The Literature of Mysteries, the Science of History, and Brain Hacks You Can’t Miss.

The Torch: The Great Courses Podcast

Solve the puzzles of great mystery fiction, uncover the depths of what paleontology can tell us about our past, and reveal secrets for outsmarting your own brain in this exceptional edition of The Torch. Join Ed Leon, Chief Brand Officer, as he talks to three renowned experts to learn more about these fascinating topics. Professor David Schmid, an award-winning associate professor, reviews the 200-year old genre of mystery and suspense by taking you backward and forward in time, around the world, and alongside some of the most amazing minds and characters in literature. Professor Stuart Sutherland, a Professor of Teaching in the Department of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, introduces new theories about our ancestors inspired by recently exposed fossils and tells you how to find dinosaurs in your duck pond. Professor Peter M. Vishton, Associate Professor of Psychology, illuminates all the ways our brains “plot” to work against us, and provides tricks to overcome distraction, procrastination, and the other devices our brains invoke to sabotage our best intentions.