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The Canon
- A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science
- Narrated by: Nike Doukas
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
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Publisher's summary
Most of the profound questions we will explore in our lives (such as those involving evolution, global warming, or stem cells) have to do with science. So do a lot of everyday things, like our ice-cream melting, our coffee getting cold, and our vacuum cleaner running (or not). What does our liver do when we eat a caramel? How does the horse demonstrate evolution at work? Are we really made of stardust? (Yes we are.)
In The Canon, Lewis Thomas meets Lewis Carroll in a book destined to become a modern classic, because it quenches our curiosity, sparks our interest in the world around us, reignites our childhood delight in discovering how things work, and instantly makes us smarter.
This is a playful, passionate, ebullient guide to the science all around us by a Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author.
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- Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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As smartphones, supercomputers, supercolliders, and AI propel us into an ever more unfamiliar future, How to Speak Science takes us on a rollicking historical tour of the greatest discoveries and ideas that make today's cutting-edge technologies possible. Wanting everyone to be able to "speak" science, YouTube science guru Bruce Benamran explains - as accessibly and wittily as in his acclaimed videos - the fundamental ideas of the physical world: matter, life, the solar system, light, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, special and general relativity, and much more.
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Wowzers!
- By Ralph Temblador on 02-15-21
By: Bruce Benamran, and others
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Origins
- The Scientific Story of Creation
- By: Jim Baggott
- Narrated by: Neil Scott-Barbour
- Length: 16 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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What is the nature of the material world? How does it work? What is the universe and how was it formed? What is life? Where do we come from and how did we evolve? How and why do we think? What does it mean to be human? How do we know? There are many different versions of our creation story. This book tells the version according to modern science. It is a unique account, starting at the Big Bang and travelling right up to the emergence of humans as conscious intelligent beings, 13.8 billion years later.
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Interesting book, but WOW, the narrator ...
- By UH on 01-10-17
By: Jim Baggott
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The Science of Discworld
- A Novel
- By: Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, Jack Cohen
- Narrated by: Michael Fenton Stevens, Stephen Briggs
- Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Not just another science audiobook and not just another Discworld novella, The Science of Discworld is a creative, mind-bending mash-up of fiction and fact, that offers a wizard’s-eye view of our world that will forever change how you look at the universe.
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Not the best Pratchett, but gets there in the end
- By Rachel on 07-30-14
By: Terry Pratchett, and others
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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
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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.
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Some good science in here?
- By Darin Harbert on 02-06-20
By: Matt Brady
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Creation
- How Science Is Reinventing Life Itself
- By: Adam Rutherford
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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The Goldilocks book on what is life
- By Gary on 07-11-13
By: Adam Rutherford
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Five Billion Years of Solitude
- The Search for Life Among the Stars
- By: Lee Billings
- Narrated by: Lee Billings
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Since its formation nearly five billion years ago, our planet has been the sole living world in a vast and silent universe. Now, Earth's isolation is coming to an end. Over the past two decades, astronomers have discovered thousands of "exoplanets" orbiting other stars, including some that could be similar to our own world. Studying those distant planets for signs of life will be crucial to understanding life's intricate mysteries right here on Earth. In a firsthand account of this unfolding revolution, Lee Billings draws on interviews with top researchers.
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Bloated
- By Dr A on 01-09-14
By: Lee Billings
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Forces of Nature
- By: Professor Brian Cox, Andrew Cohen
- Narrated by: Samuel West
- Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Professor Brian Cox uncovers some of the most extraordinary natural events on Earth and in the universe and beyond. From the immensity of the universe and the roundness of Earth to the form of every single snowflake, the forces of nature shape everything we see. Pushed to extremes, the results are astonishing. In seeking to understand the everyday world, the colours, structure, behaviour and history of our home, we develop the knowledge and techniques necessary to step beyond the everyday.
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Complicated in its simplicity
- By Philomath on 06-13-17
By: Professor Brian Cox, and others
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At the Edge of Uncertainty
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- By: Michael Brooks
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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All smoke, no fire
- By Kenton on 07-25-15
By: Michael Brooks
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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
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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.
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Engaging, but maybe better suited for non-audio
- By Ryan on 05-26-12
By: Steven Strogatz
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Arrival of the Fittest
- Solving Evolution's Greatest Puzzle
- By: Andreas Wagner
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
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In Arrival of the Fittest, renowned evolutionary biologist Andreas Wagner draws on over 15 years of research to present the missing piece in Darwin's theory. Using experimental and computational technologies that were heretofore unimagined, he has found that adaptations are not just driven by chance, but by a set of laws that allow nature to discover new molecules and mechanisms in a fraction of the time that random variation would take.
