Mysteries of the Microscopic World
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Narrated by:
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Bruce E. Fleury
About this listen
An invisible world of astonishing complexity is all around you. A world so small you can’t see it with the naked eye. A world so crowded that its population staggers the mind. A world in which you participate every day - often without even knowing it. The inhabitants of this world are trillions of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other organisms, collectively known as microbes. Hundreds of thousands could fit on the period at the end of this sentence. And many play a powerful role in your life, from the bacteria in your stomach that help you digest food to the pathogens that make you sick.
Mysteries of the Microscopic World is your illustrated guided tour through a realm that is as teeming with exotic life as any rainforest - and that is just as exciting.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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Unlocking the Hidden History of DNA
- By: Sam Kean, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Sam Kean
- Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins
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Locked inside the DNA of every species that ever lived are endless stories - about origins, ancestors, fate, and much more. Until recently, these secrets were completely inaccessible. But with the help of new technologies, scientists are now reading the hidden history of DNA, making remarkable discoveries about ourselves and our fellow species. Your gateway to this treasure trove of information is Unlocking the Hidden History of DNA, 12 informative and accessible lectures delivered by New York Times best-selling author Sam Kean.
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Great course
- By MyGrnEyesF on 04-29-21
By: Sam Kean, and others
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The Remarkable Science of Ancient Astronomy
- By: Bradley E. Schaefer, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bradley E. Schaefer
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
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The Sun, Moon, and stars are crucial to your daily existence. The perfect regularity of the heavens is the only guaranteed part of life and inspires deep religious and philosophical ideas, while unexpected events such as eclipses and comets incite fear. Experience this ancient outlook with noted astrophysicist and historian of astronomy Professor Bradley Schaefer of Louisiana State University. An award-winning teacher, Dr. Schaefer takes you around the world, exploring the close relationship that people thousands of years ago had with the sky.
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The performance was not the problem
- By Carolyn J on 03-14-19
By: Bradley E. Schaefer, and others
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Understanding Disorders of the Brain
- By: Sandy Neargarder, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Sandy Neargarder
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
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Science has come a long way in solving the mysteries of the human brain, but we still have a long way to go. Understanding Disorders of the Brain is a powerful introduction to the journey of brain science in the 21st century and an excellent addition to your lifelong learning library.
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Alzheimer's and Dementia
- By Chani on 08-15-22
By: Sandy Neargarder, and others
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Science of Self
- By: Lee M. Silver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Lee M. Silver
- Length: 12 hrs and 3 mins
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In 24 thought-provoking lectures designed for nonscientists, this course explores today's exciting field of genomics, the study of the vast storehouse of information contained within chromosomes. Your professor is Princeton University biologist Lee M. Silver, an acclaimed teacher, scientist, and author of popular books on biotechnology, genetics, and their impact on society.
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disappointing, no accompanying figures.
- By Amazon Customer on 02-10-21
By: Lee M. Silver, and others
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What Science Knows About Cancer
- By: David Sadava, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: David Sadava
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
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The landscape of cancer treatment and prevention is a vastly different place than it was even a decade ago. Thanks to a relatively new focus on molecular medicine, researchers are gaining a deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved in the disease, poising them on the brink of huge breakthroughs. What Science Knows About Cancer reports from the front lines of the war on cancer with a clear and scientifically precise - yet thoroughly accessible - guide to how the disease develops, thrives, and can potentially be conquered.
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Good info clearly meant for video consumption
- By Error9312 on 08-02-21
By: David Sadava, and others
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Food: A Cultural Culinary History
- By: Ken Albala, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ken Albala
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
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Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."
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One of my top 3 favorite courses!
- By Jessica on 12-28-13
By: Ken Albala, and others
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No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life
- By: Robert C. Solomon, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert C. Solomon
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
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What is life? What is my place in it? What choices do these questions obligate me to make? More than a half-century after it burst upon the intellectual scene - with roots that extend to the mid-19th century - Existentialism's quest to answer these most fundamental questions of individual responsibility, morality, and personal freedom, life has continued to exert a profound attraction.
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Good for even a non-existentialist
- By Gary on 07-24-15
By: Robert C. Solomon, and others
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Synthetic Biology: Life’s Extraordinary New Worlds
- By: Milton Muldrow Jr., The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Milton Muldrow Jr.
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
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Synthetic Biology: Life’s Extraordinary New Worlds is an introduction to synthetic biology for non-scientists, covering the exciting field that is transforming health care, agriculture, environmental science, and many other areas. Using the molecules of life to answer scientific questions and manipulate life for human benefit, synthetic biology encompasses a wide range of applications—from gene editing and metabolic engineering to food synthesis and green technologies.
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Disappointing.
