Education

The Ways Human Fashion Mimics Birds | WIRED

Feathery looks are a staple of modern fashion. Biologist and author Thor Hanson explores the unexpected origins of feathers in fashion, and how our quest for plumes brought some species to the brink of extinction. Still haven’t subscribed to WIRED on YouTube? ►► Listen to the Get WIRED podcast ►► Want more WIRED? Get the…

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Feathery looks are a staple of modern fashion. Biologist and author Thor Hanson explores the unexpected origins of feathers in fashion, and how our quest for plumes brought some species to the brink of extinction.

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102 Comments

  1. Heretic Tom

    July 18, 2022 at 9:22 pm

    Crispin Glover knows way more about birds than I would have expected

  2. Hollie Turner

    July 18, 2022 at 9:27 pm

    I could listen to him talk for hours! He needs his own Biology channel!

  3. Flo FG

    July 18, 2022 at 9:47 pm

    I loove how passionate he is! please let’s have him more often <3 <3 <3

  4. Henry Miller

    July 18, 2022 at 9:59 pm

    Great vid but this man speaks like a supervillain

  5. Justa Youtuber

    July 18, 2022 at 10:10 pm

    THOR is back!!!!

  6. Dana🍆𝗙**𝗖𝗞 Me! Check 𝗠𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶le💋

    July 18, 2022 at 10:20 pm

    I love this channel because I truly never know what I’m going to learn about when there’s a new upload yet I’m always intrigued by the video. Thanks for the new Snapple fact!

  7. aruce9

    July 18, 2022 at 10:56 pm

    Feather fashion (2022)
    ALL BOSS BATTLES

    Sorry this looked like the thumbnails that showcase all boss fights in a videogame

  8. Janet F

    July 18, 2022 at 11:01 pm

    Thanks, Thor, for bringing us some Monday magic! 👏🦚✨

  9. Robbie H

    July 18, 2022 at 11:06 pm

    I would love to hang with this dude for a day

  10. Kimberly G.

    July 18, 2022 at 11:11 pm

    Doin for biology what Erik Singer’s done for dialects. I think WIRED is inspired.

  11. Étoine de Vries

    July 18, 2022 at 11:21 pm

    Thor Hanson is a real one! He’s so entertaining and passionate!

  12. Scarlett Sugar

    July 18, 2022 at 11:29 pm

    I love this guy and the mortician Victor M. Sweeny. Please give us Thor and Victor in a video together. We need these two ICONS in a single video.

  13. Diogo Guerreiro

    July 18, 2022 at 11:34 pm

    Give this man a section, a channel, a podcast. Keep him talking!!

  14. Jolko

    July 18, 2022 at 11:36 pm

    i love this dude

  15. Roman Valeri

    July 18, 2022 at 11:42 pm

    Thor is quickly becoming the face of Wired

  16. BurningRabbit72

    July 18, 2022 at 11:49 pm

    I saw his face in the thumbnail and I’ve never clicked on something so fast. Love Dr. Hanson and his infectious enthusiasm for his field of study. Get this man a podcast!!

  17. Felica 🍆 I am Online 💋 F Uc_k me

    July 18, 2022 at 11:54 pm

    I clicked on this so fast when I saw it was him again. I never thought I would be watching a very charismatic and wonderfully eloquent biologist talk about feathers in fashion but here I am. HE NEEDS HIS OWN CHANNEL, PODCAST, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING

  18. Agustin Alejo Gimenez

    July 18, 2022 at 11:57 pm

    Man I see a vid of this guy and I drop everything I’m doing to watch it. I want to study biology!

  19. Sam Davani

    July 19, 2022 at 12:15 am

    This guy is awsome

  20. I Grim

    July 19, 2022 at 12:56 am

    Our friend Thor telling us we use feathers to brighten a dark world and celebrate love and the thunder of war.

  21. AYoungChair

    July 19, 2022 at 12:58 am

    I love Thor Hanson! That’s it, that’s the comment.

  22. Kay Wolfe

    July 19, 2022 at 1:05 am

    He’s got the enthusiasm and humor of Steve Irwin. Couldn’t you imagine if they had done a show together while Stevie was alive???

  23. Amanda Guenther

    July 19, 2022 at 1:06 am

    Yes! Always love to see this guy!

