How to Change the World: The History of Invention

Sam 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 human progress and society. On the way, uncovering the nerdy stories and fun facts behind world-changing inventions and the mental models that drive systemic change. Each episode is a deep dive into innovation patterns and the threads that shape our world: - From Leonardo Da Vinci dissecting human bodies to editing our own DNA - Maritime Navigation sets the course for Interstellar exploration - Hammurabi's legal code is relevant in algorithmic governance Modern revolutions in technology and the future of AI are a continuation of core needs of t

How to Change the World: The History of Invention is a history podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 14 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts How to Change the World: The History of Invention, a history show with 14 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #13

  [~39,000BC] Music - The Surprising History of Rhythm (that secretly created civilization)

  Apr 9, 20261h 11mS1

  <p>Did civilization start with a beat?</p><br><p>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 impactful and overlooked inventions of history and how it shaped our species into the dominating power it is today.</p><br><p>Long before we were writing sonnets or splitting atoms, we were humming. The origins of rhythm gave our ancestors a staggering advantage. By singing and dancing, early humans flooded their brains with bonding chemicals, transforming...

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  Episode #12

  Immortal Beings: The Selfish History of Things That Refuse To Die - From DNA & Religion to Memes & Digital Gods

  Feb 5, 202643 minS1

  <p>Why are we here? Can the patterns of history and nature tell us anything new?</p><br><p>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 algorithms that now compete for your attention. All on a subversive quest for immortality.</p><br><p>This hidden history of innovation maps the evolution of the universes most successful survivors. Learn the game theory of how these immortal beings compete and impact society.</p><br><p>This season has been about...

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  Episode #11

  [~52,000BC] The Eyed Needle: The History of Clothes, Fashion, Beauty and Status Games

  Dec 2, 20251h 3mS1

  <p>How humanity invented clothes. In the process, accidentally warping our psychology, sparking civilization, and changing what it means to be human forever.</p><br><p>A fish doesn’t know it’s wet, and a human doesn’t know they are hiding. But every morning, you participate in a ritual that separates you from nature, and your own biology.</p><p>For 90% of human history, we were naked. Then, in a blink of evolutionary time, we decided to cover up. This episode of How to Change the World challenges the standard narrative of invention stories.</p><br><p>We’ll explore:<...

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  Episode #10

  Membership - Giving you more history, more science and more mind bending facts about naked chimpanzees (us)

  Nov 17, 20255 minS1

  <p>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...</p><br><p>You can support the show and claim your place in history by joining the VIP members club.</p><br><p>What's occurring? As every episode has a lot research that goes unused, we're making an extra sister episode for all every main history episode.</p><br><p>We'll also give extra updates on what's going on and chances to vote on topics.</p><br><p>...

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  Episode #9

  Thinking in Primitives: A Mental Model for Building Creative Ideas, Civilization, and Intergalactic Lasagna

  Oct 30, 202529 minS1

  <p>The most important innovations are invisible. Yet they are reliable building blocks of creativity that fuel human imagination.</p><br><p>The same 26 letter alphabet lets Shakespeare write a play, a researcher publish science or you can text your mum.</p><p>A standardised screw thread lets you build a house, a car or a space station.</p><br><p>This is the story of primitives; the fundamental components that make everything else possible. We explore how Jeff Bezos coining the term "Thinking in Primitives" as he invented AWS to the building blocks of the universe and life in...

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