Learn25: Science & Technology

Can our physical brains fully explain the phenomenon of our minds?The same question that Descartes pondered in the seventeenth century continues to fascinate philosophers, theologians, and scientists in the twenty-first. Now, in this engaging...

How do psychoactive drugs actually work?From Bud Lite and Ritalin to LSD and barbiturates, chemical substances alter our brains and behaviors in surprising ways. In 15 masterful lectures, this audio course takes you on a fascinating tour of the major...

Alzheimer’s can be delayed or even prevented. Join the world’s leading expert on Alzheimer’s prevention, Harvard-trained neurologist Richard Isaacson, MD to learn how.In this informative 12-lecture audio course, Dr. Isaacson explores the latest...

What do developments in biology, and genetics in particular, mean for theology?You couldn’t ask for a more qualified guide than Prof. Paul Scherz, who holds a Ph.D. in genetics from Harvard and a Ph.D. in theology from Notre Dame. A superb lecturer,...

Two leading scientists from the Vatican Observatory explore profound questions of faith and science through the lives of contributions of great Catholic scientists.Tracing back across 1,000 years of history, you’ll reflect on the role of faith in...

Join a host of brilliant minds, including Nobel physicist Steven Weinberg, in a mind-bending exploration of the cosmosThere is little more humbling than contemplating the magnitude of the known universe. That is, until you consider the possibility of...

The possibility of Extra-Sensory Perception or “ESP” fascinates us, providing the plot for countless films and television shows. Think of The Sixth Sense, or The Twilight Zone. No one denies how much ESP has captured the popular imagination, but is...

Do you create your own destiny? Or does the universe deal you a hand that you have to play with?This series will stimulate your mind through a collection of profound and timeless questions about free will and determinism. As you analyze these...

Join Roy Baumeister, celebrated psychologist and New York Times best-selling author, on a journey to answer the most important questions of our lives: Who am I? What am I? What might I become? In 15 audio lectures, Dr. Baumeister draws from his...

Join Daniel Reisberg, Patricia & Clifford Lunneborg Professor of Psychology at Reed College, in an exploration of the slippery and surprising nature of memory.You rely on your memory in virtually every aspect of your life. In this engrossing audio...

Named one of America's top 300 professors by Princeton Review, Kevin Corcoran is an expert on consciousness and the philosophy of the mind. Translating complex topics into 12 accessible audio lectures, he’ll help you unlock the secrets of the human...

What is human? Can the promise of great scientific discoveries be reconciled with traditional notions of God and ethics? Are we capable of using biotechnology to better the human condition? How can science, religion and ethics be used to inform our...

The next wave of technological change will shape not just our gizmos and gadgets, but our own bodies and minds. Join award-winning historian Michael Bess to learn what to expect from the “Superhuman Revolution.”In the near future, developments in...

Join three Nobel laureates in physics and cosmology in a captivating quest to solve the mysteries of the universe.Is time travel possible? What does it mean to say the universe is fine-tuned? Could our universe be fake? Or, if it is real, is it part...

What does the history of science reveal about sex and sexuality? Explore the relationship between body and sexual identity with a Harvard-educated expert.Prior to the seventeenth century, Western attitudes toward sexuality came primarily from reading...

Today, the Catholic Church understands science and religion as having a mutual and complementary relationship. Now, you can explore how the two work together in this program.Since Pius XII wrote the papal encyclical Humani Generis in 1950, scientific...

In Understanding Your Brain and Mind, you’ll hear from over 40 leading scientists with special insight into the title question. Among many others, you’ll meet luminaries such as Christof Koch, president and chief scientific officer of the Allen...

How do the microscopic particles that make up our brains cause us to experience the tranquil beauty of a setting sun, the haunting strains of Mozart’s "Requiem," or the flush of romantic love?How, in short, can consciousness be explained?In this...

Everything we know and do—all the depth of thought, all the range of emotion, all the fullness of human achievement—springs from the brains in our heads. But how exactly does your brain work? And how much can science discover about its processes?In...