
12 Revolutionary Discoveries That Could Change Everything
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Narrated by:
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Laura Helmuth
About this listen
We’re living in a golden age of scientific breakthroughs and technological advancements. From the messenger RNA (mRNA) technology deployed in the COVID-19 vaccines to new research into the biology of lichens to new theories about the inner workings of black holes, the 21st century has given us an exciting new understanding of ourselves, our world, and our universe.
Now, you have the chance to dig into some of the most fascinating and important scientific advancements in recent years. Unexpected, consequential, and often counterintuitive, 12 Revolutionary Discoveries That Could Change Everything offers an inspiring introduction to science in the 21st century. Taught by Scientific American editor in chief Laura Helmuth, these eye-opening lectures will satiate even the most inquisitive mind.
Laura sets the stage with what we used to know—for example, how the solar system was formed, how exercise promoted weight loss, or what dinosaurs may have looked like. She then surveys recent scientific literature to challenge our understanding of the world. We might think of science as a linear process—something is discovered, and that discovery leads to new developments—yet new insights occasionally contradict previous beliefs and send us in new directions.
Indeed, the “discoveries that could change everything” are so important because they expand our knowledge or help us experience the world in even greater depth. In exploring these “paradigm shifts,” you’ll meet researchers from around the world, ranging from leaders in their fields to graduate students seeking to make their mark to ordinary naturalists with extraordinary abilities.
From the chemical makeup of ocean particles to the way the brain perceives the world, Laura takes you into the fields of neuroscience, botany, paleontology, oceanography, astrophysics, and much more. Rich in stories that will please scientists and laypeople alike, this course truly is an intellectual smorgasbord of scientific disciplines.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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In the 24 fascinating lectures of Existentialism and the Authentic Life, Professor Skye C. Cleary will lead you through the writings of many existentialists to help you understand how they addressed the biggest of all questions. Writing about love, death, sex, war, plagues, intrigue, murder, deception, and more, these thinkers guide you toward living an authentic and meaningful life in a world that often seems absurd.
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Friendly presentation
- By Anonymous User on 06-04-24
By: Skye C. Cleary, and others
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Forgotten America
- Rediscovering Events That Changed the Nation
- By: Rachel Michelle Gunter, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Rachel Michelle Gunter
- Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins
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In Forgotten America: Rediscovering Events that Changed the Nation, turn your attention to the unfamiliar in United States history with historian and author Dr. Rachel Michelle Gunter.
By: Rachel Michelle Gunter, and others
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Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World
- By: Gregory S. Aldrete, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 13 hrs and 15 mins
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The 24 revealing lectures of Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World reconstruct over a dozen biographies from the classical world—most of them little-known, some of them quite unlikely heroes. With Professor Emeritus Gregory Aldrete as your expert guide, you will meet the ambitious travel writers, dedicated engineers, careful cartographers, diligent farmers, woman philosophers, devoted wives, skilled military generals, African rebels, Persian kings, and impressive athletes who stood out among their peers centuries ago.
By: Gregory S. Aldrete, and others
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The Human Journey
- By: Gaia Vince, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gaia Vince
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
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Humans have been on a remarkable journey these past 300,000 years. We started in Africa and slowly spread across the globe—crossing land bridges, sailing into the unknown, and eventually building cities and civilizations. While our primate cousins stayed where they evolved, we moved. Migration isn’t just something we did—it’s a defining trait of our species. Now, after covering the planet, we’re on the move again—not chasing new frontiers, but escaping rising seas, extreme heat, political instability, and economic stress.
By: Gaia Vince, and others
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The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us
- By: Douglas O. Linder, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Douglas O. Linder JD
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
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No understanding of the past is complete without an understanding of the legal battles and struggles that have done so much to shape it. Inside a survey of world history's greatest trials are the key insights to critical issues we still talk about today, including freedom of speech, the death penalty, religious freedom, and the meaning of equality. Join Professor Linder for these 24 lectures that investigate important legal cases from around the world and across the centuries.
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Interesting material, but . . .
- By Mark on 12-29-17
By: Douglas O. Linder, and others
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Searching for People and Places of the Bible
- By: Jean-Pierre. Isbouts, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jean-Pierre Isbouts
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
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By exploring the stories of the Bible in their actual locations, and the stories of the complex human beings who lived them, you’ll gain fascinating and illuminating new dimensions of the texts. In this visually stunning course, you’ll also experience the Bible’s connection to both the real world and ancient history while you’ll engage with the past in a way that is both immediate and tangible.
By: Jean-Pierre. Isbouts, and others
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The History and Archaeology of the Bible
- By: Jean-Pierre Isbouts, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jean-Pierre Isbouts
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
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The findings of historians and archaeologists open a thrilling world of discovery as they bring their methods and insights to the iconic stories of the Bible. These 24 content-rich lessons take you on a multidimensional journey through the Bible, from Genesis to the Crucifixion, seen through the lens of the latest historical and archaeological research.
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More theological than historical
- By Erik on 05-29-21
By: Jean-Pierre Isbouts, and others
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The Greek World
- A Study of History and Culture
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Robert Garland
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
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The ancient Greeks, more than any other early culture, have given us the template for Western civilization, as seen in their superlative achievements in the fields of architecture, political theory, philosophy, science, and art - not the least of which are their inventions of democracy and drama. In these 24 compelling lectures, Professor Garland guides you in a richly illuminating exploration of what the ancient Greeks have given us, and why they’re still important to us today.
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Political correct digressions every five minutes
- By Sofia on 11-11-20
By: Robert Garland, and others
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12 Women Who Shaped America: 1619 to 1920
- By: Allison K. Lange, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Allison K. Lange
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
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Histories of the United States often overlook the women who shaped the nation. Museums, textbooks, historical sites, and even documentaries omit essential parts of the whole because they leave out her story. Join Allison K. Lange, historian and professor, as she guides you through the fascinating lives of 12 early Americans, all of them women.
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Professor is knowledgeable
- By Kindle Customer on 03-27-22
By: Allison K. Lange, and others
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Scientific Secrets for a Powerful Memory
- By: Peter M. Vishton, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Peter M. Vishton
- Length: 2 hrs and 55 mins
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Memory is, without a doubt, the most powerful (and practical) tool of everyday life. By linking both your past and your future, memory gives you the power to plan, to reason, to perceive, and to understand. Yet while all of us have an amazing capacity for memory, there are plenty of times when it seems to fail us. Why does this happen? And how can you fix it? In Scientific Secrets for a Powerful Memory, you’ll explore the real research on how memory functions - and then apply these findings to help you make better use of the memory abilities you have.
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good, but there are better books on these topics
- By Scott H on 06-03-19
By: Peter M. Vishton, and others
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Hannibal: The Military Genius Who Almost Conquered Rome
- By: Eve MacDonald, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Eve MacDonald
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
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Hannibal Barca is famous for marching an eclectic mix of troops across the Alps and into the Roman heartland during the Second Punic War. But how much do we know about the world Hannibal was born into and came of age in? In Hannibal: The Military Genius Who Almost Conquered Rome, get to know one of history’s most impressive generals from the political and military conflicts that defined his adolescence to the battles that made him famous. These 15 lectures will paint a portrait of not only Hannibal, but also his enemies and allies.
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Great Listen. Now I want to learn more.
- By Jonathan Kuzma on 04-15-23
By: Eve MacDonald, and others