The Complete (Short) Guide to Absolutely Everything
Adventures in Math and Science
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
The Complete (Short) Guide to Absolutely Everything
Buy for $17.19
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Hannah Fry
-
Adam Rutherford
About this listen
Despite our clever linguistic abilities, humans are spectacularly ill-equipped to comprehend what's happening in the universe. The Complete (Short) Guide to Absolutely Everything tells the story of how we came to suppress our monkey minds and perceive the true nature of reality.
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.
Rutherford and Fry shine as science sleuths, wrestling with some truly head-scratching questions: Where did time come from? Do we have free will? Does my dog love me? Hilarious sidebars present memorable scientific oddities: for example, hypnotized snails, human-sized ants, and the average time it takes most animals to evacuate their bladders.
Both rigorous and playful, The Complete (Short) Guide to Absolutely Everything is a celebration of the weirdness of the cosmos, the strangeness of humans, and the joys and follies of scientific discovery.
©2021 Adam Rutherford and Hannah Fry Limited (P)2022 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Joy of x
- A Guided Tour of Math, from One to Infinity
- By: Steven Strogatz
- Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 520
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 422
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 420
Many people take math in high school and promptly forget much of it. But math plays a part in all of our lives all of the time, whether we know it or not. In The Joy of x, Steven Strogatz expands on his hit New York Times series to explain the big ideas of math gently and clearly, with wit, and insight.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great listen
- By cameron on 08-16-19
By: Steven Strogatz
-
The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry: Series 1-10
- BBC Science Sleuths Solve Everyday Mysteries
- By: Adam Rutherford, Hannah Fry
- Narrated by: Adam Rutherford, Hannah Fry
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 13
In this irreverent and illuminating popular science show, award-winning geneticist Dr Adam Rutherford teams up with mathematics guru Dr Hannah Fry to solve puzzling conundrums sent in by listeners. For the past five years, they've been scrutinising a cornucopia of cases using the power of science - from why people shout on their mobile phones to how much the bacteria in our body weighs. In these 50 episodes, they tackle topics including what makes gingers ginger, how to make the perfect cup of tea, whether being left-handed affects your brain and why we get static shocks.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
great tidbits of science
- By Amazon Customer on 08-09-22
By: Adam Rutherford, and others
-
Hello World
- Being Human in the Age of Algorithms
- By: Hannah Fry
- Narrated by: Hannah Fry
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 759
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 656
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 652
Hello World takes us on a tour through the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of the algorithms that surround us on a daily basis. Mathematician Hannah Fry reveals their inner workings, showing us how algorithms are written and implemented, and demonstrates the ways in which human bias can literally be written into the code. By weaving in relatable, real world stories with accessible explanations of the underlying mathematics that power algorithms, Hello World helps us to determine their power, expose their limitations, and examine whether they really are improvements.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Disappointing and meandering book
- By Sc on 02-10-20
By: Hannah Fry
-
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived
- The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes
- By: Adam Rutherford
- Narrated by: Adam Rutherford
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 850
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 719
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 711
In our unique genomes, every one of us carries the story of our species - births, deaths, disease, war, famine, migration, and a lot of sex. But those stories have always been locked away - until now. Who are our ancestors? Where did they come from? Geneticists have suddenly become historians, and the hard evidence in our DNA has completely upended what we thought we knew about ourselves. Acclaimed science writer Adam Rutherford explains exactly how genomics is completely rewriting the human story - from 100,000 years ago to the present.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I wish this book was in American high schools.