  24. JasonDelRey

    July 19, 2022 at 1:15 am

    This guy is awesome. I enjoy every video he’s in.

  25. 24fretsoffury

    July 19, 2022 at 1:23 am

    For all you RDR2 cowpokes, no wonder why Rockstar had you mass murder Egrets and Spoonbills, they were making a point with how America was during that time.

  26. Kacey 🔥 I WANT SЕХ 💋 F Uc_k me

    July 19, 2022 at 1:40 am

    I love this channel because I truly never know what I’m going to learn about when there’s a new upload yet I’m always intrigued by the video. Thanks for the new Snapple fact!

  27. Justin Loveday

    July 19, 2022 at 1:41 am

    This guy is awesome

  28. Meryl 🔞 T[A]P ON [M][Y] PlcTuRE

    July 19, 2022 at 3:15 am

    I love this channel because I truly never know what I’m going to learn about when there’s a new upload yet I’m always intrigued by the video. Thanks for the new Snapple fact!

  29. Meryl 🔞 T[A]P ON [M][Y] PlcTuRE

    July 19, 2022 at 3:15 am

    This guy went form just another expert on a Wired video to a full blown crowd favourite. I agree with everyone else in that he definitely needs to keep coming/get his own channel or something. The way he talks about stuff just makes you want to keep listening

  30. Photon Flash

    July 19, 2022 at 3:21 am

    you BETTER have a clip of Nicki <3

  31. BIG BOI RYAN LAST NAME

    July 19, 2022 at 3:30 am

    just hire him at this point

  32. mgonzalez.88

    July 19, 2022 at 3:56 am

    If science was a guy

  33. Touch. Me. I Will Turn You

    July 19, 2022 at 4:42 am

    I love how enthusiastic this guy talks about birds.. You can see he’s really passionate about the matter 🙂
    And I’m an animal enthusiast myself :3

  34. Kana G

    July 19, 2022 at 4:56 am

    He is kind of teacher we all need. Giving enthusiasm for the student to learn and enjoy

  35. O V H

    July 19, 2022 at 5:51 am

    Sad to think of how many bird species went extinct just for frivolous hats!

  36. Semprul

    July 19, 2022 at 6:23 am

    Yesss!! Thor Hanson is back! 😁

  37. Hans Tekarov

    July 19, 2022 at 9:14 am

    we want more of your videos Prof. Thor

  38. Briana Cunningham

    July 19, 2022 at 9:40 am

    Yaas! THOR IS BACK

  39. Anas Al Mallouhi

    July 19, 2022 at 10:01 am

    Honestly Thor needs his own science show, like Bill Nye or Carl Sagan.

  40. Noah Norton

    July 19, 2022 at 10:02 am

    I will watch anything with Thor in it. Clicked immediately. ❤️❤️

  41. Ecvj TV

    July 19, 2022 at 10:58 am

    This guy is a legend 😀

  42. Natasha Val

    July 19, 2022 at 11:46 am

    Auto click for him! Met gala equals to bird watching lol

  43. princessparrots

    July 19, 2022 at 1:09 pm

    As soon as I saw him and a palm cockatoo(my favourite animal) in the thumbnail, I just went straight to it without even reading the title 😂. Love watching his videos.

  44. Brazen NL

    July 19, 2022 at 1:15 pm

    What can I say that hasn’t been said before? This gentleman is simply amazing. He should create his own channel.

    • Commander Iosif Stalin

      July 21, 2022 at 7:13 am

      Scientists like him generally don’t have time for Internet channels. So far, I only know Dr Rebecca Smethurst, a British astrophysicist and also a YouTuber who shares her point of view and explain about science on her own YouTube videos.

  45. ChocoKid26

    July 19, 2022 at 2:49 pm

    I didn’t expect myself to fangirl over a biology expert talking on wired but here I am. Always more fun to learn things when the person talking is passionate about it.

  46. Crose25

    July 19, 2022 at 3:23 pm

    PLEASE bring this guy back!!!!!!

