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How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming
- Narrated by: Ryan Gesell
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
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Publisher's summary
The debate culminated in the demotion of Pluto from real planet to the newly coined category of “dwarf” planet. Suddenly Brown was receiving hate mail from schoolchildren and being bombarded by TV reporters—all because of the discovery he had spent years searching for and a lifetime dreaming about. Filled with both humor and drama, How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming is Mike Brown’s engaging first-person account of the most tumultuous year in modern astronomy—which he inadvertently caused. As it guides readers through important scientific concepts and inspires us to think more deeply about our place in the cosmos, it is also an entertaining and enlightening personal story: While Brown sought to expand our understanding of the vast nature of space, his own life was changed in the most immediate, human ways by love, birth, and death. A heartfelt and personal perspective on the demotion of everyone’s favorite farflung planet, How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming is the book for anyone, young or old, who has ever dreamed of exploring the universe—and who among us hasn’t?
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"Finally I have someone to whom I can forward the hate mail I get from schoolchildren. After all these years, the real destroyer of Pluto has confessed. Part memoir and part planetary saga, How I Killed Pluto invites you into planetary scientist Mike Brown's office, his home, and his head as he tells the story of how his research on the outer solar system led directly to the death of Pluto, the planet." (Neil deGrasse Tyson, Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium and author of The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet)
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By: Marcia Bartusiak
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The Age of Entanglement
- When Quantum Physics was Reborn
- By: Louisa Gilder
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 14 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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A brilliantly original and richly illuminating exploration of entanglement, the seemingly telepathic communication between two separated particles - one of the fundamental concepts of quantum physics.
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Quite nice
- By Michael on 02-14-10
By: Louisa Gilder
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The Ascension Mysteries
- Revealing the Cosmic Battle Between Good and Evil
- By: David Wilcock
- Narrated by: David Wilcock
- Length: 20 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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David Wilcock's previous New York Times best sellers, The Source Field Investigations and The Synchronicity Key, used cutting-edge alternative science to reveal oft-hidden truths about our universe. In The Ascension Mysteries, David takes us on a gripping personal journey that describes the secret cosmic battle between positive and negative happening every day, hidden in both the traumas of our own lives and the world's headlines.
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mentally agonizing, embarrassing, awkward, tedious
- By Diana on 09-01-16
By: David Wilcock
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The Fire Seekers
- The Babel Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Richard Farr
- Narrated by: Scott Merriman
- Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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An undeciphered language in Crete. A rash of mysterious disappearances, from Bolivia to Japan. An ancient warning at the ruins of Babel. And a new spiritual leader, who claims that human history as we understand it is about to come to an end.
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A fresh story!
- By AB on 02-08-15
By: Richard Farr
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Explore/Create
- My Life in Pursuit of New Frontiers, Hidden Worlds, and the Creative Spark
- By: Richard Garriott, David Fisher
- Narrated by: Christopher Grove
- Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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An inventor, adventurer, entrepreneur, collector, and entertainer, and son of legendary scientist-astronaut Owen Garriott, Richard Garriott de Cayeux has been behind some of the most exciting undertakings of our time. A legendary pioneer of the online gaming industry - and a member of every gaming Hall of Fame - Garriott invented the multi-player online game, and coined the term "Avatar" to describe an individual's online character. In this fascinating memoir, Garriott invites listeners on the great adventure that is his life.
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The Modern Day Explorer
- By Elijah on 04-17-17
By: Richard Garriott, and others
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Confessions of an Alien Hunter
- A Scientist's Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
- By: Seth Shostak
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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This engaging memoir reveals the true story of the Search for ExtraterrestrialIntelligence (SETI), and discloses what we may very soon discover. Chronicling the program’s history with insight and humor, SETI senior astronomer Seth Shostak assures us that if there is sentient life in the universe, we are within decades of picking up its signal.
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Somewhat Disappointed...
- By Tim on 11-12-10
By: Seth Shostak
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Seveneves
- A Novel
- By: Neal Stephenson
- Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal, Will Damron
- Length: 31 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb. In a feverish race against the inevitable, nations around the globe band together to devise an ambitious plan to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere, in outer space.