- By melody sheldon on 03-31-19
By: Adam Rutherford
-
The Mathematics of Love
- By: Hannah Fry
- Narrated by: Hannah Fry
- Length: 2 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 625
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 551
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 545
In this must-have for anyone who wants to better understand their love life, a mathematician pulls back the curtain and reveals the hidden patterns—from dating sites to divorce, sex to marriage—behind the rituals of love. The roller coaster of romance is hard to quantify; defining how lovers might feel from a set of simple equations is impossible. But that doesn’t mean that mathematics isn’t a crucial tool for understanding love. Love, like most things in life, is full of patterns. And mathematics is ultimately the study of patterns—from predicting the weather to the fluctuations of the stock market, the movement of planets or the growth of cities. These patterns twist and turn and warp and evolve just as the rituals of love do.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Better in audio format
- By D'AGOSTINI SANDRO LUCIANO on 06-29-16
By: Hannah Fry
-
The Book of Humans
- A Brief History of Culture, Sex, War, and the Evolution of Us
- By: Adam Rutherford
- Narrated by: Adam Rutherford
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 210
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 192
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 190
Evolutionary theory has long established that humans are animals: Modern Homo sapiens are primates who share an ancestor with monkeys and other great apes. Our genome is 98 percent identical to a chimpanzee's. And yet we think of ourselves as exceptional. Are we? In this original and entertaining tour of life on Earth, Adam Rutherford explores the profound paradox of the "human animal".
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Scattered and anecdotal
- By Nemo71 on 09-29-19
By: Adam Rutherford
-
The Joy of x
- A Guided Tour of Math, from One to Infinity
- By: Steven Strogatz
- Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 520
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 422
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 420
Many people take math in high school and promptly forget much of it. But math plays a part in all of our lives all of the time, whether we know it or not. In The Joy of x, Steven Strogatz expands on his hit New York Times series to explain the big ideas of math gently and clearly, with wit, and insight.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great listen
- By cameron on 08-16-19
By: Steven Strogatz
-
The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry: Series 1-10
- BBC Science Sleuths Solve Everyday Mysteries
- By: Adam Rutherford, Hannah Fry
- Narrated by: Adam Rutherford, Hannah Fry
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 13
In this irreverent and illuminating popular science show, award-winning geneticist Dr Adam Rutherford teams up with mathematics guru Dr Hannah Fry to solve puzzling conundrums sent in by listeners. For the past five years, they've been scrutinising a cornucopia of cases using the power of science - from why people shout on their mobile phones to how much the bacteria in our body weighs. In these 50 episodes, they tackle topics including what makes gingers ginger, how to make the perfect cup of tea, whether being left-handed affects your brain and why we get static shocks.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
great tidbits of science
- By Amazon Customer on 08-09-22
By: Adam Rutherford, and others
-
Hello World
- Being Human in the Age of Algorithms
- By: Hannah Fry
- Narrated by: Hannah Fry
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 759
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 656
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 652
Hello World takes us on a tour through the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of the algorithms that surround us on a daily basis. Mathematician Hannah Fry reveals their inner workings, showing us how algorithms are written and implemented, and demonstrates the ways in which human bias can literally be written into the code. By weaving in relatable, real world stories with accessible explanations of the underlying mathematics that power algorithms, Hello World helps us to determine their power, expose their limitations, and examine whether they really are improvements.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Disappointing and meandering book
- By Sc on 02-10-20
By: Hannah Fry
-
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived
- The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes
- By: Adam Rutherford
- Narrated by: Adam Rutherford
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 850
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 719
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 711
In our unique genomes, every one of us carries the story of our species - births, deaths, disease, war, famine, migration, and a lot of sex. But those stories have always been locked away - until now. Who are our ancestors? Where did they come from? Geneticists have suddenly become historians, and the hard evidence in our DNA has completely upended what we thought we knew about ourselves. Acclaimed science writer Adam Rutherford explains exactly how genomics is completely rewriting the human story - from 100,000 years ago to the present.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I wish this book was in American high schools.