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Robustness makes for an interesting life and book
- By Gary on 11-29-14
By: Andreas Wagner
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What listeners say about The Canon
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- SciGuy
- 01-01-08
Entertaining Science
I think the author did an excellent job of making science a fun subject. The writing style is lively with many puns. I've read Bryson's book and deem it excellent too. I'm quite familiar with most of science and this book was a great review for me.
If you enjoy science you'll enjoy this tome.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Gurmukh
- 05-21-08
Very Enjoyable!
The Canon is a wonderful listen. The science was fascinating, the tone lighthearted, and the narrator was pleasant to listen to.
Reading other reviews here and elsewhere, though, it seems clear that there are many aspects that you'll either love or hate, depending on your preferences. There doesn't seem to be any in-between. Many of the aspects of this book that other people complain about are things that I found very enjoyable.
Some people, for example, are put off by the author's use of puns. I personally felt that the puns were a delightful addition. Few of them were laugh-out-loud funny, but most of them at least made me smile. I felt that they were included tastefully and didn't get the impression that they were excessive in any way.
I personally would not say that the use of puns detracted from the contents.
Some people were put off by the narrator's voice. I personally found her voice to be very pleasant. I don't think there's any way to really quantify this disagreement, so I'll refrain from listing the qualities they found distasteful and my response of qualities I found pleasant.
I guess you either like her voice or you don't. I recommend listening to the sample provided above and deciding for yourself.
Most of the things other people complained about in this book are aspects that I thoroughly enjoyed. Many people seem to agree with me, judging by the reviews. If you find yourself nodding along to the complaints, then this may not be the right book for you. Otherwise, I highly recommend checking the book out for yourself.
To move on to other, less divided, aspects of the book - I really enjoyed how she put in a section on probability theory and understanding randomness. It's an important subject that often gets ignored.
Some areas, such as quantum physics, get a little detailed. But it's not a subject that can be easily simplified.
Overall, though, I finished the book with a smile on my face. I highly recommend it.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Patricia
- 12-23-07
Factual with a Good Dose of Humor
As a science teacher I loved listening to this book. Written so as to explain some complex scientific principles in simplistic lay terms; with a touch of humor added. I have found myself repeating some of the material in my freshmen biology classes, and the kids love it! Rates 5 stars from me, and my classes as well!
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Nancy
- 07-12-07
A good intro to science...
Yes, Natalie Angier sometimes tries too hard to be funny, and her smart-aleckiness is only heightened by the narrator's chirpy read. But The Canon provides a readable overview to the many branches of science, and by the end of the book I felt more science-literate.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Patrick K. Ryan
- 07-18-07
Ann Coulter-like
The book is an excellent exposition of science. I have a PhD and found her treatment of "research" to be excellent. But, like Ann Coulter in her audio books she will make an point well and then jar the reader (me) with a moronic flippancy. They are not mean but they still take away from the message. Thus, instead of really looking forward to my morning drive with the book. i sort of look forward.
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11 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Michael
- 07-22-09
Educational on a range of scientific topics
I found this book to be quite good. The author does have a distinctive style of writing that uses a number of cliches and idiom, but I found it amusing.
Her coverage of the subjects is a good introduction for someone who isn't already familiar with all the concepts. An enjoyable book for those who like basic science.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Karen Pautz
- 07-02-07
Delightful!
What a great listen! "The Canon" covers subjects in which we should all be conversant, in a clear and often humorous way. The narration is marvelous. I highly recommend this audiobook.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
- David in Phoenix
- 03-12-15
Superb. Best science writer ever
Never was learning so much such a pleasure. Highly recommended even if someone doesn't think science is his or thing.
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Overall
- AKsmitty
- 02-17-08
Science Booster Shot
The Canon, excellent piece of work. It is both a torch and booster shot for sophomore and juniors mired in the science memorization/regurgitation quagmire of high school. Filling the reader with both science fact and enthusiasm. The book and it’s author seem like a stimulus for encouraging school boards to vest more funds in high school science. A must read for science teachers rich with ideas geared towards making science interesting and meaningful.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Anonymous User
- 01-11-09
A Breath of Fresh Ear
The sensuous combination of the narrator, the narrative and the authors shamelessly sunny sWordplay serves up science like Dear Abbey serving a slice of warm apple pie. Gratifying, edifying and yes, absurdly entertaining. The authors Asimovian hand sweeps across the panorama of science, and lingers just long enough to elicit the oohs of fireworks and the ah ha of understanding.
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3 people found this helpful