How It Began: A History of the Modern World

About How It Began: A History of the Modern World

A thrilling podcast about the History of the Modern World. Humanity has been hard at work for centuries to empower itself with better tools and insights, from science and surgery to electricity and the Internet, and this series celebrates the history of those triumphs. Compared to our ancestors, we live like superheroes and sorcerers, endowed with powers they could never have imagined. But how did we achieve all this? Historian Brad Harris tackles that question head on, revealing how the most important scientific, technological, and cultural advancements in history began, and inspiring us to keep reaching for new historical triumphs along the way. The complete 20-episode series is available ad-free at bradcoleharris.gumroad.com/l/howitbegan For Brad's ongoing podcast exploring the forces shaping civilization, check out "Context with Brad Harris" wherever you get your podcasts.

Publisher

Brad Harris

Category

education · history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

30 Mar 2017

Latest episode

14 Apr 2026

Latest episodes

5 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Apr 2026

   How It Began Series Preview

   How It Began: A History of the Modern World — the complete 20-episode series is available ad-free. From the history of electricity and the internet to surgery, coffee, evolution, and the Enlightenment, historian Brad Harris (PhD, Stanford) traces the origins of the innovations that built the modern world. Over 20 hours of cinematic, deeply researched audio with original music and sound design. Get the complete series at bradcoleharris.gumroad.com/l/howitbegan

2. 

   24 Apr 2021

   A Message From Brad Harris

   To download your own copy of all 20 ad-free episodes of the How It Began series, head to bradharris.com (https://www.bradharris.com/).

3. 

   20 Jul 2017

   The English Language: From a Dark Ages Dialect to Global Domination

   In this episode, historian Brad Harris takes us back to collapse of the Roman Empire to reveal how the world's most popular and expressive language, English, emerged from the dimmest moment of the dark ages. Hear how English actually sounded a thousand years ago and discover how it evolved through the centuries by absorbing other languages. To access all 20 episodes of How It Began, head to bradharris.com to learn more.

4. 

   13 Apr 2017

   Wolves to Dogs: The Origins of Our Alliance

   In this episode, historian Brad Harris brings us back in time over 35,000 years ago to reveal the very beginning of dog domestication. Learn how humanity gained the upper hand in an ancient competition with wolves to enable more friendly interaction and cooperation, and how the subsequent alliance between humans and dogs helped both species to thrive. To access all 20 episodes of How It Began, head to bradharris.com to learn more.

5. 

   30 Mar 2017

   Modern Science: From Belief to Knowledge

   In this episode, historian Brad Harris explores the origins of our modern methods of scientific discovery. From ancient Greeks who developed rational inquiry to Galileo and Newton who led the Scientific Revolution, the historical process of moving beyond belief to securing real knowledge about the world is revealed. To access all 20 episodes of How It Began, head to bradharris.com to learn more.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

496 ratings

Contact How It Began: A History of the Modern World

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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