- By melody sheldon on 03-31-19
By: Adam Rutherford
-
The Mathematics of Love
- By: Hannah Fry
- Narrated by: Hannah Fry
- Length: 2 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 625
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 551
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 545
In this must-have for anyone who wants to better understand their love life, a mathematician pulls back the curtain and reveals the hidden patterns—from dating sites to divorce, sex to marriage—behind the rituals of love. The roller coaster of romance is hard to quantify; defining how lovers might feel from a set of simple equations is impossible. But that doesn’t mean that mathematics isn’t a crucial tool for understanding love. Love, like most things in life, is full of patterns. And mathematics is ultimately the study of patterns—from predicting the weather to the fluctuations of the stock market, the movement of planets or the growth of cities. These patterns twist and turn and warp and evolve just as the rituals of love do.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Better in audio format
- By D'AGOSTINI SANDRO LUCIANO on 06-29-16
By: Hannah Fry
-
The Book of Humans
- A Brief History of Culture, Sex, War, and the Evolution of Us
- By: Adam Rutherford
- Narrated by: Adam Rutherford
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 210
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 192
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 190
Evolutionary theory has long established that humans are animals: Modern Homo sapiens are primates who share an ancestor with monkeys and other great apes. Our genome is 98 percent identical to a chimpanzee's. And yet we think of ourselves as exceptional. Are we? In this original and entertaining tour of life on Earth, Adam Rutherford explores the profound paradox of the "human animal".
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Scattered and anecdotal
- By Nemo71 on 09-29-19
By: Adam Rutherford
-
Starry Messenger
- Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization
- By: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3,934
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,468
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,442
In a time when our political and cultural views feel more polarized than ever, Tyson provides a much-needed antidote to so much of what divides us, while making a passionate case for the twin chariots of enlightenment—a cosmic perspective and the rationality of science. After thinking deeply about how science sees the world and about Earth as a planet, the human brain has the capacity to reset and recalibrates life’s priorities, shaping the actions we might take in response. No outlook on culture, society, or civilization remains untouched.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Optimistic
- By Anonymous on 09-23-22
-
How to Make an Apple Pie from Scratch
- In Search of the Recipe for Our Universe, from the Origins of Atoms to the Big Bang
- By: Harry Cliff
- Narrated by: Harry Cliff
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 84
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 73
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 73
Harry Cliff - a University of Cambridge particle physicist and researcher on the Large Hadron Collider - sets out in pursuit of answers. He ventures to the largest underground research facility in the world, deep beneath Italy's Gran Sasso mountains, where scientists gaze into the heart of the Sun using the most elusive of particles, the ghostly neutrino. He visits CERN in Switzerland to explore the "Antimatter Factory," where the stuff of science fiction is manufactured daily (and we're close to knowing whether it falls up).
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
All physics students should read this book!
- By Jeremy on 12-04-22
By: Harry Cliff
-
Liquid Rules
- The Delightful and Dangerous Substances That Flow Through Our Lives
- By: Mark Miodownik
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,252
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,949
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,951
We all know that without water we couldn't survive, and that sometimes a cup of coffee or a glass of wine feels just as vital. But do we really understand how much we rely on liquids, or the destructive power they hold? Set over the course of a flight from London to San Francisco, Liquid Rules offers listeners a fascinating tour of these formless substances, told through the language of molecules, droplets, heartbeats, and ocean waves.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting book!