  47. amara smith

    July 19, 2022 at 4:05 pm

    he’s back! i love to see it 😄

  48. BHUVANESHWAR SAI REDDY

    July 19, 2022 at 4:46 pm

    He is a very good biologist and is amazing in explaining things.the knowledge is very deep and excellent in knowing all

  49. Clara -My New Private vidoe

    July 19, 2022 at 11:45 pm

    I love how enthusiastic this guy talks about birds.. You can see he’s really passionate about the matter 🙂
    And I’m an animal enthusiast myself :3

  50. Kelli 💖 𝐹**СК МЕ - СНЕ𝒞𝒦 𝑀𝒴 Р𝑅𝟢𝐹𝐼𝐿Е

    July 20, 2022 at 1:21 am

    I love this channel because I truly never know what I’m going to learn about when there’s a new upload yet I’m always intrigued by the video. Thanks for the new Snapple fact!

  51. Lad

    July 20, 2022 at 2:47 am

    One of the birds in the thumbnail is not real, it’s an edited black palm cockatoo 😕

  52. *:*: Hamster Muffin :*:*

    July 20, 2022 at 2:57 am

    He is kind of teacher we all need. Giving enthusiasm for the student to learn and enjoy

  53. Son D. Lollipop

    July 20, 2022 at 2:58 am

    GIVE THIS MAN HIS OWN CHANNEL HE WOULD BLOW UP QUICK.

  54. Imjustnia

    July 20, 2022 at 3:20 am

    YAY HES BACK

  55. Celia 𝐹**СК МЕ - СНЕ𝒞𝒦 𝑀𝒴 Р𝑅𝟢𝐹𝐼𝐿Е

    July 20, 2022 at 4:34 am

    He needs his own channel. His enthusiasm is so appreciated.

  56. Jeane 🔥F-'ck M'-e - Check my P'ro'fi-le🔥

    July 20, 2022 at 6:12 am

    He needs his own channel. His enthusiasm is so appreciated.

  57. Dannil

    July 20, 2022 at 6:56 am

    Why only women wear feathers these days?

  58. Freemind

    July 20, 2022 at 11:05 pm

    Ironically female humans uses male birds feathers to look great and get that vain temporary attention… What a shame..

  59. Roberto Prestigiacomo

    July 20, 2022 at 11:42 pm

    When this guy talks about his expertise, he sounds like a grandpa teeling you a story before going to bed.
    If he’s like this as a teacher, his students are extremely privileged.

  60. Henry Long

    July 21, 2022 at 12:31 am

    who cares whether its in fashion???????????????????????????

  61. Henry Long

    July 21, 2022 at 12:34 am

    ffs get a fashion expert to talk about this subject. it has everything to do with trends and very little to do with the biology of birds. its like asking a nuclear physicist to comment on chrome fittings for cars and why they are so big. so tenuously related to the topic that it boggles the mind how a media company thought a biologist was the person to ask and not an anthropologist or a fashion historian.

    • kashii chan

      July 22, 2022 at 3:34 am

      I actually thought this was an interesting take on it. Can’t please everyone, I suppose

  62. borednow

    July 21, 2022 at 3:37 am

    very fun and interesting video…. i wouldnt say we “borrow” feathers though…. we just kill the birds and steal the feathers

  63. Francesca Balestra

    July 21, 2022 at 9:22 am

    0:06 ma quella è Chiara Ferragniii, ciao Chiaraaaa

  64. Lucas Otis

    July 21, 2022 at 9:30 am

    I just really enjoy this gentlemen. I could listen to him any day, any time

  65. E L

    July 21, 2022 at 11:26 am

    So glad he was brought back. He makes everything fascinating.

    Side note: Thor is such a cool name to have haha.

  66. Jay Max

    July 21, 2022 at 12:47 pm

    This guys awesome

  67. DJUNGELSKOG

    July 21, 2022 at 8:17 pm

    Massive respect to birds for abandoning evolutionary advantages for more drip lmao, no respect for the fashion industry at the time though

    • kashii chan

      July 22, 2022 at 3:37 am

      5:51 onwards talks about how there was actually an evolutionary benefit to the colour and shape of feathers – mating displays etc

  68. leah o sullivan

    July 22, 2022 at 3:09 am

    I love this guy!!! Give me more!

  69. Scruffbeard

    July 22, 2022 at 1:22 pm

    I would love to buy Thor a beer and pick his brain someday!

