flashing green light...?

[@thedj9553]

Bloody love these!

[@mojosbigsticks]

Argh! This didn't pop up in my notifications and I'm 5 days late!

[@ObjectivityVideos]

Better late than never

[@HippocraTease]

yeah ill go look at that

[@gib666]

Where is Hello Internet?

[@calcubite9298]

Brady, you've lost weight. It looks good and congratulations!

[@wesleyatkinson5589]

you don't talk about fightclub.

[@aalhard]

I want to know more about that letter!

[@ObjectivityVideos]

Full scan of the letter on our Patreon page - www.patreon.com/objectivity

[@aalhard]

@@ObjectivityVideos I want John to do a video maybe a collaboration between you and the Green men

[@phyzix_phyzix]

What was the conclusion of the letter's subject matter?

[@Mr.E-Bachs]

Lookin’ fit Brady! Still on the Fit-a-tron 5000? Good on ya brother!

[@robertwilkinson5865]

Letter is more interesting.

[@mikebeatstsb7030]

And the Americans think the British are sarcastic....

[@dielaughing73]

Aussies go alright in that respect

[@lastSKYsamurai]

I’m in 😅 just made it

[@jasonremy1627]

Is that what you say to all the girls?

[@lastSKYsamurai]

Ahahaha. That’s gold.

[@ObjectivityVideos]

Extra behind-the-scenes footage from John's visit for Patreon supporters: www.patreon.com/posts/new-video-and-106481083 Scan of the whole Evans letter on our Patreon page (public access): www.patreon.com/posts/john-evans-106481692

[@JohnFoley1701]

Comment

[@bennoroobas7469]

8 seconds in, first view

[@merseyviking]

A cursory look over the John Evans letter shows that something happened at the council meeting of the RS, and he was desperate for gossip. So can we have a follow-up where the minutes of the previous council meeting are brought out? Or even the letter to which this is replying, or the reply, if they exists in the archives.

[@nanofan100]

I just posted the full transcript above

[@merseyviking]

@@nanofan100 Nice! Where did you post it?

[@e.y.3868]

@@nanofan100 yes please tell me where. above what?

[@lilatarnowski]

​@@nanofan100where?

[@Fleever]

@@nanofan100 can you tag me please?

[@andrewjknott]

I'm with John, that was some deep drama.

[@Campfire_Bandit]

+

[@osmia]

+

[@HadenMadderly]

It would be hilarious to find out whoever penned the letter was just being a diva over something trivial.

[@dannywoods17]

You took us away from the mysterious letter for some mechanical engineering? Do you know the internet at all???

[@qwertyman1511]

alt title: the sinister hand of destiny

[@MichaelPiz]

Oo! Much better.

[@Pallethands]

That letter is way more interesting

[@marklamourine3130]

Yawn Brady!!?? That's a writing prompt for johns next novel if I ever heard one!

[@Candoran2]

I'm really curious about that first letter now, could use some investigation by tuataria.

[@DeathlyTired]

...and as they say in Brady's hometown, don't forget to visit the mighty Black Stump.

[@lincolnnoronha4128]

Brady is such a child “pictures! I wanna see pictures” The letter is qhere its at.

[@BardovBacchus]

From the look on his face I think what John was feeling was anxiety. Fortunately, the instinct to go with the left is often the correct path

[@Bbonno]

Those bellows are pretty clever: flowing water makes a see-saw go back and forth and activate the bellows that use still water. Neat idea, but it's either very finicky or needs a little extra work to avoid it getting stuck in the middle.

[@Bbonno]

Note that point B or V must refer to one-way valves for the bellow- cones to work.

[@stumpy990]

For a letter that was a good one. I want to know what the mystery was!

[@EleetCanoe]

This is so awesome! I've always loved the old handwriting of all those people, and the picture plates are always so cool! One day I'd like to be able to make art like that.

[@Cooper_42]

Brady doesn’t “read it for the articles”. 😀

[@22lostservice]

Why does John wear gloves but they dont? I Understand that the new idea is that gloves can cause more dage then clean hands.

[@LikelyToBeEatenByAGrue]

They're the gloves of destiny. They require no explanation

[@jenny_azoth]

oh you have one of those too? nice

[@martinnyberg71]

1:59 What is the barograph doing on top of the card catalog? If anything, oughtn’t it be a hygrograph? 😂

[@planecrashcorner7283]

I need more objectivity in my life!

[@ObjectivityVideos]

We’d love to make more. Supporting us on Patreon really helps and we do share some extra stuff there. www.patreon.com/objectivity