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Odd narrator choice
- By Josh Mitchell on 05-30-15
By: Neal Stephenson
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Space Odyssey
- Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece
- By: Michael Benson
- Narrated by: Todd McLaren
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Regarded as a masterpiece today, 2001: A Space Odyssey received mixed reviews. Despite the success of Dr. Strangelove, director Stanley Kubrick wasn't yet recognized as a great filmmaker, and 2001 was radically innovative, with little dialogue and no strong central character. Author Michael Benson explains how 2001 was made, telling the story primarily through the two people most responsible for the film, Kubrick and science fiction legend Arthur C. Clarke. Benson interviewed Clarke many times, and has also spoken at length with Kubrick's widow, Christiane.
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A Book Wholly Equal to its Subject
- By Reggie on 04-17-19
By: Michael Benson
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Rise of the Rocket Girls
- The Women Who Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars
- By: Nathalia Holt
- Narrated by: Erin Bennett
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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In the 1940s and '50s, when the newly minted Jet Propulsion Laboratory needed quick-thinking mathematicians to calculate velocities and plot trajectories, they didn't turn to male graduates. Rather, they recruited an elite group of young women who, with only pencil, paper, and mathematical prowess, transformed rocket design, helped bring about the first American satellites, and made the exploration of the solar system possible.
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Struggles In Space Exploration
- By Sara on 06-11-16
By: Nathalia Holt
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Sally Ride
- America's First Woman in Space
- By: Lynn Sherr
- Narrated by: Pam Ward
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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A member of the first astronaut class to include women, NASA chose her for the seventh shuttle mission, inspiring several generations of women. After a second flight, Ride served on the panels investigating the Challenger explosion and the Columbia disintegration that killed all aboard. In both instances, she faulted NASA's rush to meet mission deadlines and its organizational failures. She also cofounded a company promoting science and education for children, especially girls.
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Captivating
- By Jean on 06-12-14
By: Lynn Sherr
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Millennial Hospitality IV: After Hours
- By: Charles James Hall
- Narrated by: Charles James Hall
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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In the first three volumes of his memoirs concerning experiences while serving at Nellis Air Force Base, Charles Hall gave astonishing testimony of having met with “Tall White” extraterrestrials located at a secret underground facility at Nellis. Three independent witnesses have come forward to confirm important parts of Hall's testimony. Hall is a credible witness of extraterrestrials having reached agreements with US military officials.
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"Millennial Hospitality IV: After Hours" concludes
- By Nick Otmazgin on 10-07-24
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The Complete (Short) Guide to Absolutely Everything
- Adventures in Math and Science
- By: Adam Rutherford, Hannah Fry
- Narrated by: Hannah Fry, Adam Rutherford
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Geneticist Adam Rutherford and mathematician Hannah Fry guide listeners through time and space, through our bodies and brains, showing how emotions shape our view of reality, how our minds tell us lies, and why a mostly bald and curious ape decided to begin poking at the fabric of the universe.
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Humour and understandability.
- By Chris B on 09-08-24
By: Adam Rutherford, and others
What listeners say about How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- David
- 03-13-11
Great, although enough about the sprog
This is an extremely engaging and entertaining listen. It shouldn't be, since Mike Brown's career revolves around spotting tiny little moving dots among seas of other dots. Yes, those little dots are worlds, but we'll probably never see them as anything other than dots in our lifetimes. Against the odds, Brown's narrative successfully communicates the excitement of discovery. He also explains in a clear and articulate way why Pluto shouldn't be called a planet - and more importantly he makes you care!
My only gripe is that there's too much stuff about the author becoming a father. At first it seems fine, as he makes childbirth feel thematically coherent with the discovery of new worlds. But after an entire chapters was devoted to him goobering about his kid, I started to feel like I was being talked at by one of those parents who backs you into a corner at parties and drones about their kid's school grades. Enough! Thankfully, he recovers his sanity toward the end and remembers that he's writing a book about planets.
The reader is pitch perfect.
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5 people found this helpful
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- igneousy
- 02-07-15
Great science listen.
Sorry, but I could have been okay without so much about wife and kid. But it was a good read ;uhem...I mean listen. Prose was descriptive enough so that listening to the book was doable. I find that if a book is too technical , then listening does not work as you must take the time to refer to diagrams, look up definitions, etc. this book was not like that.
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- PowderRiverRose
- 02-27-17
Excellent, Funny and Understandable
Would you listen to How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming again? Why?
Great information and fun explanations
What did you like best about this story?
Everything
Which character – as performed by Ryan Gesell – was your favorite?
No favorite. Just a great performance
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Sure but couldn't and enjoyed the wait
Any additional comments?
