Steve Spangler is an American science teacher who has also become a popular television personality, author, and world record holder. He can claim to have been the first person to have popularised the explosive results of mixing Diet Coke and Mentos — he was the first person to upload such a video to YouTube way back in its early days and his 2002 documentary about the science behind the volcanic concoction subsequently went viral before the term existed. He also holds the Guinness World Record for the largest physics lesson and he has been nominated for no fewer than five Emmy Awards. Away from the screen, he is the Creative Director of Be Amazing Toys, a brand that seeks to develop and promote educational scientific methods and toys.

Fittingly enough, Spangler’s first calling was a science teacher. In 1991, after graduating from university, he was employed in the Cherry Creek School District in Colorado where he developed a travelling science show for elementary and high school kids. He did this for 12 years, ultimately presenting over 4,500 shows in 900 different schools. At the same time as he was launching his teaching career, he was offered a spot on News for Kids, a new show being developed by NBC affiliate KCNC-TV. He became the show’s science host and when it was picked up for national syndication, he found himself the science teacher of a whole nation.

In 2007, Spangler launched Sick Science! one of the first YouTube channels. It’s still running today and has over 588,000 subscribers and an incredible 176 million views of its content.