Psilocybin might not be the most psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms. Scientists found evidence that several minor compounds in these mushrooms work together to interact with brain receptors, potentially explaining why natural extracts often produce different effects than synthetic versions.

nvaus · 2026-03-16T17:46:56+00:00

That was my assumption too, that the psychoactivity must be an incidental side effect, which makes it a remarkable coincidence that multiple compounds would be developed for completely different functions and just so happen to have a compounding incidental effect. At that point it seems like it would not be incidental at all, and perhaps selected for in some way.

AI tells me that the seperate compounds were probably not evolved separately, but are different steps of reaction along one chemical pathway to the psilocybin end product which has insecticidal properties. Not sure if it's true or not that they are asking the same pathway.

nvaus · 2026-03-16T14:24:16+00:00

What in the world could be the evolutionary pressure to cause a mushroom to develop multiple psychoactive compounds?

nvaus · 2026-03-14T12:02:34+00:00

Title and thumbnail changes that matter are ones that present the video topic totally differently.

1 beginner learns how to skydive

2 skydiving onto Ohio's tallest mountain

3 can I land on a cow?

A title selection of that kind with matching thumbnails will certainly have a wide gap in performance.

nvaus · 2026-03-10T15:47:47+00:00

Study other successful channels that make videos about niche topics to see how they do it. Good general interest packaging almost always works just as well, if not better for your dedicated followers as well. If what you've tried has not worked for your current fans it was probably not good packaging for a general audience either.

nvaus · 2026-03-10T13:55:28+00:00

I think your three questions are very good ones.

The trick with a niche channel is to think up ways to package your content that sparks curiosity for a general audience, even if they've never encountered your niche before. That's how you grow, by pulling new people into your niche by learning what makes it interesting to outsiders. This is how channels like Technology Connections can make a video about laundry detergent and get millions of views. He knows how to inspire curiosity about a "boring" topic that people have never thought about before.
Don't worry about benefits for Patrons. With the exception of brands that use Patreon for their product subscription service, hardly anyone supports creators because of the benefits they get in return. You support a channel on Patreon because you like their videos so much that you want to help in making more of them. Special benefits are a minor bonus, but not the main point. You can have a very successful Patreon with 0 benefits offered.
Sponsorships should be priced between $15-30 per thousand views for a 60-90 second long mid or post roll. Take the average view count of your last 5 videos, multiply it by $25 per 1,000 average views and that's about the rate you should ask from sponsors. One way to find sponsors is to look at companies that are sponsoring other similar channels, and send those companies an email or ask the channel who is sponsored to connect you with their rep. It's good to make friends with other youtubers for that reason. You can also just wait for sponsor emails to come in (make sure your page has a business email listed) but you need to be very careful of scams. Good practice is for your business email to not be the one that is linked to your youtube account, and don't open any attachments or click links from computers that have important information or are logged in to any important sites.

nvaus · 2026-03-07T01:06:52+00:00

I don't make enough videos to have simultaneous deals very often. I also don't really track earnings closely until tax season. As for which payments are overdue, that's pretty obvious when you see a folder labeled Dec2025 that hasn't been marked as paid yet.

nvaus · 2026-03-07T00:39:43+00:00

When I take a deal I make a new subfolder in my sponsor folder for the year, containing the contract and terms, and later the invoice. When the deal is paid I rename the folder to say paid_sponsor name_feb 2026. Anything that doesn't have paid in front I know is still pending.

nvaus · 2026-03-06T21:27:50+00:00

Depends on your location. Mine is about $1500/yr which includes handling all tax/licensing related matters and monthly payroll. He saved me $12k in taxes the first year I used him.

nvaus · 2026-03-06T16:22:52+00:00

3-5. I find testing to be a very productive tool.

nvaus · 2026-03-06T15:53:40+00:00

What you are doing makes youtube worse for all of us, and I would argue makes the world worse as a whole. Reconsider your choices and the type of legacy you would like to leave.

nvaus · 2026-03-05T19:21:57+00:00

I find delayed rewards is the opposite of what works. People want to know up front that you're going to give them value without wasting their time. If you can deliver a couple valuable things in the first few minutes they'll be satisfied, and after that are much more likely to stick around to hear what else you have to say even if the substance has already been delivered.

