The Skeptics' Guide to the Future
What Yesterday’s Science and Science Fiction Tell Us About the World of Tomorrow
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Future
Buy for $15.98
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Steven Novella
-
By:
-
Steven Novella
About this listen
From the bestselling authors and hosts of 'The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe' a high-tech roadmap of the future in their beloved voice, cracking open both the follies of futurists past and how technology will profoundly change our world moving forward.
Our predictions of the future are a wild fantasy, inextricably linked to our present hopes and fears, biases and ignorance. Whether they be the outlandish leaps predicted in the 1920s, like multi-purpose utility belts with climate control capabilities and planes the size of luxury cruise ships, or the forecasts of the '60s, which didn't anticipate the sexual revolution or women's liberation, the path to the present is littered with failed predictions and incorrect estimations.
The best we can do is try to absorb from futurism's checkered past, perhaps learning to do a little better.
In The Skeptics' Guide to the Future, Steven Novella and his co-authors build upon the work of futurists of the past by examining what they got right, what they got wrong, and how they came to those conclusions. By exploring the pitfalls of each era, they give their own speculations about the distant future, transformed by unbelievable technology ranging from genetic manipulation to artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Applying their trademark skepticism, they carefully extrapolate upon each scientific development, leaving no stone unturned as they lay out a vision for the future of tomorrow.
©2022 SGU Productions LLC (P)2022 Hachette AudioListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
- How to Know What's Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake
- By: Steven Novella, Bob Novella - contributor, Cara Santa Maria - contributor, and others
- Narrated by: Steven Novella
- Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,999
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,752
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,736
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is your map through this maze of modern life. Here Dr. Steven Novella and friends will explain the tenets of skeptical thinking and debunk some of the biggest scientific myths, fallacies, and conspiracy theories - from anti-vaccines to homeopathy, UFO sightings to N-rays. You'll learn the difference between science and pseudoscience, essential critical thinking skills, ways to discuss conspiracy theories with that crazy co-worker of yours, and how to combat sloppy reasoning, bad arguments, and superstitious thinking.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Condescending & ridiculing to those who differ
- By Bookworm on 04-15-19
By: Steven Novella, and others
-
How to Astronaut
- An Insider's Guide to Leaving Planet Earth
- By: Terry Virts
- Narrated by: Terry Virts
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 174
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 151
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 152
Former NASA astronaut Terry Virts offers an insider's guide to astronauting—a behind-the-scenes look at the training, the basic rules, lessons, and procedures of space travel, including how to deal with a dead body in space, what it’s like to film an IMAX movie in orbit, what exactly to do when nature calls, and much more, in 51 brief chapters.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
A Tough Review to Write
- By Todd R Fredricks on 03-27-21
By: Terry Virts
-
How Magicians Think
- Misdirection, Deception, and Why Magic Matters
- By: Joshua Jay
- Narrated by: Joshua Jay
- Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 246
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 205
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 203
The door to magic is closed, but it’s not locked. And now Joshua Jay, one of the world’s most accomplished magicians, not only opens that door but brings us inside to reveal the artistry and obsessiveness, esoteric history, and long-whispered-about traditions of a subject shrouded in mystery. In 52 short, compulsively listenable essays, Jay describes how he does it, whether it’s through the making of illusions, the psychology behind them, or the way technology influences the world of magic.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Joshua Jay Delivers
- By Travis N. on 12-15-21
By: Joshua Jay
-
This Is What It Sounds Like
- What the Music You Love Says About You
- By: Ogi Ogas, Susan Rogers
- Narrated by: Susan Rogers
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 156
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 118
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 118
When you listen to music, do you prefer lyrics or melody? Intricate harmonies or driving rhythm? The “real” sounds of acoustic instruments or those of computerized synthesizers? Drawing from her successful career as a music producer (engineering hits like Prince’s “Purple Rain”), professor of cognitive neuroscience Susan Rogers reveals why your favorite songs move you. She explains that we each possess a unique “listener profile” based on our brain’s reaction to seven key dimensions of any record: authenticity, realism, novelty, melody, lyrics, rhythm, and timbre.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Needed to include the music
- By Sarah on 01-18-23
By: Ogi Ogas, and others
-
Plays Well with Others
- The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Relationships Is (Mostly) Wrong
- By: Eric Barker
- Narrated by: Roger Wayne
- Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 526
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 438
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 435
In Plays Well With Others, Eric Barker dives into these questions, drawing on science to reveal the truth beyond the conventional wisdom about human relationships. Combining his compelling storytelling and humor, Barker explains what hostage negotiation techniques and marital arguments have in common, how an expert con-man lied his way into a twenty-year professional soccer career, and why those holding views diametrically opposed to our own actually have the potential to become our closest, most trusted friends.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Truly a phenomenal Book! Listen again!
