Lights On: How Understanding Consciousness Helps Us Understand The Universe

· Picador · Narrated by Annaka Harris
5.0
3 reviews
Audiobook
11 hr 9 min
Unabridged
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About this audiobook

Awe-inspiring and accessible, this exclusive audio documentary by bestselling author Annaka Harris explores the unknown corners of consciousness and the cosmos.

'Follow along as Annaka Harris interviews (and graciously challenges) the world’s leading scientists on the nature of consciousness… Magnificent.' – Susan Cain, bestselling author of Quiet

'Consciousness might be the greatest mystery of the universe, and Annaka Harris is our best detective . . . You’ll never think about what happens between your ears in the same way again.' – Adam Grant, bestselling author of Think Again

Is consciousness a fundamental building block of the universe, like gravity? Can humans develop new senses through neuroscience? And can artificial intelligence ever truly replicate the subjective experience of being conscious?

Join Annaka Harris as she calls on distinguished experts in science and philosophy to find answers to today’s most perplexing questions about our minds and the universe at large. Through interviews with thinkers such as Brian Greene, David Eagleman, Anil Seth, Carlo Rovelli, and more, Harris presents diverse perspectives on whether consciousness could be considered a fundamental aspect of the universe.

This revolutionary idea challenges traditional neuroscience and quantum physics, shattering what we think we know about ourselves and scientific phenomena as foundational as space and time. Lights On also questions how a new understanding of consciousness might affect our perception of existence, our notions of free will, the development of technology, and the future of scientific discovery. In a follow-up to her seminal book, Conscious, this audio-original documentary offers beginners and experts alike a chance to unravel some of humankind’s most enduring puzzles.

'Only Annaka Harris could take one of the greatest mysteries of science and make it not only an adventure but also deeply relevant to everyday human flourishing.' – Dan Harris, bestselling author of 10% Happier and host of the 10% Percent Happier podcast.

Narrated by Annaka Harris; featuring Jay Shapiro, Susan Blackmore, Sean Carroll, Daniel Chamovitz, David Eagleman, Sascha Fink, Adam Frank, Philip Goff, Joseph Goldstein, Brian Greene, Donald Hoffman, Patrick House, Christof Koch, Janna Levin, George Musser, Carlo Rovelli, Zoë Schlanger, Anil Seth, Lee Smolin, Sara Imari Walker

Produced and directed by Jay Shapiro and Annaka Harris

Ratings and reviews

5.0
3 reviews
Grant George Buffett
May 20, 2025
Absolutely thorough analysis of the issues facing deep thinkers like myself, the trippy kids. Highly recommend!
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About the author

Annaka Harris is the New York Times–bestselling author of Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind. She is an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics, and her work has appeared in The New York Times. Annaka is the author of the children's book I Wonder, a collaborator on the Mindful Games Activity Cards by Susan Kaiser Greenland, and a volunteer mindfulness teacher for the Inner Kids organization.

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