Merlin’s Tour of the Universe, Revised and Updated for the Twenty-First Century
A Traveler’s Guide to Blue Moons and Black Holes, Mars, Stars, and Everything Far
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Audible Standard 1-month free trial
Buy Now for $16.44
-
Written by:
-
Neil deGrasse Tyson
About this listen
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry takes listeners on an entertaining and edifying tour of the universe.
In Neil deGrasse Tyson’s delightful journey through the cosmos, his fictional character Merlin responds to popular questions asked by adults and children alike. Merlin, a timeless visitor from Planet Omniscia in the Andromeda Galaxy, has observed firsthand many of the major scientific events of Earth’s history. Merlin’s friends include the most important scientific figures and explorers of all time—da Vinci, Magellan, Newton, Einstein, and Hubble. While Merlin occasionally recounts playful conversations with these luminaries, all questions are answered with authentic science, infused with wit, wisdom, and an occasional rhyme. With the help of intermittent humorous cartoons, Merlin clarifies the details of familiar phenomena like gravity, light, space, and time, and travels to distant stars and galaxies to describe what makes them tick, rotate, explode, and collapse.
Merlin’s Tour of the Universe is perfect for anyone who harbors burning questions on how the cosmos works.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2024 by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Illustrations © 2024 by Stephen J. Tyson. Originally published in 1989 by Columbia University Press. Excerpt from “Burnt Norton” from Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot, © 1943 by T. S. Eliot; © renewed 1971 by Esme Valerie Eliot, used by permission from HarperCollins Publishers (US) and Faber and Faber, Ltd. (world excluding US) (P)2024 Blackstone PublishingYou may also enjoy...
-
Just Visiting This Planet, Revised and Updated for the Twenty-First Century
- Further Scientific Adventures of Merlin from Omniscia
- Written by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: André Santana, Liam Gerrard, Em Grosland, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall1
-
Performance1
-
Story1
In this companion volume to Merlin’s Tour of the Universe, we visit again with Merlin, a timeless traveler from Planet Omniscia, who answers a collection of imaginative questions about the cosmos from curious stargazers. Whether waxing poetic about Earth and its environs, the Sun and its stellar siblings, physical laws, or galaxies near and far, Merlin’s remarks are witty, humorous, and clear as a starry night sky.
Written by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
-
The Story of Western Science
- From the Writings of Aristotle to the Big Bang Theory
- Written by: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5
-
Performance4
-
Story4
Far too often, public discussion of science is carried out by journalists, voters, and politicians who have received their science secondhand. The Story of Western Science shows us the joy and importance of reading groundbreaking science writing for ourselves and guides us back to the masterpieces that have changed the way we think about our world, our cosmos, and ourselves.
-
-
Not suitable for audible
- By Robert Bermuhler on 2025-05-01
Written by: Susan Wise Bauer
-
Welcome to the Universe
- An Astrophysical Tour
- Written by: Michael A. Strauss, J. Richard Gott, Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall43
-
Performance34
-
Story34
Welcome to the Universe is a personal guided tour of the cosmos by three of today's leading astrophysicists. Inspired by the enormously popular introductory astronomy course that Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, and J. Richard Gott taught together at Princeton, this book covers it all - from planets, stars, and galaxies to black holes, wormholes, and time travel.
-
-
Excellent content... annoying narrator
- By mykey on 2019-04-03
Written by: Michael A. Strauss, and others
-
The First Three Minutes
- A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe
- Written by: Steven Weinberg
- Narrated by: Raymond Todd
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall2
-
Performance2
-
Story2
A Nobel Prize-winning physicist explains what happened at the very beginning of the universe, and how we know “Science writing at its best.” ―New York Review of Books Our universe has been growing for nearly fourteen billion years. But almost everything about it can be traced back to what...
-
-
Good info, OLD (1979?)
- By unRheal on 2025-06-20
Written by: Steven Weinberg
-
Letters from an Astrophysicist
- Written by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Vikas Adam, Piper Goodeve, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall137
-
Performance111
-
Story111
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has attracted one of the world’s largest online followings with his fascinating, widely accessible insights into science and our universe. Now, Tyson invites us to go behind the scenes of his public fame by unveiling his candid correspondence with people across the globe who have sought him out in search of answers. In this hand-picked collection of 100 letters, Tyson draws upon cosmic perspectives to address a vast array of questions about science, faith, philosophy, life, and of course, Pluto.