- By Edmund W. Cheung on 07-05-22
By: Eric Barker
-
Solving for Why
- A Surgeon's Journey to Discover the Transformative Power of Purpose
- By: Dr. Mark Shrime
- Narrated by: Dr. Mark Shrime
- Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 192
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 159
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 156
From Mercy Ships surgeon Dr. Mark G. Shrime comes an inspiring memoir about finding the answer to life's biggest question - "Why?" - and about following that answer through remarkable, unlikely places on the road to fulfillment, purpose, and joy.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Incredible book
- By Katie on 02-11-22
By: Dr. Mark Shrime
-
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
- How to Know What's Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake
- By: Steven Novella, Bob Novella - contributor, Cara Santa Maria - contributor, and others
- Narrated by: Steven Novella
- Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,999
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,752
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,736
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is your map through this maze of modern life. Here Dr. Steven Novella and friends will explain the tenets of skeptical thinking and debunk some of the biggest scientific myths, fallacies, and conspiracy theories - from anti-vaccines to homeopathy, UFO sightings to N-rays. You'll learn the difference between science and pseudoscience, essential critical thinking skills, ways to discuss conspiracy theories with that crazy co-worker of yours, and how to combat sloppy reasoning, bad arguments, and superstitious thinking.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Condescending & ridiculing to those who differ
- By Bookworm on 04-15-19
By: Steven Novella, and others
-
How to Astronaut
- An Insider's Guide to Leaving Planet Earth
- By: Terry Virts
- Narrated by: Terry Virts
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 174
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 151
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 152
Former NASA astronaut Terry Virts offers an insider's guide to astronauting—a behind-the-scenes look at the training, the basic rules, lessons, and procedures of space travel, including how to deal with a dead body in space, what it’s like to film an IMAX movie in orbit, what exactly to do when nature calls, and much more, in 51 brief chapters.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
A Tough Review to Write
- By Todd R Fredricks on 03-27-21
By: Terry Virts
-
How Magicians Think
- Misdirection, Deception, and Why Magic Matters
- By: Joshua Jay
- Narrated by: Joshua Jay
- Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 246
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 205
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 203
The door to magic is closed, but it’s not locked. And now Joshua Jay, one of the world’s most accomplished magicians, not only opens that door but brings us inside to reveal the artistry and obsessiveness, esoteric history, and long-whispered-about traditions of a subject shrouded in mystery. In 52 short, compulsively listenable essays, Jay describes how he does it, whether it’s through the making of illusions, the psychology behind them, or the way technology influences the world of magic.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Joshua Jay Delivers
- By Travis N. on 12-15-21
By: Joshua Jay
-
This Is What It Sounds Like
- What the Music You Love Says About You
- By: Ogi Ogas, Susan Rogers
- Narrated by: Susan Rogers
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 156
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 118
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 118
When you listen to music, do you prefer lyrics or melody? Intricate harmonies or driving rhythm? The “real” sounds of acoustic instruments or those of computerized synthesizers? Drawing from her successful career as a music producer (engineering hits like Prince’s “Purple Rain”), professor of cognitive neuroscience Susan Rogers reveals why your favorite songs move you. She explains that we each possess a unique “listener profile” based on our brain’s reaction to seven key dimensions of any record: authenticity, realism, novelty, melody, lyrics, rhythm, and timbre.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Needed to include the music
- By Sarah on 01-18-23
By: Ogi Ogas, and others
-
Plays Well with Others
- The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Relationships Is (Mostly) Wrong
- By: Eric Barker
- Narrated by: Roger Wayne
- Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 526
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 438
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 435
In Plays Well With Others, Eric Barker dives into these questions, drawing on science to reveal the truth beyond the conventional wisdom about human relationships. Combining his compelling storytelling and humor, Barker explains what hostage negotiation techniques and marital arguments have in common, how an expert con-man lied his way into a twenty-year professional soccer career, and why those holding views diametrically opposed to our own actually have the potential to become our closest, most trusted friends.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Truly a phenomenal Book! Listen again!
- By Edmund W. Cheung on 07-05-22
By: Eric Barker
-
Solving for Why
- A Surgeon's Journey to Discover the Transformative Power of Purpose
- By: Dr. Mark Shrime
- Narrated by: Dr. Mark Shrime
- Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 192
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 159
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 156
From Mercy Ships surgeon Dr. Mark G. Shrime comes an inspiring memoir about finding the answer to life's biggest question - "Why?" - and about following that answer through remarkable, unlikely places on the road to fulfillment, purpose, and joy.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Incredible book
- By Katie on 02-11-22
By: Dr. Mark Shrime
-
The Great Air Race
- Death, Glory, and the Dawn of American Aviation
- By: John Lancaster
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 115
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 86
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 85
The incredible, untold story of the men who risked their lives in the first transcontinental air contest—and put American aviation on the map.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Very entertaining/informative book
- By D. Littman on 12-09-22
By: John Lancaster
-
Brief Answers to the Big Questions
- By: Stephen Hawking, Eddie Redmayne - foreword
- Narrated by: Garrick Hagon, Lucy Hawking, Ben Whishaw
- Length: 4 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 2,986
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,615
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2,595
Stephen Hawking not only unraveled some of the universe's greatest mysteries but also believed science plays a critical role in fixing problems here on Earth. Now, as we face immense challenges on our planet - including climate change, the threat of nuclear war, and the development of artificial intelligence - he turns his attention to the most urgent issues facing us. Will humanity survive? Should we colonize space? Does God exist? These are just a few of the questions Hawking addresses in this wide-ranging, passionately argued final book from one of the greatest minds in history.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A wonderful, wonderful listening experience
- By La Traviata on 10-16-18
By: Stephen Hawking, and others
-
A History of the Human Brain
- From the Sea Sponge to CRISPR, How Our Brain Evolved
- By: Bret Stetka
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 124
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 91
Just over 125,000 years ago, humanity was going extinct until a dramatic shift occurred—Homo sapiens started tracking the tides in order to eat the nearby oysters. Before long, they’d pulled themselves back from the brink of extinction. The human brain, and its evolutionary journey, is unlike anything else in history. In A History of the Human Brain, Bret Stetka takes listeners through that far-reaching journey. He also tackles the question of where the brain will take us next, exploring the burgeoning concepts of epigenetics and new technologies like CRISPR.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating survey of the evolution of the human brain
- By Cosmos on 03-30-21
By: Bret Stetka
-
Physics of the Future
- How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100
- By: Michio Kaku
- Narrated by: Feodor Chin
- Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,660
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,262
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,263
In Physics of the Future, Michio Kaku - the New York Times best-selling author of Physics of the Impossible - gives us a stunning, provocative, and exhilarating vision of the coming century based on interviews with over 300 of the world’s top scientists who are already inventing the future in their labs. The result is the most authoritative and scientifically accurate description of revolutionary developments taking place....
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting Content, Irritating Reader
- By Dirk Turgid on 12-15-11
By: Michio Kaku
-
What's Gotten into You
- The Story of Your Body's Atoms, from the Big Bang Through Last Night's Dinner
- By: Dan Levitt
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 122
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 101
Every one of us contains a billion times more atoms than all the grains of sand in the earth’s deserts. If you weigh 150 pounds, you’ve got enough carbon to make 25 pounds of charcoal, enough salt to fill a saltshaker, enough chlorine to disinfect several backyard swimming pools, and enough iron to forge a 3-inch nail. But how did these elements combine to make us human?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
One of the Very Best Science Books I have Read
- By TStair on 03-20-23
By: Dan Levitt
-
Life 3.0
- Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
- By: Max Tegmark
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,904
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,125
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,108
How will artificial intelligence affect crime, war, justice, jobs, society, and our very sense of being human? The rise of AI has the potential to transform our future more than any other technology - and there's nobody better qualified or situated to explore that future than Max Tegmark, an MIT professor who's helped mainstream research on how to keep AI beneficial.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Irritating
- By Thomas Cotter on 10-25-17
By: Max Tegmark
-
Proving Ground
- The Untold Story of the Six Women Who Programmed the World's First Modern Computer
- By: Kathy Kleiman
- Narrated by: Erin Bennett
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 122
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 104
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 104
After the end of World War II, the race for technological supremacy sped on. Top-secret research into ballistics and computing, begun during the war to aid those on the front lines, continued across the United States as engineers and programmers rushed to complete their confidential assignments. Among them were six pioneering women, tasked with figuring out how to program the world's first general-purpose, programmable, all-electronic computer—better known as the ENIAC. Proving Ground restores these women to their rightful place as technological revolutionaries.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Joy to Listen To
- By Sam on 08-07-22
By: Kathy Kleiman
-
The Future of Humanity
- Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth
- By: Michio Kaku
- Narrated by: Feodor Chin
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,463
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,168
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,158
The number-one best-selling author of The Future of the Mind traverses the frontiers of astrophysics, artificial intelligence, and technology to offer a stunning vision of man's future in space, from settling Mars to traveling to distant galaxies. Formerly the domain of fiction, moving human civilization to the stars is increasingly becoming a scientific possibility - and a necessity. Whether in the near future due to climate change and the depletion of finite resources or in the distant future due to catastrophic cosmological events, humans will one day need to leave Earth.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Simply a compilation of many other books
- By Nat Smith on 02-25-18
By: Michio Kaku
-
The Language Game
- How Improvisation Created Language and Changed the World
- By: Morten H. Christiansen, Nick Chater
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 76
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 73
Language is perhaps humanity’s most astonishing capacity - and one that remains poorly understood. In The Language Game, cognitive scientists Morten H. Christiansen and Nick Chater show us where generations of scientists seeking the rules of language got it wrong. Language isn’t about hardwired grammars but about near-total freedom, something like a game of charades, with the only requirement being a desire to understand and be understood.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good
- By Bruce R on 03-12-22
By: Morten H. Christiansen, and others
-
Physics of the Impossible
- A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel
- By: Michio Kaku
- Narrated by: Feodor Chin
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,433
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 962
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 960
One hundred years ago, scientists would have said that lasers, televisions, and the atomic bomb were beyond the realm of physical possibility. In Physics of the Impossible, the renowned physicist Michio Kaku explores to what extent the technologies and devices of science fiction that are deemed equally impossible today might well become commonplace in the future.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Huge fan of Michio Kaku!!
- By Samantha on 01-26-14
By: Michio Kaku
-
The Singularity Is Near
- When Humans Transcend Biology
- By: Ray Kurzweil
- Narrated by: George Wilson
- Length: 24 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 444
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 353
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 354
For over three decades, Ray Kurzweil has been one of the most respected and provocative advocates of the role of technology in our future. In his classic The Age of Spiritual Machines, he argued that computers would soon rival the full range of human intelligence at its best. Now he examines the next step in this inexorable evolutionary process: The union of human and machine, in which the knowledge and skills embedded in our brains will be combined with the vastly greater capacity, speed, and knowledge-sharing ability of our creations.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
RUINED audio.
