I built a QR code with my bare hands to see how it works

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How do QR codes work? The checkerboard patterns taking over the world, demystified. Go to and use the code ‘veritasium’ to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase.

Special thanks to Mashiro Hara and Yuki Watanabe.

00:00 I was wrong
00:49 How Morse Code revolutionized communication
03:57 How barcodes work
10:34 How QR codes store information
18:16 Why damaged QR codes still work
29:54 Why are QR codes so common?
31:21 How safe are QR codes?
32:25 The future of QR codes

If you’re looking for a molecular modeling kit, try Snatoms, a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically.

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References:


Images & Video:
1940’s grocery store - H.I.C -
Why Americans Are Obsessed With Peanut Butter via Youtube -
Jif Peanut Butter 90s Commercial (1998) via Youtube -
Vericode Symbol via Youtube -
Oreo introduces Sour Patch Kids cookies via YouTube -
BSE - Changes in Behaviour via YouTube -
QR Code with Drones | Firefly Drone Show via YouTube -
Damaged barcode 1 by christiaangpr via Reddit -
Damaged barcode 2, Midcom service group
Oskana, G and Petkova, A. (2020 July 1). Testing a nano-barcodes marking technology for identification and protection of the mechanical products, Fig. 1 -
NASA Celebrates 40 Years of the Voyager Mission via Nasa.gov -
Apollo footage via Nasa.gov -
Snake in a QR code by MattKC via mattkc.com -
Scratched CD by Ice3yes via Reddit -
Alfred Vail Portrait via si.edu -
Bernard Silver Portrait vai invent.org -
Norman Joseph Woodland Portrait via usatoday.com
Masahiro Hara portrait via denso.com
Cooke and Wheatstone telegraph patents via Wikipedia:






5 needle telegraph via cachesleuth.com-

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Directed by Sumeet Kulkarni
Written by Sumeet Kulkarni and Derek Muller
Edited by Peter Nelson and Luke Molloy
Animated by David Szakaly, Fabio Albertelli, James Finnemore, Ivy Tello
Illustrations by Jakub Misiek, Emma Wright
Filmed by Derek Muller and Raquel Nuno
Additional Research by Gabriel Bean
Produced by Sumeet Kulkarni, Derek Muller, Rob Beasley Spence, Emily Lazard, Tori Brittain, Emily Zhang

Thumbnail contributions by Peter Sheppard, Ren Hurley, David Szakaly, Gregor Čavlović, Raquel Nuno
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images and Story Blocks
Music from Epidemic Sound