Beau Lotto, a neuroscientist who specializes in perception, has polished his presentation skills on public stages around the world, including a couple of hugely popular TED Talks. He brings these well-honed talents to his discussion of how humans evolved to see not what is real but, rather, what is useful. The material--centering as it does on optical illusions--presents some challenges in the audio medium, making the accompanying 82-page PDF a necessary companion to fully appreciate the ideas. But Lotto's engaging tone and youthful energy warm up the technical material and make this an engaging journey into the mind of an exciting and creative scientist who helps us see ourselves more clearly.
Pub Date: April 25, 2017
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781478909156
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Dr. Plotkin is an ethnobotanist who recounts his experiences searching for new medications in the Amazon rain forest. He makes an impassioned plea for the world to stop destroying this irreplaceable resource. Since the author reads his own work, we can rely on the pronunciation of some unusual botanical terms; however, his voice (presumably not trained for performance) lacks the enthusiasm and fascination the words suggest. Furthermore, with no chapter references and few pauses between sections, transitions, such as the change of location from Ecuador to Massachusetts, are awkward.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The more we know about the universe, the less certain it all seems.
In just under seven hours, this engaging and instructive audiobook answers, as best as anyone can, all the questions listeners might have about particles and dark matter and the fate of the universe. Beginning with the Babylonians, Genevieve Swallow offers a well-paced narration of this history of scientific advances through the centuries. Much of this is familiar, but the narrative excels in scope and clarity, and Swallow’s performance brings ease and precision. From subatomic paradoxes to the first probes into space, Swallow is a steadying presence for a heady tour of the awesome and the strange, the inconceivable and the barely imaginable.
The more we know about the universe, the less certain it all seems.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063476486
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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