- By Fred on 06-25-21
By: Ray Kurzweil
-
All About Mars Journeys and Settlement
- The Living in Space Series, Book 2
- By: Martin K. Ettington
- Narrated by: Martin K. Ettington
- Length: 4 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Story0 out of 5 stars 0
A manned mission to Mars has been the dream of humanity at least since the 19th century, when we first saw details of the surface and thought there might be canals filled with water there. Here I’ve looked at the history of unmanned exploration of Mars over the last 50-plus years, proposed missions to Mars, Mars settlements, and other major issues regarding traveling to and living on Mars. Some proposals have lots of details of proposed scenarios, if you want to know all of the engineering and scientific analysis work.
Related to this topic
-
Beyond
- Our Future in Space
- By: Chris Impey
- Narrated by: Julie McKay
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 73
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 66
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 67
Beyond dares to imagine a fantastic future for humans in space - and then reminds us that we're already there. Human exploration has been an unceasing engine of technological progress, from the first homo sapiens to leave our African cradle to a future in which mankind promises to settle another world. Beyond tells the epic story of humanity leaving home - and how humans will soon thrive in the vast universe beyond the Earth.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
OTHER WORLDS
- By chetyarbrough.blog on 01-10-16
By: Chris Impey
-
The Science of Rick and Morty
- The Unofficial Guide to Earth's Stupidest Show
- By: Matt Brady
- Narrated by: Joe Hempel
- Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 105
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 91
Blending biology, chemistry, and physics basics with accessible - and witty-prose, The Science of Rick and Morty equips you with the scientific foundation to thoroughly understand Rick's experiments from the show, such as how we can use dark matter and energy, just what is intelligence hacking, and whether or not you can really control a cockroach's nervous system with your tongue. Perfect for longtime and new fans of the show, this is the ultimate segue into discovering more about our complicated and fascinating universe.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Some good science in here?
- By Darin Harbert on 02-06-20
By: Matt Brady
-
Soonish
- Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything
- By: Kelly Weinersmith, Zach Weinersmith
- Narrated by: Kelly Weinersmith, Zach Weinersmith
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,303
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,169
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,162
In this smart and funny book, celebrated cartoonist Zach Weinersmith and noted researcher Dr. Kelly Weinersmith give us a snapshot of what's coming next - from robot swarms to nuclear fusion powered-toasters. By weaving their own research and interviews with the scientists who are making these advances happen, the Weinersmiths investigate why these technologies are needed, how they would work, and what is standing in their way.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Really Good-ish!
- By See Reverse on 04-16-18
By: Kelly Weinersmith, and others
-
The Case for Mars
- The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must
- By: Robert Zubrin, Richard Wagner, Arthur C. Clarke - Foreword
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 14 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 355
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 314
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 311
Since the beginning of human history Mars has been an alluring dream - the stuff of legends, gods, and mystery. The planet most like ours, it has still been thought impossible to reach, let alone explore and inhabit. Now with the advent of a revolutionary new plan, all this has changed. Leading space exploration authority Robert Zubrin has crafted a daring new blueprint, Mars Direct, presented here with engaging anecdotes. The Case for Mars is not a vision for the far future or one that will cost us impossible billions.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Compelling
- By Michael D. Busch on 04-16-18
By: Robert Zubrin, and others
-
Radical Abundance
- How a Revolution in Nanotechnology Will Change Civilization
- By: K. Eric Drexler
- Narrated by: Tim Pabon
- Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 131
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 109
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 109
K. Eric Drexler is the founding father of nanotechnology - the science of engineering on a molecular level. In Radical Abundance, he shows how rapid scientific progress is about to change our world. Thanks to atomically precise manufacturing, we will soon have the power to produce radically more of what people want, and at a lower cost. The result will shake the very foundations of our economy and environment.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Drexler Rehashes the Past
- By David on 10-19-13
By: K. Eric Drexler
-
On the Future
- Prospects for Humanity
- By: Martin Rees
- Narrated by: Martin Rees, Samuel West
- Length: 5 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 154
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 131
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 130
Humanity has reached a critical moment. Our world is unsettled and rapidly changing, and we face existential risks over the next century. Various outcomes - good and bad - are possible. Yet our approach to the future is characterized by short-term thinking, polarizing debates, alarmist rhetoric, and pessimism. In this short, exhilarating book, renowned scientist and best-selling author Martin Rees argues that humanity’s prospects depend on our taking a very different approach to planning for tomorrow.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Science, the future, and great wisdom
- By Philomath on 10-29-18
By: Martin Rees
-
Beyond
- Our Future in Space
