Technology & Engineering Audiobooks | Science & Technology

The Into Unknown Skies: Eight Americans, One Race, and the First Flight Around the World

Equal parts The Right Stuff and The Boys in the Boat, Into Unknown Skies tells the unbelievable history of the 1924 race to circumnavigate the globe for the first time by air, a nail-biting contest that pitted underdog US pilots against their better-funded European rivals, created technology that changed aviation, and convinced America that its future was in the sky. In the early 1920s, America’s faith in aviation was in shambles. Twenty years after the Wright Brothers’ first flight, most Americans believed airplanes were for delivering the mail or performing daredevil stunts in front of crowds. The dream of commercial air travel remained just that. Even the American military was a skeptic—rather than pay to bring its planes back from Europe following World War I, the War Department chose to burn most of them instead. All that changed with a single race in 1924. It was not just any race, though—it was a race to become the first to circle the globe in an airplane, pitting a team of four underdog American pilots against the best aviators in the world from England, Italy, Portugal, France, and Argentina. Rooted in the same daring spirit that pushed early twentieth-century explorers to attempt crossings of the Antarctic ice or locate the source of the Nile, this race was an adventure unlike anything the world had seen before. The obstacles were daunting—from experimental planes, to dangerous landings in uncharted territory, to the simple navigational gauges that could lead pilots hundreds of miles off course. Failure seemed all but guaranteed—the suspense less about who would win than how many would perish for the honor of being the first. Now on the race’s centennial, award-winning author David K. Randall tells the story of this riveting, long-forgotten race. Through larger-than-life characters, treacherous landings, disease, and ultimately triumph, Into Unknown Skies demonstrates how one race returned America to aviation greatness. A story of underdog teammates, bold exploration, and American ingenuity, Into Unknown Skies is an untold adventure tale showing the power of flight to bring the world together.

David K. Randall, David Randall (Author), Adam Verner, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Animals, Robots, Gods: Adventures in the Moral Imagination

Webb Keane (Author), Mark Arnold, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

On a Sea of Glass: The Life and Loss of the RMS Titanic

On the night of 14/15 April 1912, a supposedly unsinkable ship, the largest and most luxurious vessel in the world at the time, collided with an iceberg and sank on her maiden voyage. Of the 2,208 people on board, only 712 were saved. The rest either drowned or froze to death. How could this 'unsinkable' vessel sink and why did so few of those aboard survive? The authors bring the tragedy to life, telling the story of the ship's design, construction, and maiden voyage. The stories of individuals who sailed on her, many previously known only as names on yellowing passenger and crew lists, are brought to light using rarely seen accounts of the sinking. The stories of passengers of all classes and crewmembers alike, are explored. They tell the dramatic stories of lives lost and people saved, of the rescue ship Carpathia, and of the aftermath of the sinking. Despite the tragedy, the sinking of the Titanic led to untold numbers of lives being saved due to new regulations that came into force after the tragedy. This book is an accurate and engrossing a telling of the life of the White Star Line's Titanic. Made special by the use of so many rare survivor accounts from the eyewitnesses to that night to remember, the narrative places listeners in the middle of the maiden voyage and brings the tragic sinking to life as never before.

Bill Wormstedt, J. Kent Layton, Tad Fitch (Author), Tom Perkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

Too Far on a Whim: The Limits of High-Steam Propulsion in the US Navy

In Too Far on a Whim, Tyler A. Pitrof presents a high-spirited revision of the US Navy's commitment to high-steam propulsion systems, the mainstay of its World War II fleets. Pitrof's research persuasively demonstrates that in its war against the Imperial Japanese Navy, the US Navy succeeded despite its high-steam propulsion systems rather than because of them. War with an aggressive Japan and a resurgent Germany loomed in the dark days of the late 1930s. Rear Admiral Harold G. Bowen Sr., head of the US Navy's Bureau of Engineering, advanced a radical vision: a new fleet based on high-steam propulsion, a novel technology that promised high speeds with smaller engines and better fuel efficiency. The official record of high-steam technology's subsequent performance has relied heavily on Bowen's own memoir, in which he painted high-steam innovation in heroic colors. Pitrof's empirical review of primary sources such as maintenance records illuminates the opposite. Pitrof provides an account that extends far beyond technology and into matters of naval hierarchies and bureaucracy, strategic theory, and ego. To Far on a Whim is a landmark for those interested in naval history and technology.

Tyler A. Pitrof (Author), Eric Jason Martin (Narrator)

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The Atomic Human: Understanding Ourselves in the Age of AI

Brought to you by Penguin. A vital perspective is missing from the discussions we're having about Artificial Intelligence: what does it mean for our identity? Our fascination with AI stems from the perceived uniqueness of human intelligence. We believe it's what differentiates us. Fears of AI not only concern how it invades our digital lives, but also the implied threat of an intelligence that displaces us from our position at the centre of the world. Neil D. Lawrence's visionary book shows why these fears may be misplaced. Atomism, proposed by Democritus, suggested it was impossible to continue dividing matter down into ever smaller components: eventually we reach a point where a cut cannot be made (the Greek for uncuttable is 'atom'). In the same way, by slicing away at the facets of human intelligence that can be replaced by machines, AI uncovers what is left: an indivisible core that is the essence of humanity. By contrasting our own (evolved, locked-in, embodied) intelligence with the capabilities of machine intelligence through history, The Atomic Human reveals the technical origins, capabilities and limitations of AI systems, and how they should be wielded. Not just by the experts, but ordinary people. Either AI is a tool for us, or we become a tool of AI. Understanding this will enable readers to choose the future we want. ©2024 Neil D. Lawrence (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Neil D. Lawrence (Author), Neil D. Lawrence, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Opt-Out Family: How to Give Your Kids What Technology Can't

