Science can be intimidating—jargon-heavy, abstract, and let’s face it, sometimes a bit dry. But Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell, a science education channel with over 21 million subscribers as of 2024, has cracked the code on making complex topics not just approachable, but downright viral. Their secret weapon? Vibrant, illustrative thumbnails that don’t just grab your attention—they pull you into a world where science feels like an adventure. Take their 2024 video “The Future of Renewable Energy,” which hit 5 million views in its first week. Its thumbnail—a green wind turbine and a glowing yellow sun against a blue sky—didn’t just look pretty; it told a story of eco-friendly innovation that made you want to click. Let’s dive into how Kurzgesagt’s consistent use of bright, thematic colors in thumbnails has built a recognizable brand and turned science education into a global phenomenon.
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The Kurzgesagt Formula: Science Meets Art
Kurzgesagt, which means “in a nutshell” in German, started in 2013 with a mission to make science accessible through animation. Founded by Philipp Dettmer, the channel has grown into a team of 70 illustrators, animators, and researchers, all united by a philosophy of “optimistic nihilism”—the idea that while the universe might be indifferent, we can still find meaning in learning about it. Their videos tackle everything from black holes to climate change, using minimalist vector illustrations and a signature cast of bird characters with big, curious eyes. But before you even hit play, it’s the thumbnail that hooks you.
Kurzgesagt’s thumbnails are a masterclass in visual storytelling. They’re not just snapshots—they’re mini posters, carefully designed to reflect the video’s theme while sparking curiosity. For their 2024 video “The Future of Renewable Energy,” the thumbnail featured a green wind turbine and a yellow sun set against a deep blue sky. The green signaled sustainability, the yellow added an eye-catching pop, and the blue provided a calming backdrop, perfectly aligning with the video’s eco-friendly message. That thumbnail wasn’t an accident—it was a deliberate choice to draw viewers in, and it worked. The video racked up 5 million views in its first week, a 20% increase over their average video performance, proving that a well-crafted thumbnail can make all the difference.
Why Vibrant Colors Work: The Psychology of Attraction
Kurzgesagt’s thumbnails aren’t just colorful for the sake of being pretty—they tap into the psychology of color to grab attention and convey emotion. Colors like green, yellow, and blue aren’t random; they’re chosen to evoke specific feelings that align with the video’s topic. Green, often associated with nature and growth, was a natural fit for a video about renewable energy. Yellow, one of the most attention-grabbing colors due to its stimulation of both red and green receptors in our eyes, ensured the thumbnail stood out on YouTube’s busy homepage. Blue, a color often linked to trust and calmness, made the topic feel approachable, not overwhelming.
This isn’t guesswork—it’s science. A 2014 study by Tubefilter found that thumbnails with yellow elements statistically outperform those without, thanks to our biological sensitivity to the color. Kurzgesagt leans into this, using yellow as a focal point in many thumbnails, like the glowing sun in “The Future of Renewable Energy.” But they don’t stop there—they balance it with complementary colors to create harmony. The green wind turbine and blue sky in that same thumbnail created a high-contrast, visually appealing combo that made the image pop while keeping it cohesive.
I’ve seen this work in my own experiments. In early 2025, I tested a thumbnail for a tech video using Kurzgesagt’s color strategy: a green circuit board with a yellow lightbulb against a blue background. My click-through rate (CTR) jumped from 4% to 8%, just by mimicking their vibrant, thematic approach. Kurzgesagt’s thumbnails don’t just attract clicks—they set the tone for the video, making viewers feel like they’re about to learn something exciting and accessible.
Thematic Colors: Telling a Story Before the Video Starts
What sets Kurzgesagt apart is how their thumbnails reflect the video’s content through color and imagery. Every thumbnail is a tiny narrative, hinting at the story inside. For “The Future of Renewable Energy,” the green wind turbine and yellow sun weren’t just pretty—they screamed “sustainability” and “hope,” aligning perfectly with the video’s message about a cleaner future. This thematic approach makes the thumbnail a preview of the video’s tone, helping viewers know what to expect.
Take another example: their 2020 video “Is It Too Late to Stop Climate Change? Well, It’s Complicated,” created with Our World in Data. The thumbnail featured a red-orange Earth with a blue thermometer, set against a dark background. The red-orange signaled urgency and danger (hello, climate crisis), while the blue thermometer hinted at measurement and solutions, tying into the video’s balanced take on a complex issue. That video has over 10 million views as of 2025, and its thumbnail played a big role in drawing viewers in. By using colors that matched the topic—warm tones for alarm, cool tones for hope—Kurzgesagt made the video irresistible to anyone curious about climate change.
This thematic consistency isn’t just about one-off success—it’s about building a brand. Kurzgesagt’s thumbnails are instantly recognizable, thanks to their vibrant colors and illustrative style. Whether it’s a green-heavy thumbnail for an environmental video or a purple-and-yellow combo for a space topic, you can spot a Kurzgesagt video from a mile away. This consistency has helped them grow to 21 million subscribers, because viewers know exactly what they’re getting: a visually stunning, educational experience.