- By Wayne on 08-04-19
By: Mark Miodownik
-
Fantastic Numbers and Where to Find Them
- A Cosmic Quest from Zero to Infinity
- By: Antonio Padilla
- Narrated by: Antonio Padilla
- Length: 13 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 51
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 51
For particularly brilliant theoretical physicists like James Clerk Maxwell, Paul Dirac, or Albert Einstein, the search for mathematical truths led to strange new understandings of the ultimate nature of reality. But what are these truths? What are the mysterious numbers that explain the universe? In Fantastic Numbers and Where to Find Them, the leading theoretical physicist and YouTube star Antonio Padilla takes us on an irreverent cosmic tour of nine of the most extraordinary numbers in physics, offering a startling picture of how the universe works.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Exciting, Strange, Difficult = Meh
- By Michael on 05-23-23
By: Antonio Padilla
-
Humble Pi
- When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World
- By: Matt Parker
- Narrated by: Matt Parker
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,189
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,866
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,858
Exploring and explaining a litany of glitches, near misses, and mathematical mishaps involving the internet, big data, elections, street signs, lotteries, the Roman Empire, and an Olympic team, Matt Parker uncovers the bizarre ways math trips us up, and what this reveals about its essential place in our world. Getting it wrong has never been more fun.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating & enlightening even for da mathphobic✏️
- By C. White on 01-23-20
By: Matt Parker
-
The Biggest Ideas in the Universe
- Space, Time, and Motion
- By: Sean Carroll
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 151
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 127
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 127
The most trusted explainer of the most mind-boggling concepts pulls back the veil of mystery that has too long cloaked the most valuable building blocks of modern science. Sean Carroll, with his genius for making complex notions entertaining, presents in his uniquely lucid voice the fundamental ideas informing the modern physics of reality. In the tradition of the legendary Richard Feynman lectures presented sixty years ago, this book is an inspiring, dazzling introduction to a way of seeing that will resonate across cultural and generational boundaries for many years to come.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Accompanying PDF is Included
- By Barton on 11-21-22
By: Sean Carroll
-
The World Before Us
- The New Science Behind Our Human Origins
- By: Tom Higham
- Narrated by: John Sackville
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 161
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 143
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 144
A fascinating investigation of the origin of humans based on incredible new discoveries and advanced scientific technology.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderfully Accessible
- By Deborah N on 11-02-21
By: Tom Higham
-
What If? 2
- Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
- By: Randall Munroe
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,174
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,015
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,007
The millions of people around the world who loved What If? still have questions, and those questions are getting stranger. Thank goodness xkcd creator Randall Munroe is here to help. Planning to ride a fire pole from the Moon back to Earth? The hardest part is sticking the landing. Hoping to cool the atmosphere by opening everyone’s freezer door at the same time? Maybe it’s time for a brief introduction to thermodynamics. Want to know what would happen if you rode a helicopter blade, made a lava lamp out of lava, or jumped on an erupting geyser? Okay, if you insist.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting book, horrible narrator
- By Peter on 02-18-24
By: Randall Munroe
-
Under Alien Skies
- A Sightseer's Guide to the Universe
- By: Phil Plait
- Narrated by: Phil Plait
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 46
How would Saturn’s rings look from a spaceship sailing just above them? If you were falling into a black hole, what’s the last thing you’d see before your spaghettification? What would it be like to visit the faraway places we currently experience only through high-powered telescopes and robotic emissaries? Faster-than-light travel may never be invented, but we can still take the scenic route through the universe with renowned astronomer and science communicator Philip Plait.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
great book, Candidly narrated
- By Alfred Maldonado on 09-03-23
By: Phil Plait
-
Undeniable
- Evolution and the Science of Creation
- By: Bill Nye
- Narrated by: Bill Nye
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 6,444
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 5,853
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,832
Sparked by a controversial debate in February 2014, Bill Nye has set off on an energetic campaign to spread awareness of evolution and the powerful way it shapes our lives. In Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation, he explains why race does not really exist; evaluates the true promise and peril of genetically modified food; reveals how new species are born, in a dog kennel and in a London subway; takes a stroll through 4.5 billion years of time; and explores the new search for alien life, including aliens right here on Earth.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Leasurly read for those who don't want equations
- By AxeanaB on 02-05-15
By: Bill Nye
-
Knowing What We Know
- The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic
- By: Simon Winchester
- Narrated by: Simon Winchester
- Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 156
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 122
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 122
From the creation of the first encyclopedia to Wikipedia, from ancient museums to modern kindergarten classes—this is Simon Winchester’s brilliant and all-encompassing look at how humans acquire, retain, and pass on information and data, and how technology continues to change our lives and our minds. Throughout this fascinating tour, Winchester forces us to ponder what rational humans are becoming. What good is all this knowledge if it leads to lack of thought? What is information without wisdom?
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Colorful anecdotes but tiring after a while.