- By Kindle Customer FB on 12-10-24
By: Milton Muldrow Jr., and others
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Einstein's Relativity and the Quantum Revolution: Modern Physics for Non-Scientists, 2nd Edition
- By: Richard Wolfson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Richard Wolfson
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
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"It doesn't take an Einstein to understand modern physics," says Professor Wolfson at the outset of these 24 lectures on what may be the most important subjects in the universe: relativity and quantum physics. Both have reputations for complexity. But the basic ideas behind them are, in fact, simple and comprehensible by anyone. These dynamic and illuminating lectures begin with a brief overview of theories of physical reality starting with Aristotle and culminating in Newtonian or "classical" physics.
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Great primer for hard SF fans and physics laymen
- By David on 01-05-15
By: Richard Wolfson, and others
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The Science of Energy
- Resources and Power Explained
- By: Michael E. Wysession, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Michael E. Wysession
- Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
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To better put into perspective the various issues surrounding energy in the 21st century, you need to understand the essential science behind how energy works. And you need a reliable source whose focus is on giving you the facts you need to form your own educated opinions.
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Great Overview
- By Amanda Gannon on 04-07-16
By: Michael E. Wysession, and others
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The Foundations of Western Civilization
- By: Thomas F. X. Noble, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Thomas F. X. Noble
- Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins
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What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.
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Not Engaging or Very Interesting
- By Tommy D'Angelo on 03-05-17
By: Thomas F. X. Noble, and others
What listeners say about Mysteries of the Microscopic World
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- AndrewRez
- 07-23-22
Wow, very enlightening book ...
My view of the world has drastically changed after listening to this book.
Highly recommended.
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- Rich Medina
- 04-25-22
Very interesting
I really enjoyed this book. It was very interesting
I would recommend it to everyone.
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- Aware
- 04-09-19
Absolutely Captivating
I got this for my 14 year old son for school but he always remembers everything the first time. So to keep up with him for when he wants to lecture me again on microbiology, I figured it would be best to listen first. I finished this in 2 days of listening. I proudly went to my son to tell him and he looked at me like someone would to a small child. He already knew it all. He was proud of me for learning about it. 🤔😒
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11 people found this helpful
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- chetyarbrough.blog
- 03-07-21
EVOLVING PANDEMICS
“Mysteries of the Microscopic World” is a reflection on the “The Invisible Realm”, the world of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. It is somewhat dated because of today’s history of Covid19. However, Professor Fleury offers a modern understanding of pandemics and the role germs play in human life.
Fleury explains this microscopic world is not only a disease producer. It also aids human existence by offering microorganisms that get rid of wastes and remove toxic chemicals from the body. Fleury notes some humans die from microorganisms, but they cannot live without them. Fleury explains how the microscopic world follows the same Darwinian evolutionary path as the macroscopic world. The microscopic world, like the animal world, evolves with random adaptation that sustains all life.
The two edges of this microscopic world can cure or kill. Fleury explains how this unseen world evolves in the same way the animal kingdom evolves. Today’s Covid19 virus changes to preserve itself. Covid19 evolves like any life force to become resistant to current drug treatment. Pfizer and other drug manufacturers are tasked with modification of their drug formulas to defeat viral and bacterial evolution.
Fleury explains there is a race between microbes and humans. As antibiotic treatment improves, microbes mutate into strains that resist treatment. What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. Fleury implies there is a natural balance among all living things. Humans may be destined for extinction, but Fleury reminds us of the myth of Pandora. She left hope in the bottom of the box when all the evils were unloosed on the world.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 05-25-22
pleased
the author gets a little silly sometimes but overall it's great content.
it's filled with a lot of interesting anecdotes.
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1 person found this helpful
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- wbiro
- 04-06-19
Topic Still Current, Narration Good
The value of a book is subjective. This course fit nicely into my mental slot for microbiology. It kept my interest and kept me awake while commuting and at work (I have a job where I can listen to audiobooks).
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3 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 07-28-21
Interesting but rambling
This lecturer needs to outline and organize his lesson plan way more. He rambles and jumps between topics at random.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Angela B
- 04-01-22
Not a baby
Why is he talking to me like I'm a baby? It's patronizing. I just can't.
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- Mark Bruns
- 04-22-22
fear porn
it's not about understanding microscopic life ... it's all fear porn all the way through
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- Erik Hansen
- 07-03-21
Enjoyable, but a misleading title
The lecturer explains things clearly and keeps things interesting, overall I found these lectures pretty enjoyable.
Sadly the content was not really what I expected from the title. A more appropriate title may be something like "Pathogens, Immunology, and History". Almost every chapter was about pathogens and immunology, peppered with historical anecdotes. There is very little content concerning non-pathogenic microscopic life, and very few "mysteries" throughout. Given the title, I expected this series to focus on interesting microbial phenomena that are as yet poorly understood by science.
If you already know a decent amount about pathogens and immunology then you'll probably learn very little from these lectures, however if you are new to these subjects you'll probably learn some interesting things while remaining entertained.
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10 people found this helpful