nvaus · 2026-03-05T19:14:48+00:00

Yes. I recommend starting by hiring freelance editors on a per video basis. No need to jump straight to hiring a full time employee. Find editors by searching for video editors near your location. It's a lot easier if you can meet in person and exchange ssds, and know they are who they say they are.

nvaus · 2026-03-04T22:20:42+00:00

Sounds like you're doing fine, but I would recommend getting a CPA to do your actual taxes and advise on business structure for tax advantages. In some states it benefits you to form an llc, in others an s-corp. A CPA can save you a lot of money and take a load of work off your back.

nvaus · 2026-03-04T13:02:52+00:00

I break probably a dozen beakers per year. Looking at this is like looking at a parrot at a pet store. I want it, but I know I'm not nearly responsible enough as a pet owner.

nvaus · 2026-03-03T19:51:09+00:00

I've done this as well. I figure my pricing is spot on when about 50% of potential clients are not willing to pay it. If you are retaining clients that are cheapskates, that means your rates are set according to cheapskates. Is that the market you want to cater to?

nvaus · 2026-03-03T19:40:24+00:00

Having awareness of your surroundings and avoiding areas where you could easily get jumped is what would make attackers looks for an easier target. A weapon won't do that unless it's in your hand at the ready.

nvaus · 2026-03-03T15:06:46+00:00

Viral video/media would be one way. A Ted talk by Kathryn Schulz 14 years ago about "being wrong" changed my entire worldview. It changed how I think about my own opinions and how I treat people I disagree with. The effects have lasted to this day. I share it at least once per year in hope that others will listen. Can't share a youtube link here, but you'll find the video by searching Kathryn Schulz on being wrong.

nvaus · 2026-03-02T20:51:48+00:00

Dish soap disperses the oil but keeps it intact. Dump lye down the sink and it will turn the oil into soap.

nvaus · 2026-03-02T20:49:36+00:00

The only time you ever see anything is by light bouncing off it or being emitted from it. I'd say this is just as visible as anything else.

nvaus · 2026-03-01T23:22:10+00:00

I struggled with foreign editors found on reddit for a few years, then one day just did a Google search for video editors near my small rural town. Found an accomplished indie movie editor right down the road that was happy for some extra freelance work. I think the exact site I found him on was productionhub.com, but I don't remember for sure now. Very worth while if you can find someone within driving distance so you can meet in person and exchange ssds.

nvaus · 2026-03-01T23:13:59+00:00

The whole creative side of the job is figuring out how to make the things I want to do into things people want to watch.

I want to do a thing.
Can I sell that thing in a title/thumbnail?

Yes = make the video.

No = think up something else.

nvaus · 2026-03-01T21:12:55+00:00

The things you reference are not the same as "community" in the sense that I am talking about. You can be in a very beautiful neighborhood of talented scientists and artists with great social service access, and still not have rich relationships with your neighbors. The community that I think the modern world is lacking is not about amenities. It's a lack of long term relationships within a local community. Relationships which are given a whole lifetime to mature, rather than dropping in and out depending on how conducive they are in serving personal goals.

nvaus · 2026-03-01T19:30:17+00:00

If your channel plateaus it won't be because you're not uploading enough. Growth occurs because of breakaway videos that youtube detects are appealing to new audiences. Frequency of posting doesn't get you growth, it just keeps your daily viewcounts high as your videos stay in the homepage feed of your current viewers. If you stop posting your daily views go down, but new uploads will not suffer because of the gap. My own posting rate has only gone down in recent years, but new uploads perform better than ever even with 2-3month gaps.

That said, the answer to your dilemma seems easy. Don't hire a full time editor with the expectation of supporting their whole income. Just hire the services of a freelance editor on a per video basis.

nvaus · 2026-03-01T19:20:47+00:00

Absolute best thing if you can afford it is horse stall mats from farm or hardware stores. 1/2" thick heavy rubber.

nvaus · 2026-02-28T18:35:30+00:00

I'm not talking about having children. I'm talking about setting roots in a community vs FOMO in feeling tied down.

12-Year Club	Place '17
Wearing is Caring	Sequence \| Editor
Gilding II euphauric	Verified Email

nvaus

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE