BrAInwaves and Bookmarks

A biography of Albert Einstein, focusing on his life and work, particularly his revolutionary theories of relativity. This book highlights the impact of Einstein's theories on our understanding of the world and universe. The book also explores the development of his groundbreaking theories, including special relativity, general relativity, and the famous equation E=mc², while discussing the scient...

The Master and His Emissary  by Iain McGilchrist argues that the human brain's two hemispheres operate in fundamentally different ways, with the left hemisphere favouring logic, language, and analysis, and the right hemisphere favouring intuition, emotion, and wholistic understanding. McGilchrist presents evidence from neuroscience and cultural history to support his thesis, suggesting that the We...

A book entitled "Hawking and Black Holes" by Paul Strathern. It is a biography of Stephen Hawking that explores his life and scientific work. The book focuses on Hawking’s early life, his diagnosis with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), his groundbreaking discoveries in cosmology and black hole theory, and the impact of his work on the scientific community. It also examines the ongoing pursuit...

An in-depth biography of Archimedes that covers his life, education, scientific discoveries, and lasting impact on the world of mathematics and science. This book by Paul Strathern emphasise Archimedes' genius, his ability to combine theoretical knowledge with practical application, and the enduring importance of his work.

A detailed exploration of the historical journey leading to the discovery of DNA's structure by Francis Crick and James Watson, highlighting the key individuals and events that contributed to this breakthrough. Paul Strathern book begins by examining the earlier stages of genetic research, starting with ancient observations and culminating with Gregor Mendel's groundbreaking work on inheritance. I...

The second season of Brainwaves and Bookmarks is now live! This episode reviews Paul Strathern's book "Turing and the Computer". An overview of the history of computing, from the abacus to the modern computer. It traces the development of computing devices, highlighting key figures like Charles Babbage, Alan Turing, and John von Neumann. The book focuses on the theoretical underpinnings of computi...

Isaac Asimov’s  The Golden Door , the last episode in the series, chronicles the history of the United States  from the end of the American Civil War to the outbreak of World War I. Asimov  explains the turbulent period of Reconstruction  and the various challenges facing the nation, including the  struggles for civil rights for newly freed slaves , the rise of corruption and industrialisation, an...

Isaac Asimov's  Our Federal Union  explores the political and social landscape of the United States between 1816 and the outbreak of the Civil War. Asimov details the growing tensions between the North and South, particularly concerning slavery and the expansion of the Union. He examines crucial events such as the founding of the Second Bank of the United States, the Nullification Crisis, the anne...

Isaac Asimov's  The Birth of the United States , which explores the period from 1763 to 1816, details the events leading to the American Revolution and the formation of the United States as a nation. The text chronicles the growing tension between the British colonies and the British crown over taxation and representation, culminating in the American Revolution. Asimov further describes the early...

A historical account of the colonisation of North America, from the arrival of the first native peoples through to the French and Indian War. The text focuses on the motivations and actions of various European powers, including the Vikings, the Spanish, the Portuguese, the Dutch, the English, and the French, as they explored and established colonies across the continent. The text highlights the im...

The development of France from the early Middle Ages to the beginning of the modern period, focusing on the reigns of the Capetian dynasty and the Hundred Years’ War with England. The sources cover a wide range of topics, including the rise of the Capetian kings, the influence of feudalism, the impact of the Crusades and the Black Death, the emergence of national identity and the growth of cities...

A book about the history of England, detailing the formation of the country and the major historical events which contributed to its current state. It focuses on the period from approximately 2000 BCE to the early 13th century, covering the pre-Roman era, the Roman conquest, the Anglo-Saxon era, the Viking invasions, the Norman conquest, the reigns of the major kings, and the sealing of the Magna...

A historical overview of the early Middle Ages, focusing on the period of the Barbarian invasions following the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

A historical account of the city of Constantinople, beginning with its founding as Byzantium in 657 BCE and ending with its conquest by the Ottomans in 1453. The text traces the city’s growth and development under various empires, including the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Latin Empire, focusing on the city’s strategic importance and its political, social, and cultural landscape. Th...

Comprehensive overview of Roman history from a specific point in time, modern research has shed light on new aspects such as the impact of lead poisoning on the decline of Rome, the true date of Pompeii's destruction, the extensive interactions with distant cultures, the complexity of the Roman economy, the roles of women and social classes, the reasons for the fall of the empire, the sophisticati...

Dive deep into the history of Ancient Rome with this detailed podcast, focusing on the Roman Republic's epic rise and fall. Updated with the latest historical discoveries , we explore Rome's legendary founding by Romulus and Remus, the Republic's establishment, and its early struggles against Etruscans, Latins, and Samnites. Relive the crucial Punic Wars against Carthage and Rome's...

Updated! A historical overview of ancient Greece, starting with the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. It explores the rise and fall of different city-states, including Athens and Sparta, and examines the impact of important figures like Solon, Pericles, Socrates, and Alexander the Great. The text describes the rise of the Persian Empire and the ensuing wars between Greece and Persia, as well as...

Updated! "The Egyptians" from Isaac Asimov's "Universal History Asimov", a series that explores the political, cultural, and material evolution of humanity, now augmented with the latest discoveries to date . It focuses on the rise and fall of Ancient Egyptian civilisation, tracing its development from prehistoric origins to its eventual integration within the Roman Empire....

Explore the history of Canaan, from its early days, when it was home to the world’s first city, Jericho, to its eventual absorption into the Roman Empire. The text discusses the development of cities, agriculture, bronze and iron technologies, the rise and fall of various empires in the region, the influence of the Egyptians, the development of the alphabet, and the emergence of Judaism as a disti...

Updated! The Near East by Isaac Asimov , is a historical account of the Near East from the earliest known civilisations, now augmented with the most recent discoveries to date . The book explores the rise and fall of different empires and cultures that have shaped the region's history, from the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians to the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Ottomans. The author highlights...