How to Change the World: The History of Invention
How To Change The World | Sam Webster HarrisSam Webster Harris chronicles the complete history of innovation from the Stone Age to the modern day. Learn how transformative ideas build upon each other to change the world and shape the future of humanity.
Every breakthrough that changes civilization begins with curiosity. From the first controlled fire to artificial intelligence. Follow the journey, step-by-step, tracing the evolution of huma... more
| Publishes | Twice monthly | Episodes | 14 | Founded | a year ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | HistoryScience | ||||
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Latest Episodes
Did civilization start with a beat?
You might think music is a perfectly lovely but non-essential tool for survival and world domination. However, music might well be most misunderstood superpower of humanity. This episode explores one of the most i... more
Why are we here? Can the patterns of history and nature tell us anything new?
In this episode of How to Change the World we trace a clear line. From ancient molecules learning to copy themselves, to religions and nations learning to spread, to algor... more
How humanity invented clothes. In the process, accidentally warping our psychology, sparking civilization, and changing what it means to be human forever.
A fish doesn’t know it’s wet, and a human doesn’t know they are hiding. But every morning, you... more
Behind the scenes access to extra content and surprising stories. Sam reveals all sorts of chaos from the weird pages of history, science and the even stranger insides of his mind...
You can support the show and claim your place in history by joinin... more
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Reviews
- Best find ever
I LOVE this podcast. So in depth, clever, easy to listen to and learn from. Makes me think about things differently. Your dry, clever, word-wit is perfect and I love the tune too. How on earth do your thoughts fit in your head?
Apple Podcasts5andrewpincott
United Kingdom20 days ago - Best Show on Innovation ever
I enjoy every episode you produce and really hope this show gets a sponsor soon so we can continue getting high quality episodes. Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into each episode. Best podcast ever!
Apple Podcasts5Bruce 🇿🇼🇿🇦
South Africa2 months ago - Excellent
Ideas to stimulate the imagination are presented seriously with a touch of humour. Quality podcasting at its finest.
Apple Podcasts5kyrie el
Canada2 months ago - Great podcast
I don’t remember how I stumbled upon this podcast however it is one of the more interesting podcast. I’ve listened to my last number a few years. I eagerly wait each new episode.
That is supposed to be the history of future of ventilation, the title only reflects a general theme of this podcast. Each episode (so far 13 episodes through season 1) as only test upon the emergence of the human as a species and the basics of our social structure.
In general, this podcast is an extremely good genera... more
Apple Podcasts5balttsCanada2 months ago - The best definition of humankind since “Mostly harmless”
An engrossing podcast that never fails to produce delightful eye-opening moments
Apple Podcasts5ConsonantlySurprised
United States2 months ago
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Chart Rankings
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Apple Podcasts | #167 |  Philippines/History |
Apple Podcasts | #190 |  Hong Kong/History |
Apple Podcasts | #246 |  India/History |
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
| Gender Skew | Location | Interests | |||
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| Professions | Age Range | Household Income | |||
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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast
What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?
A deep-dive series exploring the history and patterns of innovation, from early tools and fire to AI and future tech. Episodes thread together science, history, psychology, and anthropology to show how curiosity, collaboration, and systems thinking drive civilization forward. Listeners can expect rigorous storytelling, wide-ranging case studies, and actionable mental models that illuminate how breakthroughs build on prior ideas and reshape society. The show stands out for its multidisciplinary approach, narrative clarity, and thoughtful treatment of big questions about technology, progress, and the human story.
Noteworthy angles include linking ancient innovations to modern tech, the psychology of change, and speculative takes on future co... more
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These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:
1. In Our Time
2. The Rest Is History
3. The Rest Is Science
4. The Ancients
5. Empire: World History
How many episodes of this podcast are there?
this podcast launched a year ago and published 14 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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