693 Understanding the Wonders of Nature (with Alan Lightman) | My Last Book with Alan Lightman

The History of Literature

Jacke Wilson

History, Books, Arts

4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 7 April 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In today's world of specialization, Alan Lightman is that rare individual who has accomplished remarkable things in two very different realms. As a physicist with a Ph.D. from Cal Tech, he's taught at Harvard and MIT and advised the United Nations. As a novelist, he's written award-winning bestsellers like Einstein's Dreams and The Diagnosis. In this episode, Jacke talks to Alan about his passions for both science and literature, and the way the two come together in his new book, The Miraculous from the Material: Understanding the Wonders of Nature, a gorgeous book that explores the science behind the universe's most stunning natural phenomena, including everything from atoms and parameciums to rainbows and the rings of Saturn. PLUS Jacke talks to Alan about his choice for the last book he will ever read. Additional listening: 465 Greek Lit and Game Theory (with Josiah Ober) 583 Margaret Cavendish (with Francesca Peacock) 89 Primo Levi The music in this episode is by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. Learn more at gabrielruizbernal.com. Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/donate. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The History of Literature Podcast is a member of the Podglomerate Network and Lit Hub Radio.
0:09.5	Have you ever had the urge to sneak behind the cordoned off areas of a museum?
0:14.7	Or roam the halls after closing time?
0:17.7	The Smithsonian's flagship podcast, Side Door, will sneak you behind the scenes of the world's
0:23.6	largest museum and research complex. Come learn about the ghosts that supposedly walk the museum
0:29.7	halls after dark. How a train robbery gave rise to criminal forensics, why leeches are actually
0:35.8	the coolest thing ever, and how to get away with murder in the
0:39.1	Arctic. Maybe. You'll discover stories of history, science, art, and culture you won't find in a
0:45.6	display case. You can listen to Side Door wherever you get your podcasts, or find us online at sI.edu
0:52.6	slash sid door.
1:01.4	Whoa, there.
1:04.0	Victoria's had a Friday night to remember.
1:07.1	But now she's outside in the pouring rain and... Oh, what? You are joking.
1:09.3	I've got no data. How are we going to get home?
1:11.6	But then she remembers she's with EE.
1:14.2	Yes, Uber still works. So then she...
1:17.6	Uber's on me, guys. Should we get a kebab?
1:20.0	Use essential apps like Uber and WhatsApp, even when you run out of data. Search EE mobile.
1:25.6	Stay connected at 0.5 megabits per second. Terms apply.
1:28.8	Hello, today on the podcast, a scientist and novelist, Alan Lightman, tells us about the
1:34.3	miraculousness of the material world. And a man who's excelled at both fiction and nonfiction,
1:41.4	Alan Lightman tells us about his choice for the last book he will ever read.
	...

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