- By Thumb Guy on 05-03-23
By: Simon Winchester
-
At the Edge of Uncertainty
- 11 Discoveries Taking Science by Surprise
- By: Michael Brooks
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,200
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,084
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,083
The atom, the big bang, DNA, natural selection - all are ideas that have revolutionized science; and all were dismissed out of hand when they first appeared. The surprises haven't stopped in recent years, and in At the Edge of Uncertainty, best-selling author Michael Brooks investigates the new wave of radical insights that are shaping the future of scientific discovery.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
All smoke, no fire
- By Kenton on 07-25-15
By: Michael Brooks
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
What Einstein Didn't Know
- Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions
- By: Robert L. Wolke
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 215
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 190
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 189
How does soap know what's dirt? How do magnets work? Why do ice cubes crackle in your glass? And how can you keep them quiet? These are questions that torment us all. Now Robert L. Wolke, professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh, provides definitive - and amazingly simple - explanations for the mysteries of everyday life.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
A funny thing happened on the way to a great book
- By Joseph on 10-01-12
By: Robert L. Wolke
-
The Universe
- Leading Scientists Explore the Origin, Mysteries, and Future of the Cosmos
- By: John Brockman
- Narrated by: Antony Ferguson, Danny Campbell, Jo Anna Perrin
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 179
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 155
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 156
In The Universe, today's most influential science writers explain the science behind our evolving understanding of The Universe and everything in it, including the cutting-edge research and discoveries that are shaping our knowledge. Lee Smolin reveals how math and cosmology are helping us create a theory of the whole universe. Neil Turok analyzes the fundamental laws of nature, what came before the big bang, and the possibility of a unified theory. And much more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Equivalant to reading 25 books
- By Gary on 10-05-14
By: John Brockman
-
Just Six Numbers
- The Deep Forces That Shape the Universe
- By: Martin J. Rees
- Narrated by: John Curless
- Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 80
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 74
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 71
There are deep connections between stars and atoms, between the cosmos and the microworld. Just six numbers, imprinted in the "Big Bang", determine the essential features of our entire physical world. Moreover, cosmic evolution is astonishingly sensitive to the values of these numbers. If any one of them were "untuned", there could be no stars and no life. This realization offers a radically new perspective on our universe, our place in it, and the nature of physical laws.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Old Fine-Tuning Book
- By Michael on 12-16-18
By: Martin J. Rees
-
Quantum Physics
- What Everyone Needs to Know
- By: Michael G. Raymer
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 117
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 102
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 102
In Quantum Physics: What Everyone Needs to Know, quantum physicist Michael G. Raymer distills the basic principles of such an abstract field, and addresses the many ways quantum physics is a key factor in today's science and beyond. The book tackles questions as broad as the meaning of quantum entanglement and as specific and timely as why governments worldwide are spending billions of dollars developing quantum technology research. Raymer's list of topics is diverse, and showcases the sheer range of questions and ideas in which quantum physics is involved.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Where are the figures..?