- By: Chris Impey
- Narrated by: Julie McKay
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 73
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 66
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 67
Beyond dares to imagine a fantastic future for humans in space - and then reminds us that we're already there. Human exploration has been an unceasing engine of technological progress, from the first homo sapiens to leave our African cradle to a future in which mankind promises to settle another world. Beyond tells the epic story of humanity leaving home - and how humans will soon thrive in the vast universe beyond the Earth.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
OTHER WORLDS
- By chetyarbrough.blog on 01-10-16
By: Chris Impey
-
The Science of Rick and Morty
- The Unofficial Guide to Earth's Stupidest Show
- By: Matt Brady
- Narrated by: Joe Hempel
- Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 105
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 91
Blending biology, chemistry, and physics basics with accessible - and witty-prose, The Science of Rick and Morty equips you with the scientific foundation to thoroughly understand Rick's experiments from the show, such as how we can use dark matter and energy, just what is intelligence hacking, and whether or not you can really control a cockroach's nervous system with your tongue. Perfect for longtime and new fans of the show, this is the ultimate segue into discovering more about our complicated and fascinating universe.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Some good science in here?
- By Darin Harbert on 02-06-20
By: Matt Brady
-
Soonish
- Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything
- By: Kelly Weinersmith, Zach Weinersmith
- Narrated by: Kelly Weinersmith, Zach Weinersmith
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,303
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,169
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,162
In this smart and funny book, celebrated cartoonist Zach Weinersmith and noted researcher Dr. Kelly Weinersmith give us a snapshot of what's coming next - from robot swarms to nuclear fusion powered-toasters. By weaving their own research and interviews with the scientists who are making these advances happen, the Weinersmiths investigate why these technologies are needed, how they would work, and what is standing in their way.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Really Good-ish!
- By See Reverse on 04-16-18
By: Kelly Weinersmith, and others
-
The Case for Mars
- The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must
- By: Robert Zubrin, Richard Wagner, Arthur C. Clarke - Foreword
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 14 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 355
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 314
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 311
Since the beginning of human history Mars has been an alluring dream - the stuff of legends, gods, and mystery. The planet most like ours, it has still been thought impossible to reach, let alone explore and inhabit. Now with the advent of a revolutionary new plan, all this has changed. Leading space exploration authority Robert Zubrin has crafted a daring new blueprint, Mars Direct, presented here with engaging anecdotes. The Case for Mars is not a vision for the far future or one that will cost us impossible billions.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Compelling
- By Michael D. Busch on 04-16-18
By: Robert Zubrin, and others
-
Radical Abundance
- How a Revolution in Nanotechnology Will Change Civilization
- By: K. Eric Drexler
- Narrated by: Tim Pabon
- Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 131
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 109
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 109
K. Eric Drexler is the founding father of nanotechnology - the science of engineering on a molecular level. In Radical Abundance, he shows how rapid scientific progress is about to change our world. Thanks to atomically precise manufacturing, we will soon have the power to produce radically more of what people want, and at a lower cost. The result will shake the very foundations of our economy and environment.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Drexler Rehashes the Past
- By David on 10-19-13
By: K. Eric Drexler
-
On the Future
- Prospects for Humanity
- By: Martin Rees
- Narrated by: Martin Rees, Samuel West
- Length: 5 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 154
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 131
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 130
Humanity has reached a critical moment. Our world is unsettled and rapidly changing, and we face existential risks over the next century. Various outcomes - good and bad - are possible. Yet our approach to the future is characterized by short-term thinking, polarizing debates, alarmist rhetoric, and pessimism. In this short, exhilarating book, renowned scientist and best-selling author Martin Rees argues that humanity’s prospects depend on our taking a very different approach to planning for tomorrow.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Science, the future, and great wisdom
- By Philomath on 10-29-18
By: Martin Rees
-
Know This
- Today's Most Interesting and Important Scientific Ideas, Discoveries, and Developments
- By: John Brockman
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman, Dan John Miller
- Length: 14 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 232
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 204
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 201
Scientific developments radically alter our understanding of the world. Whether it's technology, climate change, health research, or the latest revelations of neuroscience, physics, or psychology, science has, as Edge editor John Brockman says, "become a big story, if not the big story". In that spirit this new addition to Edge.org's fascinating series asks a powerful and provocative question: What do you consider the most interesting and important recent scientific news?