  70. Skinwalker

    July 22, 2022 at 3:37 pm

    Thor Hanson needs his own channel to teach us about biology <3

  71. Johnzilla

    July 22, 2022 at 5:28 pm

    I could listen to this guy talk about making breakfast in the morning and I’d be intrigued!

  72. ainnothin

    July 23, 2022 at 12:18 am

    This guy talks so weird

  73. Major Issues

    July 23, 2022 at 5:14 am

    I love the energy and joy he has in explaining things. This guy is epic!

  74. Reshma Menon

    July 23, 2022 at 5:23 am

    “God, how did humans get it so backwards?” – Charles Boyle, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

  75. Bruh Moment34

    July 23, 2022 at 8:36 pm

    *Then the Winged Hussars arrived*

  76. D Lee

    July 24, 2022 at 7:34 am

    Fascinating and fun! Love this guy!

  77. Flameshadowwolf

    July 24, 2022 at 11:54 am

    I don’t usually read nonfiction books but he makes me want to read his books

  78. Crmsnraider

    July 24, 2022 at 2:02 pm

    Array of information here.

  79. davidc_ac

    July 24, 2022 at 3:04 pm

    I love this guy!

  80. Invox

    July 24, 2022 at 9:08 pm

    That being said, then I’m the male equivalent of a featherless bird. 😅

  81. Melanin Queen

    July 25, 2022 at 3:24 am

    Thor shld have studied to become a meteorologist just because..

  82. Lai 6696

    July 25, 2022 at 4:26 am

    So now extinction of birds are due to Women’s fault?

  83. attack kill

    July 25, 2022 at 2:10 pm

    Thor Hanson has such great energy. i’m always partial to any video with a biologist in it, particularly when discussing wildlife- but i don’t think that’s the only reason he’s my favorite cameo of the Explains series! this is the kind of guy you want to get as your bio professor for the semester. i especially love hearing him talk about birds. joining the other comments who are demanding more videos with this guy!

  84. JadeLeaf1980

    July 25, 2022 at 8:22 pm

    I love this guy. He’s so fun.

  85. chiggidychill

    July 25, 2022 at 9:30 pm

    Yayyy thank you so much for featuring Thor again! Absolutely love listening to him speak

  86. Kendra Holliday

    July 25, 2022 at 11:36 pm

    But why did the gender flip when it comes to wearing fancy feathers? Why does male bird gorgeousness get co-opted by female humans? And, if a woman is wearing peacock and ostrich feathers, is she in drag?

  87. Zach Rhody

    July 26, 2022 at 12:12 am

    With every videos that I watch I find out that humans are the root cause of this planets/animals demise.

  88. Ghetrix

    July 26, 2022 at 3:03 am

    Did he just say Mayo culture 🤔🤔🤔

  89. sheri

    July 26, 2022 at 10:23 am

    Feathers in modern fashion are cruel & unnecessary. Also, I love this guy. 💕

  90. MAKO BELL

    July 26, 2022 at 10:40 pm

    YES love to see thor back!!

  91. Sidney Rose

    July 27, 2022 at 12:18 am

    We need more biologists giving fashion commentaries; balancing sustainability and preservation with our cultural emphasis on style and status through clothing (and plumage!)

  92. youragentnextdoor

    July 27, 2022 at 12:42 am

    I clicked on the video not for the feathers but for the biologists lol

  93. Shannon McCormick

    July 27, 2022 at 1:21 am

    The existence of this video has the same energy as running into your favourite professor on a night out at the bar lol

  94. Spacemaster 13

    July 27, 2022 at 8:24 am

    More of him💜💜

  95. Smi Co

    July 27, 2022 at 1:44 pm

    I don’t care about fashion, I just came for Thor talking enthusiastically about a subject

  96. Timothy A. Naisbett

    July 27, 2022 at 1:47 pm

    Awesome!!

  97. Anthony GUERIN

    July 27, 2022 at 6:51 pm

    This is so niche and I love it very much

  98. Jake Shapiro

    July 29, 2022 at 2:23 am

    I adore this man

  99. Marget Mints

    July 29, 2022 at 9:46 pm

    I think feathers are far less damaging to animals than wearing fur, fur is unforgivable.
    Feather can be obtained without hurting the animal ❣️

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