Discover a new and hopeful path forward as you consider your family's approach to social media, screen time, and technology. We've all heard the mind-boggling statistics about technology and social media use. The numbers don't lie; our obsession with smartphones and social media is slowly eroding the very essence of our homes and families. We see it. We feel it. We know it. So what do we do about it? Spoiler alert: Forget parental control apps, time limits, or reward charts. This revolutionary path takes us into the heart of the beast itself: the social media algorithm. Former social media influencer and trailblazer Erin Loechner has seen the perks and pitfalls of social media usage, and she knows how to hack the strategies of tech wizards and platform experts so you can borrow their billion-dollar playbook to engage your family in meaningful ways away from screens. The Opt-Out Family is packed with eye-opening research and startling insights, as well as practical encouragement and creative ideas to transform your family's relationship with today's ever-evolving technology. As a result, you will: - Experience more quality time with your children that doesn't revolve around screens - Create healthy habits as a family that will set your children up for success in the future - Discover what your kids actually need from you, and learn how to delight and engage them better than a device can - And, ultimately, establish true and lasting influence within your own four walls--and far beyond The Opt-Out Family unlocks a world where genuine connections flourish and technology takes a backseat. It's time to reclaim your home and build a tech-free family culture that's stronger than your Wi-Fi signal.

Erin Loechner (Author), Lisa Larsen (Narrator)

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Hercules

Scott Bateman (Author), Angus King, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space

Adam Higginbotham (Author), Jacques Roy, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Wide Wide Sea

Hampton Sides (Author), Peter Noble, TBD (Narrator)

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Praxis Tacticum: The Art, Science and Practice of Military Tactics

Pundits have long predicted the end of conventional warfare but for the foreseeable future, it is here to stay. Counterinsurgency, guerrilla warfare, terrorism, peace enforcement, policing. All these forms, like conventional warfare, are as old as mankind. Modern militaries claim to be professional bodies, responsible for the education, control, and discipline of their members. But at least one aspect of this claim is poorly executed: tactics are not taught to junior leaders, which is why this guide is essential for all junior leaders, officers, and NCOs alike. There is a military adage that there is no teacher like the enemy. True; but the wise commander prepares to meet that enemy and become their teacher instead. This is your essential study guide.

Colonel Charles S. Oliviero (Author), Chris Monteiro (Narrator)

Audiobook

Simply AI: Facts Made Fast

Understanding AI has never been easier. With easy-to-understand text, this new edition of Simply Artificial Intelligence is the perfect introduction to the latest developments in AI. Covering a broad range of fields within AI - from computing and mathematics to politics and philosophy - entries demystify what artificial intelligence is and how it works, how it has dramatically changed the way we live, and how it might evolve in the future. Explaining each individual aspect of AI more clearly than ever before, this audiobook outlines the key building-blocks and technological milestones in its history, profiles its most important practical applications - both current and predicted - and explores the numerous ethical debates around AI, and its increasing influence on culture and society. Whether you are studying science or AI-related subjects at school or college, or simply want a jargon-free overview of this increasingly important subject, this essential guide is packed with everything you need to understand the basics quickly and easily. © 2024 DK © 2024 DK Audio

Tbd (Author), Elliot Fitzpatrick (Narrator)

Audiobook

Our Biggest Fight: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in the Digital Age

The internet as we know it is broken. Here's how we can seize back control of our lives from the corporate algorithms and create a better internet-before it's too late. It was once a utopian dream. But today's internet, despite its conveniences and connectivity, is the primary cause of a pervasive unease that has taken hold in the U.S. and other democratic societies. It's why youth suicide rates are rising, why politics has become toxic, and why our most important institutions are faltering. Information is the lifeblood of any society, and our current system for distributing it is corrupted at its heart. Everything comes down to our ability to communicate openly and trustfully with each other. But, thanks to the dominant digital platforms and the ways they distort human behavior, we have lost that ability-while, at the same time, we've been robbed of the data that is rightfully ours. The roots of this crisis, argue Frank McCourt and Michael Casey, lie in the prevailing order of the internet. In plain but forceful language, the authors-a civic entrepreneur and an acclaimed journalist-show how a centralized system controlled by a small group of for-profit entities has set this catastrophe in motion and eroded our personhood. And then they describe a groundbreaking solution to reclaim it: rather than superficial, patchwork regulations, we must reimagine the very architecture of the internet. The resulting "third-generation internet" would replace the status quo with a new model marked by digital property rights, autonomy, and ownership. Inspired by historical calls to action like Thomas Paine's Common Sense, Our Biggest Fight argues that we must act now to embed the core values of a free, democratic society in the internet of tomorrow. Do it right and we will finally, properly, unlock its immense potential.

Frank H. Mccourt (Author), Frank H. Mccourt, Jonathan Beville, Michael J. Casey (Narrator)

Audiobook

Technology & Engineering Audiobooks in Science & Technology