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Pete and Repeat and Re-repeat
- By Daniel L on 02-25-18
By: John Brockman
-
The Physics of Star Trek
- By: Lawrence M. Krauss
- Narrated by: Larry McKeever
- Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 407
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 264
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 262
What actually happens when the words, "beam me up, Scottie" are uttered? What "warps" when something travels at warp speed? Internationally renowned theoretical physicist and educator Lawrence M. Krauss provides matter-of-fact scientific explanations of the physics of Star Trek in this highly creative and informative guide for both the devoted Trekkie and the physics novice.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting Book. Quite Technical
- By Christopher B. on 12-07-04
-
Life’s Ratchet
- How Molecular Machines Extract Order from Chaos
- By: Peter M. Hoffman
- Narrated by: Paul Hodgson
- Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 448
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 387
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 382
The cells in our bodies consist of molecules, made up of the same carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms found in air and rocks. But molecules, such as water and sugar, are not alive. So how do our cells - assemblies of otherwise "dead" molecules - come to life, and together constitute a living being? In Life’s Ratchet, physicist Peter M. Hoffmann locates the answer to this age-old question at the nanoscale.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
For biologists to learn single molecule biophysics
- By A Synthetic Biologist on 09-04-14
By: Peter M. Hoffman
-
Creation
- How Science Is Reinventing Life Itself
- By: Adam Rutherford
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 44
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 43
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 43
What is life? Humans have been asking this question for thousands of years. But as technology has advanced and our understanding of biology has deepened, the answer has evolved. For decades, scientists have been exploring the limits of nature by modifying and manipulating DNA, cells, and whole organisms to create new ones that could never have previously existed on their own.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Goldilocks book on what is life
- By Gary on 07-11-13
By: Adam Rutherford
-
The Equations of Life
- How Physics Shapes Evolution
- By: Charles S. Cockell
- Narrated by: Ian Porter
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 135
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 113
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 114
In The Equations of Life, biologist Charles S. Cockell makes the forceful argument that the laws of physics narrowly constrain how life can evolve, making evolution's outcomes predictable. If we were to find something very much like a lady bug eating something very much like an aphid on a distant planet, we shouldn't be surprised. The forms of life are guided by a limited set of rules, and, as a result, there is a narrow set of solutions to the challenges of existence.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Too many equations, not enough insights
- By Alec Drumm on 09-24-18
-
Catching Stardust
- Comets, Asteroids and the Birth of the Solar System
- By: Natalie Starkey
- Narrated by: Alison Campbell
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 20
Icy, rocky, sometimes dusty, always mysterious – comets and asteroids are among the Solar System's very oldest inhabitants, formed within a swirling cloud of gas and dust in the area of space that eventually hosted the Sun and its planets. Locked within each of these extra-terrestrial objects is the 4.6-billion-year wisdom of Solar System events, and by studying them at close quarters using spacecraft we can coerce them into revealing their closely-guarded secrets. This offers us the chance to answer some fundamental questions about our planet and its inhabitants.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A home run in space!
