The World's Most Fascinating Geologic Events

by Michael E. Wysession, The Great Courses

The Earth is a restless planet. Volcanoes explode, continents drift, oceans rise and fall, and the ground beneath our feet can shake without warning. For most of human history, these forces felt like the wrath of gods or random chaos. Today, we understand them as dynamic processes that have shaped the story of humanity, from where our civilizations developed to the migrations driven by famine and plague.

The World's Most Fascinating Geologic Events takes you on a journey around the world and across time to explore the volcanic and seismic activity, dramatic shifts in climate, and superstorms that have inspired terror and awe over thousands of years. Taught by esteemed Professor Michael E. Wysession at Washington University in St. Louis, these 24 captivating lectures reveal the inseparable links between geologic phenomena and human affairs.

Today, thanks to advancements in the science of geology coupled with history, anthropology, and archaeology, we can take a fresh look at some of the most riveting natural events ever recorded. For example, you

· Discover how one Indonesian volcano triggered mass migrations that accelerated America's westward expansion.

· Learn about Japan's location at the intersection of four tectonic plates in the "Ring of Fire."

· Explore how subtle shifts in atmospheric currents and monsoons along the Nile River contributed to the prosperity of Rome.

· Trace the links between a volcanic eruption in Iceland, soaring bread prices, and the French Revolution.

Each lecture offers a unique case study on topics ranging from the collisions that formed the moon to the so-called Anthropocene, from the great flood that may have inspired the Epic of Gilgamesh to the destruction wrought by El Niño, and from the Great San Francisco Earthquake to the infamous hurricane of Galveston, Texas.

In addition to unraveling the science of these centuries-long geologic phenomena, Professor Wysession makes dazzling connections between these events and the human impact, from famines and pandemics to mass migrations and the rise and fall of civilizations. Packed with scientific insights and vivid storytelling, this course is a grand tour of humanity's story on our dynamic planet.

PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Audible Audio

Published September 15, 2026

About the author

Prof. Michael Edward Wysession is a member of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, USA, and author of numerous science textbooks published by Pearson Education and Prentice Hall.

Wysession earned his B.Sc. from Brown University in 1980 and his Ph.D. at Northwestern University in 1991, and has been on the faculty at Washington University since then. His research has focused on using seismic waves to identify the composition and structure of Earth's mantle, with special focus on the boundary between the mantle and core. In 1996, Wysession created one of the first maps of the structure of Earth's core-mantle boundary, and in 1999, he created the first accurate computer-generated animation of the way seismic waves propagate through Earth's mantle. An example of his research was the identification with Jesse Lawrence of the lower mantle Beijing Anomaly. Wysession is chair of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored Earth Science Literacy Initiative, leading a research community-based effort that created a concise document of what all citizens should know about Earth science. He has been active for many years with the leadership of IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology), and has served as Chair for the past four years of the Education and Outreach Program, working to advance global awareness of earthquakes and seismology. Wysession also helped to create the NSF program on Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics, and is an editor of the journal Geophysical Research Letters, published by the American Geophysical Union.

Wysession is the lead author of Prentice Hall's high school physical science book Physical Science: Concepts in Action, and writer of their high school Earth Science and middle school Earth science Science Explorer books. He is also a co-author of Pearson's new K-8 national science program, Interactive Science. Wysession is co-author of a leading undergraduate/graduate geophysics textbook with Seth Stein entitled Introduction to Seismology, Earthquakes, and Earth Structure. Wysession is author of the best-selling video course How the Earth Works with The Teaching Company, which consists of 48 30-minute lectures on all aspects of Earth science. He is the designer and instructor of a course entitled Earth, Moon, and Mars that he presents at different NASA locations. Wysession is a frequent lecturer internationally at teacher organization meetings (such as the National Science Teachers Association), science centers, and other venues.