- By Adam Sipos on 07-31-19
-
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 2,174
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,907
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,902
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
-
Beyond Weird
- By: Philip Ball
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 201
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 174
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 172
An exhilarating tour of the contemporary quantum landscape, Beyond Weird is a book about what quantum physics really means - and what it doesn't. Science writer Philip Ball offers an up-to-date, accessible account of the quest to come to grips with the most fundamental theory of physical reality, and to explain how its counterintuitive principles underpin the world we experience.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
A difficult listen
- By Ray on 03-17-19
By: Philip Ball
-
What Einstein Didn't Know
- Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions
- By: Robert L. Wolke
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 215
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 190
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 189
How does soap know what's dirt? How do magnets work? Why do ice cubes crackle in your glass? And how can you keep them quiet? These are questions that torment us all. Now Robert L. Wolke, professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh, provides definitive - and amazingly simple - explanations for the mysteries of everyday life.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
A funny thing happened on the way to a great book
- By Joseph on 10-01-12
By: Robert L. Wolke
-
The Universe
- Leading Scientists Explore the Origin, Mysteries, and Future of the Cosmos
- By: John Brockman
- Narrated by: Antony Ferguson, Danny Campbell, Jo Anna Perrin
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 179
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 155
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 156
In The Universe, today's most influential science writers explain the science behind our evolving understanding of The Universe and everything in it, including the cutting-edge research and discoveries that are shaping our knowledge. Lee Smolin reveals how math and cosmology are helping us create a theory of the whole universe. Neil Turok analyzes the fundamental laws of nature, what came before the big bang, and the possibility of a unified theory. And much more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Equivalant to reading 25 books
- By Gary on 10-05-14
By: John Brockman
-
Just Six Numbers
- The Deep Forces That Shape the Universe
- By: Martin J. Rees
- Narrated by: John Curless
- Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 80
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 74
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 71
There are deep connections between stars and atoms, between the cosmos and the microworld. Just six numbers, imprinted in the "Big Bang", determine the essential features of our entire physical world. Moreover, cosmic evolution is astonishingly sensitive to the values of these numbers. If any one of them were "untuned", there could be no stars and no life. This realization offers a radically new perspective on our universe, our place in it, and the nature of physical laws.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Old Fine-Tuning Book
- By Michael on 12-16-18
By: Martin J. Rees
-
Quantum Physics
- What Everyone Needs to Know
- By: Michael G. Raymer
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 117
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 102
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 102
In Quantum Physics: What Everyone Needs to Know, quantum physicist Michael G. Raymer distills the basic principles of such an abstract field, and addresses the many ways quantum physics is a key factor in today's science and beyond. The book tackles questions as broad as the meaning of quantum entanglement and as specific and timely as why governments worldwide are spending billions of dollars developing quantum technology research. Raymer's list of topics is diverse, and showcases the sheer range of questions and ideas in which quantum physics is involved.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Where are the figures..?
- By Adam Sipos on 07-31-19
-
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 2,174
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,907
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,902
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
-
Beyond Weird
- By: Philip Ball
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 201
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 174
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 172
An exhilarating tour of the contemporary quantum landscape, Beyond Weird is a book about what quantum physics really means - and what it doesn't. Science writer Philip Ball offers an up-to-date, accessible account of the quest to come to grips with the most fundamental theory of physical reality, and to explain how its counterintuitive principles underpin the world we experience.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
A difficult listen
- By Ray on 03-17-19
By: Philip Ball
-
Conquering the Electron
- The Geniuses, Visionaries, Egomaniacs, and Scoundrels Who Built Our Electronic Age
- By: Derek Cheung, Eric Brach
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 14 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 161
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 133
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 132
Want to know how AT&T's Bell Labs developed semiconductor technology - and how its leading scientists almost came to blows in the process? Want to understand how radio and television work - and why RCA drove their inventors to financial ruin and early graves? Conquering the Electron offers these stories and more, presenting each revolutionary technological advance right alongside blow-by-blow personal battles that all too often took place.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Tech, science, engineering & the people behind it.
- By James S. on 05-29-20
By: Derek Cheung, and others
-
A Million Years in a Day
- A Curious History of Everyday Life from the Stone Age to the Phone Age
- By: Greg Jenner
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 98
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 90
Who invented beds? When did we start cleaning our teeth? How old are wine and beer? Which came first: the toilet seat or toilet paper? What was the first clock? Every day, from the moment our alarm clock wakes us in the morning until our head hits our pillow at night, we all take part in rituals that are millennia old. Structured around one ordinary day, A Million Years in a Day reveals the astonishing origins and development of the daily practices we take for granted.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Super interesting!