- By Rick B on 07-23-22
By: Natalie Starkey
-
Space Chronicles
- Facing the Ultimate Frontier
- By: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Mirron Willis
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 763
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 703
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 697
With his signature wit and thought-provoking insights, Neil deGrasse Tyson - one of our foremost thinkers on all things space - illuminates the past, present, and future of space exploration and brilliantly reminds us why NASA matters now as much as ever. As Tyson reveals, exploring the space frontier can profoundly enrich many aspects of our daily lives, from education systems and the economy to national security and morale.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
The least helpful review of Space Chronicles.
- By Joshua Kring on 06-17-15
-
Origin Story
- A Big History of Everything
- By: David Christian
- Narrated by: Jamie Jackson
- Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,164
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,898
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,893
Most historians study the smallest slivers of time, emphasizing specific dates, individuals, and documents. But what would it look like to study the whole of history, from the big bang through the present day - and even into the remote future? How would looking at the full span of time change the way we perceive the universe, the earth, and our very existence? These were the questions David Christian set out to answer when he created the field of "Big History", the most exciting new approach to understanding where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A brilliant achievement, must read/listen
- By 11104 on 09-05-18
By: David Christian
-
Life on the Edge
- The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology
- By: Johnjoe McFadden, Jim Al-Khalili
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 395
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 342
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 340
Life is the most extraordinary phenomenon in the known universe; but how did it come to be? Even in an age of cloning and artificial biology, the remarkable truth remains: Nobody has ever made anything living entirely out of dead material. Life remains the only way to make life. Are we still missing a vital ingredient in its creation?
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
More woo than new
- By Gary on 09-09-15
By: Johnjoe McFadden, and others
-
Exoplanets
- Diamond Worlds, Super Earths, Pulsar Planets, and the New Search for Life Beyond Our Solar System
- By: Michael Summers
- Narrated by: Jon Bennett
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 178
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 147
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 145
Since its 2009 launch, the Kepler satellite has discovered more than 2,000 exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system. More exoplanets are being discovered all the time, remarkable in their variety. Astronomer Michael Summers and physicist James Trefil explore these remarkable recent discoveries: planets revolving around pulsars, planets made of diamond, planets that are mostly water, and numerous rogue planets wandering through the emptiness of space.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
FINALLY, an Attention-Grabbing Planet Book!
- By aaron on 05-11-17
By: Michael Summers
-
The Amazing Story of Quantum Mechanics
- A Math-Free Exploration of the Science That Made Our World
- By: James Kakalios
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 100
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 66
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 67
In The Amazing Story of Quantum Mechanics, James Kakalios uses examples from comics and magazines to explain how breakthroughs in quantum mechanics led to such technologies as the World Wide Web, pocket-sized computers, mobile phones, and MRI machines.....
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
The exhibits are missing from Audible
- By David on 12-13-10
By: James Kakalios
-
Sync
- How Order Emerges from Chaos in the Universe, Nature, and Daily Life
- By: Steven Strogatz
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
- Length: 13 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 553
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 422
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 425
At once elegant and riveting, Sync tells the story of the dawn of a new science. Steven Strogatz, a leading mathematician in the fields of chaos and complexity theory, explains how enormous systems can synchronize themselves, from the electrons in a superconductor to the pacemaker cells in our hearts. He shows that although these phenomena might seem unrelated on the surface, at a deeper level there is a connection, forged by the unifying power of mathematics.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Engaging, but maybe better suited for non-audio
- By Ryan on 05-26-12
By: Steven Strogatz
What listeners say about The Skeptics' Guide to the Future
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- diego
- 10-16-22
even more entertaining than I hoped for
I am a regular podcast listener for some years now, and have also listened to their first book, but still found new great joy and knowledge in this audiobook
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Brecht
- 07-10-23
The Novella brothers at their best
Interesting, thought provoking, and lots of fun throughout, this book both critically examines the reality of what science fiction has accurately predicted and where its expectations were way off - and what that all says about our brains. Moreover, the writers manage to convey what personally fascinates them so much about this genre. Never a dull moment in this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!