Lights On

How Understanding Consciousness Helps Us Understand the Universe

By: Annaka Harris

Narrated by: Annaka Harris

“Consciousness might be the greatest mystery of the universe, and Annaka Harris is our best detective… You’ll never think about what happens between your ears in the same way again.”—Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again

“Follow along as Annaka Harris interviews (and graciously challenges) the world’s leading scientists on the nature of consciousness… Magnificent.”—Susan Cain, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Quiet

"These spontaneous conversations and Harris's accessible writing give this audiobook tremendous appeal."—AudioFile

As accessible as it is awe-inspiring, this exclusive audio documentary by New York Times bestselling author Annaka Harris explores the unknown corners of consciousness and the cosmos.

Is consciousness a fundamental building block of the universe, like gravity? Can humans develop new senses through neuroscience? And can artificial intelligence ever truly replicate the subjective experience of being conscious?

Join Annaka Harris as she calls on distinguished experts in science and philosophy to find answers to today’s most perplexing questions about our minds and the universe at large. Through interviews with thinkers such as Brian Greene, David Eagleman, Anil Seth, Carlo Rovelli, and more, Harris presents diverse perspectives on whether consciousness could be considered a fundamental aspect of the universe.

This revolutionary idea challenges traditional neuroscience and quantum physics, shattering what we think we know about ourselves and scientific phenomena as foundational as space and time. Lights On also questions how a new understanding of consciousness might affect our perception of existence, our notions of free will, the development of technology, and the future of scientific discovery. In a follow-up to her seminal book, Conscious, this audio-original documentary offers beginners and experts alike a chance to unravel some of humankind’s most enduring puzzles. Where Conscious presents new questions about felt experience, Lights On seeks to find the answers.

“Only Annaka Harris could take one of the greatest mysteries of science and make it not only an adventure but also deeply relevant to everyday human flourishing.”—Dan Harris, author of the New York Times bestseller 10% Happier and host of the 10% Percent Happier podcast

Narrated by Annaka Harris; featuring Jay Shapiro, Susan Blackmore, Sean Carroll, Daniel Chamovitz, David Eagleman, Sascha Fink, Adam Frank, Philip Goff, Joseph Goldstein, Brian Greene, Donald Hoffman, Patrick House, Christof Koch, Janna Levin, George Musser, Zoë Schlanger, Anil Seth, Lee Smolin, Sara Imari Walker

Produced and directed by Jay Shapiro and Annaka Harris

An audio original from Macmillan Audio.

©2025 Annaka Harris (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Absolutely delighted

I loved this. I just felt it out and had to get the gist of a lot of it because I don’t have a strong science or math mind - but I absolutely love the questions and curiosity that Annnika is working with, “obsessed” with and sharing here! I am fascinated by the “fact” that we are even here and don’t take it for granted - I love hearing the wonders and questions that she brings up and the conversations included. I am delighted that people are out there working seriously on these questions!

Absolutely amazing journey to the edge of reality.

Definitely Annika is a kindred spirit,l. Exploring the very limits of our reality. An outstanding and insightful look across the vast landscape of consciousness and the possibility that it’s fundamental just a beautiful and moving work.

Truly Excellent Work

Anaka Harris brings the tone, narrative style and disposition of a reporter. Do not be misled. She is the most coherent philosopher of consciousness who is currently publishing. She clarifies arguments that leaders in the field struggle to express while maintaining a level of humility and detached objectivity that, frankly speaking, puts her counterparts in academia to shame.

SO GOOD!

I enjoyed this audio documentary from beginning to end. I plan to listen again. Annaka is so clear in her thinking, and it's a joy to hear her ideas about consciousness evolve throughout the documentary. DEFINITELY RECOMMEND!! Five gold stars.

The not-that-hard problem?

This “audio documentary” is a wonderful format, interspersing interviews with smart thinkers, commentary and analysis by the author, and periodic questions from a producer who pulls the author back into a world that regular people can understand.
I was and remain skeptical of the premise that consciousness is a, and possibly the, fundamental property of reality - just as I’ve always been skeptical of the notion that consciousness has a personality split into hard and easy. Harris gives too much unearned credit to that premise, but listen all the way through to hear, very briefly, why she thinks her proposition might solve it. And at some point a light will go on, making you accept at least for the sake of argument that electrons may be or have a very very basic, fundamental form of consciousness.
I’m not buying it yet, but Harris got me thinking. The idea is fantastic in many senses of the word. The production and narration are innovative and terrific.
I do not think she is proposing the universe itself as divine - she never comes close to employing that concept - but she even briefly had me, a total skeptic, wondering about it. Time well spent.

This will stretch your brain

Lots of interesting and cutting edge science stuff here. What if consciousness is the only thing that is real?

Deep Thoughts on Consciousness

The author presents her views that consciousness is fundamental, along with supporting and oppositional views. The book is engaging and very thought provoking.

Casual stroll toward Idealism

This project is a little shaggy, but it is a great intro for the consciousness curious. Great fly overs of intriguing concepts that are not intuitive for the science minded. And methinks the lady doth protest too much! The repeated declarations of her materialist status led me to believe she is in fact an idealist, even if she doesn’t know it yet!

Frustrating

I'm only 1/3 through and will probably stop. Annika is a delightfully curious thinker, but time after time she interviews deeply thoughtful people who are praised for their skills as communicators only to hear a few snippets from them because she repeatedly interrupts, rehashing her own muddled confusion.

Annaka Harris is a brilliant, curious, and clear science communicator...

Whose in-depth research into Consciousness is like nothing else: considerate, fascinating, and carefully presented. Many thanks to the author for her continued endeavors.
What an amazing Family.