- By Brandon on 07-07-16
By: Greg Jenner
-
Life on a Young Planet
- The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth
- By: Andrew H. Knoll
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 106
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 87
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 87
Australopithecines, dinosaurs, trilobites - such fossils conjure up images of lost worlds filled with vanished organisms. But in the full history of life, ancient animals, even the trilobites, form only the half-billion-year tip of a nearly four-billion-year iceberg. Andrew Knoll explores the deep history of life from its origins on a young planet to the incredible Cambrian explosion, presenting a compelling new explanation for the emergence of biological novelty.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Earliest Life
- By Arden on 02-16-20
By: Andrew H. Knoll
-
Paradox
- The Nine Greatest Enigmas in Physics
- By: Jim Al-Khalili
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
- Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 103
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 90
Throughout history, scientists have come up with theories and ideas that just don't seem to make sense. These we call paradoxes. The paradoxes Al-Khalili offers are drawn chiefly from physics and astronomy and represent those that have stumped some of the finest minds. With elegant explanations that bring the listener inside the mind of those who've developed them, Al-Khalili helps us to see that, in fact, paradoxes can be solved if seen from the right angle.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Almost Useless
- By Michael on 06-19-19
By: Jim Al-Khalili
-
Chandra's Cosmos
- Dark Matter, Black Holes, and Other Wonders Revealed by NASA's Premier X-Ray Observatory
- By: Wallace H. Tucker
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
On July 23, 1999, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the most powerful X-ray telescope ever built, was launched aboard the space shuttle Columbia. Since then, Chandra has given us a view of the universe that is largely hidden from telescopes sensitive only to visible light. In Chandra's Cosmos, Wallace H. Tucker uses a series of short, connected stories to describe the telescope's exploration of the hot, high-energy face of the universe.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent
- By MGGGK9 on 12-08-23
-
Six Impossible Things
- The Mystery of the Quantum World
- By: John Gribbin
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
- Length: 2 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 51
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 44
Rules of the quantum world seem to say that a cat can be both alive and dead at the same time and a particle can be in two places at once. And that particle is also a wave; everything in the quantum world can described in terms of waves - or entirely in terms of particles. These interpretations were all established by the end of the 1920s, by Erwin Schrödinger, Werner Heisenberg, Paul Dirac, and others. But no one has yet come up with a common sense explanation of what is going on.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I didn't know all these different theories of quantum physics existed!
- By David J. on 05-08-25
By: John Gribbin
-
The Ancestor's Tale
- A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution
- By: Richard Dawkins
- Narrated by: Richard Dawkins, Lalla Ward
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 593
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 518
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 510
In The Ancestor's Tale, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins offers a masterwork: an exhilarating reverse tour through evolution, from present-day humans back to the microbial beginnings of life four billion years ago. Throughout the journey, Dawkins spins entertaining, insightful stories and sheds light on topics such as speciation, sexual selection, and extinction. The Ancestor's Tale is at once an essential education in evolutionary theory and riveting in its telling.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Please do an unabridged version!
- By MovieExpertise on 09-29-16
By: Richard Dawkins
-
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived
- The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes
- By: Adam Rutherford
- Narrated by: Adam Rutherford
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 850
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 719
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 711
In our unique genomes, every one of us carries the story of our species - births, deaths, disease, war, famine, migration, and a lot of sex. But those stories have always been locked away - until now. Who are our ancestors? Where did they come from? Geneticists have suddenly become historians, and the hard evidence in our DNA has completely upended what we thought we knew about ourselves. Acclaimed science writer Adam Rutherford explains exactly how genomics is completely rewriting the human story - from 100,000 years ago to the present.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I wish this book was in American high schools.
- By melody sheldon on 03-31-19
By: Adam Rutherford
-
The Story of Earth
- The First 4.5 Billion Years, from Stardust to Living Planet
- By: Robert M. Hazen
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,100
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 944
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 937
Earth evolves. From first atom to molecule, mineral to magma, granite crust to single cell to verdant living landscape, ours is a planet constantly in flux. In this radical new approach to Earth’s biography, senior Carnegie Institution researcher and national best-selling author Robert M. Hazen reveals how the co-evolution of the geosphere and biosphere - of rocks and living matter - has shaped our planet into the only one of its kind in the Solar System, if not the entire cosmos.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Makes minerals interesting
- By Gary on 07-31-12
By: Robert M. Hazen
-
50 Great Myths of Human Evolution
- Understanding Misconceptions About Our Origins
- By: John H. Relethford
- Narrated by: Steven Menasche
- Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 21
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 17
50 Great Myths of Human Evolution uses common misconceptions to explore basic theory and research in human evolution and strengthen critical thinking skills for lay audiences, listeners, and students. Includes myths such as: "Humans lived at the same time as dinosaurs"; "Lucy was so small because she was a child"; "Our ancestors have always made fire"; and "There is a strong relationship between brain size and intelligence."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best evolution book I have read.
