How we got to now : Light

Steven explores the people who took us out of the dark and into the light. From the 18th-century shipping community that discovered a source of illumination by putting a kid inside a whale’s head, to the invention of the light bulb, plus a French scientist who accidentally discovered how to create neon light, leading to a revolution in advertising. Dispelling the myth of the individual Eureka moment, Johnson reveals that teamwork and collaboration led the way to the most transformative ideas. Whether, altering the world’s sleeping patterns, or the rise to mass spectator sports, and revolutionizing how global business is done to triggering one of the great social reforms in American history.

How We Got To Now with Steven Johnson reveals the story behind the remarkable ideas that made modern life possible - the unsung heroes that brought them into the world and the unexpected and bizarre consequences each of these innovations has triggered.