Excellent subject that is superbly written and narrated. Intelligent yet light, easy to understand and quite funny. I’d say it’s perfect for all ages especially anyone interested in Pluto. I was hooked from beginning to end and then looked to see if Mike Brown was offering any online classes or lectures anytime soon….sad to say, no.
This is a truly fascinating discussion of not only Pluto but the solar system and, who knows, maybe a sequel is in order following NASA’s New Horizons pictures that came out in July of 2015.
Inside you will learn how discoveries are made, how things get named and all kinds of funny and useful information. You will also learn about Mike and his colleagues, the boring times, the exciting times and a few rough patches here and there. Then, there’s Ryan Gesell our narrator extraordinaire; this guy has a great voice. Ryan took this story to the next level of good with his easy-going humorous style that perfectly played up the words written.
I think this is a must read. Enjoy
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Overall
- Carol
- 01-13-11
Highly Recommend!
This was a very entertaining listen. I know almost nothing about astronomy except what I learned in Grammar School, but I was engaged and able to follow everything in the story. Not just for science nerds, this had a touching family element and was fun from beginning to end. Great narration too!
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- Jane D.
- 03-22-20
Best book ever!!!!!!!!!
I love space and highly recommend ,read this book all at once in fact i read it all though a football game.
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Overall
- S
- 03-23-11
Fun listening...
Who would have thought an astronomer's memoir would be so engaging? The passion that fueled the drudgery of sifting through huge amounts of data and systematically searching infinity is a tough sell, but the author manages it deftly with a humour and affability that forgives the frequent detours where he stops to marvels at the more terrestrial delights of love and fatherhood. Definitely a worthwhile listen, and it's always nice to have a reminder to look up from time to time to contemplate the heavens.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Vicki
- 07-07-11
A very pleasant surprise!
Like a few other readers, I though his inclusion of his parenthood experiences could have been easily cut in half and we still would have gotten the parallels. Otherwise, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I know next to nothing about astronomy so I really enjoyed learning not only about the discovery but even about the more mundane things like how telescopes are scheduled. It was a fascinating read and I appreciated having astronomy explained "at my level".
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Susanne Cooley
- 02-17-11
Fun & Informative
Mike Brown does a fantastic job of interweaving the story of his search for large astronomical bodies beyond Pluto with his family life. There's suspense (bad guys trying to steal planets), humor (Mike graphing his newborn daughter's eating and sleeping habits), science (explained so a person of average intelligence can understand it), and controversy (Pluto was kicked out of the planetary fraternity with more than a little discussion). I found it fascinating to discover that the number of accepted planets has fluctuated many times.
The only complaints I've seen about the book focus on the fact that it's not just about Pluto, Eris' discovery, and science. Go into your reading of this book with your eyes open. It's also about several large planetoids he's found, which, for me, helps put things in perspective. It includes a little bit of his childhood. He talks about his wife and child. This isn't really Pluto's story. It's Mike Brown's story and how his discoveries and the question "what is a planet?" resulted in Pluto's demotion.
This was an incredibly fun & informative read and listen. After I borrowed the book from the library (December 2010), I not only bought a hardbound copy, I purchased an audiobook version too. The narrator did a great job. I recommend this book to everyone.
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- John B
- 11-27-12
Amazing listen in every sense
If you could sum up How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming in three words, what would they be?
1. Entertaining
2. Absorbing
3. Imaginative
What does Ryan Gesell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Ryan brought life to the book that I haven't heard even from books read by their author.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes! To put this book down was to deny myself an extremely entertaining listen brought to life by a man so enthusiatic, I had to check to see if it was the man that wrote the book who I was listening to.
Any additional comments?
I am fairly new to audible, and even newer to just about anything astronomy, but this book made me want to go out and look at the stars. The author and the narrator both did amazing jobs, and I can only shower them with praise and recommend this book to everyone. Astronomy buffs or otherwise. Buy it. Use the Credit. Just listen to this book.
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Overall
- Amazon Customer
- 04-22-11
Great Read-Took Time to Finish But Worth It
I never really cared about astronomy and missed the whole brouhaha concerning Pluto and Xena. This book lift the curtain for me about how life is for an Astronomer. I love the humor and the scientific insight that Brown gives to his field of work and study. I can understand why he was given the Richard Feynman Teaching Award...after listening to this book...I can imagine how good his lectures and class would be.
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