- By Anthony W. Shallin on 07-02-18
-
Symphony in C
- Carbon and the Evolution of (Almost) Everything
- By: Robert M. Hazen
- Narrated by: Paul Brion
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 218
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 181
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 181
An enchanting biography of the most resonant - and most necessary - chemical element on Earth. Carbon. It's in the fibers in your hair, the timbers in your walls, the food that you eat, and the air that you breathe. It's worth billions as a luxury and half a trillion as a necessity, but there are still mysteries yet to be solved about the element that can be both diamond and coal. Where does it come from, what does it do, and why, above all, does life need it?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
There is a Caveat
- By Joseph L Contreras on 06-26-19
By: Robert M. Hazen
-
The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry: Series 1-10
- BBC Science Sleuths Solve Everyday Mysteries
- By: Adam Rutherford, Hannah Fry
- Narrated by: Adam Rutherford, Hannah Fry
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 13
In this irreverent and illuminating popular science show, award-winning geneticist Dr Adam Rutherford teams up with mathematics guru Dr Hannah Fry to solve puzzling conundrums sent in by listeners. For the past five years, they've been scrutinising a cornucopia of cases using the power of science - from why people shout on their mobile phones to how much the bacteria in our body weighs. In these 50 episodes, they tackle topics including what makes gingers ginger, how to make the perfect cup of tea, whether being left-handed affects your brain and why we get static shocks.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
great tidbits of science
- By Amazon Customer on 08-09-22
By: Adam Rutherford, and others
What listeners say about The Complete (Short) Guide to Absolutely Everything
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
- rdaelectron
- 04-19-22
Once was not enough!
That’s right, you can’t listen to this book just once. The authors deliver many insights in such a delightful manner that I had to hear them twice and will likely listen a third time. Most of all, the examples of how easy it is for us humans to fool ourselves make a compelling argument for the rigors of a scientific process.
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
- James E. Pfeffer
- 02-04-23
A delightful way to learn about everything
I enjoyed this book very much. The authors were funny, charming, and endearing. I also found them creative and devastatingly smart.
I adored the book.
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
- michael
- 07-06-24
Perfect explanation of nearly everything
Love the book and authors I love how they made everything sound so simple..I’ve been watching and listening to both of them for ,well a long time. So if you want to learn the “useful” information that you have a habit of doing, well this book covers all of it
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
- Guido
- 02-01-22
Dude!
My favorite science people talking about my favorite science. Recommend for everyone! Especially the fhapter on biases.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- R. Mueller
- 06-10-23
A great listen and fun way to learn some things
of course, it's not a guide to everything. But it is a very interesting book that will teach you several things in a fun and engaging way that isn't technically complex. They use some great examples to simplify some of these things.
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
- biff
- 04-11-22
Articulate,intelligent, and funny
Need I say more, well ok then . . . I really enjoy the authors/narrators (Rutherford & Fry) and how they interact. Recommend. Also check out the podcast by same.
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
- Zach Brunson
- 12-21-22
Everything Expected
If you've listened to Curious Cases, then you have a good idea of the sorts of things to expect... And Rutherford and Fry delivered.
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
- Skip
- 04-11-24
Enthralling facts, great delivery!
These scientists are clever and witty, and their observations are presented with entertaining flair. Ever wonder why pigeons bob their heads? You’ll find out why! Highly recommended.
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
- Chris B
- 09-08-24
Humour and understandability.
Loved it. Science for fun ! I’d love to go to the pub with these two :)
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!