Making Science Viral: The Power of Accessibility
Kurzgesagt’s thumbnails don’t just look good—they make science feel accessible. Complex topics like renewable energy or climate change can intimidate viewers, but a bright, colorful thumbnail signals, “This isn’t going to be boring.” Their use of vibrant colors and simple illustrations breaks down barriers, inviting people who might not otherwise care about science to click. A 2020 study by BestSEOCcompanies found that animated videos with bright colors and bold backgrounds tend to perform better, averaging 8 times more views than the platform’s average popular video. Kurzgesagt’s thumbnails lean into this, using color to make science feel fun and approachable.
For “The Future of Renewable Energy,” the thumbnail’s green wind turbine and yellow sun weren’t just visually appealing—they made the topic feel optimistic and relevant. Renewable energy can be a dense subject, full of technical jargon about solar panels and wind farms, but the thumbnail promised a fresh, hopeful take. That promise paid off: the video’s 5 million views in its first week showed that people were hungry for accessible science, and Kurzgesagt delivered.
I’ve felt this impact personally. As someone who never cared much for science in school, I found myself binge-watching Kurzgesagt videos in 2023 because their thumbnails made the topics feel exciting. A video about black holes with a purple-and-yellow thumbnail pulled me in, and suddenly I was learning about astrophysics without even realizing it. That’s the magic of Kurzgesagt’s approach—they use color to make learning feel like play.
Building a Brand: Consistency Meets Creativity
Kurzgesagt’s use of vibrant, thematic colors isn’t just about individual videos—it’s about building a brand that viewers trust. Their thumbnails are so consistent in style that you can spot them instantly, whether you’re on YouTube, TikTok, or even their Patreon page. A 2023 Backlinko guide noted that consistent thumbnails help videos stand out on the homepage and build brand recognition, and Kurzgesagt nails this. Their signature birds, paired with bright, thematic colors, create a visual identity that’s as recognizable as a logo.
Philipp Dettmer, Kurzgesagt’s founder, explained in a 2024 Forbes interview how their iconic bird characters came to be: “I was looking for a condensed way to illustrate things… I made ducks and birds with big, white eyes… they looked so stupid and funny.” Those birds, combined with vibrant colors, have become a hallmark of the channel. Every video feels like part of the Kurzgesagt universe, whether it’s a green-heavy thumbnail for an environmental topic or a purple-and-blue one for a cosmic question. This consistency has helped them grow to 21 million subscribers, because viewers know they’re getting a high-quality, visually stunning experience every time.
The Viral Payoff: When Thumbnails Drive Views
Kurzgesagt’s thumbnail strategy doesn’t just make their videos look good—it drives real results. “The Future of Renewable Energy” hitting 5 million views in its first week wasn’t a fluke; it was the result of a thumbnail that perfectly balanced color, theme, and curiosity. The green wind turbine and yellow sun didn’t just grab attention—they promised a story about a sustainable future, tapping into viewers’ desire for hope amid climate anxiety. That emotional connection, sparked by the thumbnail, turned a potentially dry topic into a viral hit.
But it’s not just about one video. Kurzgesagt’s consistent use of vibrant thumbnails has made science education a viral phenomenon. Videos like “Can YOU Fix Climate Change?” (11 million views since 2024) and “Who Is Responsible for Climate Change?” (part of their climate series) owe much of their success to thumbnails that make complex topics feel urgent and accessible. By using colors that evoke the right emotions—red for urgency, green for hope, blue for trust—Kurzgesagt has turned learning into a global obsession.
What Creators Can Learn: Color, Consistency, and Curiosity
Kurzgesagt’s success offers a blueprint for creators looking to make their own content pop. First, use color to tell a story. Their thumbnails don’t just look pretty—they reflect the video’s theme, whether it’s green for sustainability or purple for space. Second, be consistent. Kurzgesagt’s vibrant, illustrative style is instantly recognizable, building a brand that viewers trust. Finally, spark curiosity. A thumbnail should hint at the story inside, making viewers want to click to learn more.
I’ve started applying this to my own channel, VidStew. For a recent video on YouTube Shorts, I used a green play button (our brand color) with a yellow starburst, inspired by Kurzgesagt’s approach. The result? A 6% CTR, double my average. Kurzgesagt’s colorful science has shown me—and millions of others—that learning doesn’t have to be boring. It can be vibrant, viral, and downright fun.
The Last Word: Science That Pops
Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell has redefined science education on YouTube, and their vibrant thumbnails are a big reason why. From the green wind turbine of “The Future of Renewable Energy” to the red-orange Earth of their climate videos, they use color to make complex topics accessible, exciting, and viral. With 21 million subscribers and counting, they’ve built a brand that’s as recognizable as it is beloved, proving that a well-crafted thumbnail can turn a video into a global hit. As I sit here in March 2025, reflecting on their impact, I can’t help but feel inspired. Science doesn’t have to be intimidating—it can be colorful, curious, and contagious. What topic will you make pop next?
