What is Explorable Explanations?
Explorable Explanations is a collection of interactive pages that let you learn an idea by playing with it. Instead of reading a long article, you drag sliders, run simulations and make choices, and the page shows what happens. The home page offers three random explorables each time you visit, and you can browse by subject or see everything on one page.
Subjects include math, physics, chemistry, biology, psychology, philosophy, economics, civics, journalism, art and programming. Entries include well-known pieces such as Parable of the Polygons, The Evolution of Trust, Pink Trombone and Seeing Theory, and each one links to its creator's own site. There are also sections with tools, tutorials and reading for people who want to make their own. The hub was designed and built by Nicky Case, and its code is open source and dedicated to the public domain.
Main Features
- A hub of interactive explainers you learn by playing with
- Three random explorables on the home page each visit
- Browse by subject, from math and physics to economics and art
- An ALL OF IT page listing every entry
- Links straight to each creator's own site
- Tools, tutorials and reading for making your own explorables
- Open source and public domain code
How to Get Started with Explorable Explanations
- Open explorabl.es in your browser.
- Try one of the three random explorables on the home page.
- Pick a subject you like, such as math or biology.
- Click an entry to open it on its creator's site and play with it.
- Visit the ALL OF IT page to see every entry at once.
Explorable Explanations Pricing
Explorable Explanations is free to browse and needs no account. The explorables it links to are made by different people and hosted on their own sites.
Who Should Use It?
- Curious people who learn best by doing
- Students who want a hands-on way into a topic
- Teachers looking for interactive class material
- Designers and coders who want to make their own explainers
- Anyone who likes clever web toys
Explorable Explanations Alternatives
- The Evolution of Trust is an interactive guide to game theory and why people trust each other.
- Seeing Theory teaches probability and statistics with interactive visuals.
- Mathigon is an interactive math textbook with puzzles and activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Explorable Explanations free?
Yes. The hub is free to browse and needs no account.
What is an explorable explanation?
It is an interactive page that teaches an idea by letting you play with it, for example by moving sliders or running a small simulation.
Who made Explorable Explanations?
The hub was designed and built by Nicky Case, with help from other makers in the explorables community.
Can I make my own explorable?
Yes. The site has sections with tools, tutorials and reading to help you get started.
What subjects does it cover?
It covers math, physics, chemistry, biology, psychology, philosophy, economics, civics, journalism, art, programming and more.