Toby Hendy
Toby Hendy, known online as Tibees, makes videos about mathematics, physics and the history of science, and writes books that turn mathematical ideas into stories.
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Latest
Toby’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus her backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
- BookAlpha Creek2026 · Co-author with Len Vlahos
- BookA Guide to Making Friends in the Fourth Dimension2025 · Author
- Finding X: A Mathematical Short Film2022 · Co-creator, producer, writer and narrator
YouTube - Logarithms explained Bob Ross style2019 · Joy of Mathematics
YouTube - This is what an astrophysics exam looks like at MIT2018 · Unboxing exams
YouTube
Overview
- Known as
- Tibees
- From
- New Zealand
- Work
- Science communicator, video creator and author
- Studies
- Physics and mathematics at the University of Canterbury; physics honours at ANU
- First science video
- 2011, while in high school
- Breakout
- Grew from 1,000 to over 100,000 subscribers in 2018
Mini bio
How it started.
Toby grew up in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty and uploaded her first science video in 2011, aged 15. Science documentaries and YouTube creators helped spark her interest. Early growth was slow: she says it took about five years to reach 100 subscribers.
Finding her direction.
She studied physics and mathematics at the University of Canterbury, then completed honours at the Australian National University. During her PhD, she put more effort into Tibees. In 2018 the channel grew from 1,000 to over 100,000 subscribers. She withdrew from the PhD to pursue the combination of science, creativity and communication that she enjoyed.
A calmer way into maths.
Tibees brings viewers close to original scientific papers, historical documents and exam questions. Her Joy of Mathematics videos borrow Bob Ross’s calm chalkboard storytelling style. Toby told Careers with STEM that she hoped the approach would make maths feel less stressful.
Stories beyond the classroom.
Her 2022 animated short Finding X follows X searching for meaning in a world of numbers. Her first book, A Guide to Making Friends in the Fourth Dimension, explores higher dimensions through illustrated stories, with contributions from Michael Stevens and CodeParade. In 2026 she and Len Vlahos co-wrote Alpha Creek, a science-fiction story about a robot in a remote mining town.
Creditschronological, newest first
Books
- 2026Alpha CreekCo-author with Len Vlahos; illustrated by Mio Linzie
- 2025A Guide to Making Friends in the Fourth DimensionAuthor; illustrated by Martina Pepiciello
Film and series
- 2025Jet Lag: The Game, season 15: Tag All StarsGuest competitor
- 2024Design RevolutionWriter with Julian O’Shea and Kirsten Banks
- 2022Finding X: A Mathematical Short FilmCo-creator and producer; script and narration
Awards
- 2025 Sloan Science Prize in Narrative FictionWinner for A Guide to Making Friends in the Fourth Dimension, a screen project inspired by her book.
- 2024 Queensland Young Australian of the YearNominee for her work as a science communicator, YouTuber and filmmaker.
- 2022 Silbersalz Young Audience AwardFinding X won; Toby co-created and produced the film with Cedric Scheerlinck.
- 2012 NZ Eureka Awards for Science CommunicationSecondary school winner.
Quotes
The combination of art and science inspires me, and I love finding ways to unite these concepts in my videos.Toby Hendy, The Aperiodical
In an October 2023 interview about Tibees and her approach to mathematical videos.
Trivia
- Tibees was a childhood nickname given to Toby by her brother. She created the YouTube account under that name in 2006, before posting science videos in 2011.
- She says her accent reflects time spent living in both New Zealand and Australia.
- Her physics honours research involved probing plant cells with a tiny needle.
- Her outdoor Joy of Mathematics videos often feature her cats.
- The asteroid (22955) Tibees carries her online nickname.
Find Toby
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