-
-
Terrific
- By Ally on 2020-10-15
Written by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
-
Into the Unknown
- The Quest to Understand the Mysteries of the Cosmos
- Written by: Kelsey Johnson
- Narrated by: Kelsey Johnson
- Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3
-
Performance2
-
Story2
A leading astronomer and gifted teacher takes readers on a wondrous tour of how science confronts the big questions—about the universe’s origins, destiny, and fundamental nature—and how it contends with the limits of our knowledge Humans have learned a lot about the world around us and the...
-
-
A surprisingly touching and inspiring listen.
- By unRheal on 2025-06-23
Written by: Kelsey Johnson
-
Just Visiting This Planet, Revised and Updated for the Twenty-First Century
- Further Scientific Adventures of Merlin from Omniscia
- Written by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: André Santana, Liam Gerrard, Em Grosland, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall1
-
Performance1
-
Story1
In this companion volume to Merlin’s Tour of the Universe, we visit again with Merlin, a timeless traveler from Planet Omniscia, who answers a collection of imaginative questions about the cosmos from curious stargazers. Whether waxing poetic about Earth and its environs, the Sun and its stellar siblings, physical laws, or galaxies near and far, Merlin’s remarks are witty, humorous, and clear as a starry night sky.
Written by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
-
The Story of Western Science
- From the Writings of Aristotle to the Big Bang Theory
- Written by: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5
-
Performance4
-
Story4
Far too often, public discussion of science is carried out by journalists, voters, and politicians who have received their science secondhand. The Story of Western Science shows us the joy and importance of reading groundbreaking science writing for ourselves and guides us back to the masterpieces that have changed the way we think about our world, our cosmos, and ourselves.
-
-
Not suitable for audible
- By Robert Bermuhler on 2025-05-01
Written by: Susan Wise Bauer
-
Welcome to the Universe
- An Astrophysical Tour
- Written by: Michael A. Strauss, J. Richard Gott, Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall43
-
Performance34
-
Story34
Welcome to the Universe is a personal guided tour of the cosmos by three of today's leading astrophysicists. Inspired by the enormously popular introductory astronomy course that Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, and J. Richard Gott taught together at Princeton, this book covers it all - from planets, stars, and galaxies to black holes, wormholes, and time travel.
-
-
Excellent content... annoying narrator
- By mykey on 2019-04-03
Written by: Michael A. Strauss, and others
-
The First Three Minutes
- A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe
- Written by: Steven Weinberg
- Narrated by: Raymond Todd
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall2
-
Performance2
-
Story2
A Nobel Prize-winning physicist explains what happened at the very beginning of the universe, and how we know “Science writing at its best.” ―New York Review of Books Our universe has been growing for nearly fourteen billion years. But almost everything about it can be traced back to what...
-
-
Good info, OLD (1979?)
- By unRheal on 2025-06-20
Written by: Steven Weinberg
-
Letters from an Astrophysicist
- Written by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Vikas Adam, Piper Goodeve, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall137
-
Performance111
-
Story111
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has attracted one of the world’s largest online followings with his fascinating, widely accessible insights into science and our universe. Now, Tyson invites us to go behind the scenes of his public fame by unveiling his candid correspondence with people across the globe who have sought him out in search of answers. In this hand-picked collection of 100 letters, Tyson draws upon cosmic perspectives to address a vast array of questions about science, faith, philosophy, life, and of course, Pluto.
-
-
Terrific
- By Ally on 2020-10-15
Written by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
-
Into the Unknown
- The Quest to Understand the Mysteries of the Cosmos
- Written by: Kelsey Johnson
- Narrated by: Kelsey Johnson
- Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3
-
Performance2
-
Story2
A leading astronomer and gifted teacher takes readers on a wondrous tour of how science confronts the big questions—about the universe’s origins, destiny, and fundamental nature—and how it contends with the limits of our knowledge Humans have learned a lot about the world around us and the...
-
-
A surprisingly touching and inspiring listen.
- By unRheal on 2025-06-23
Written by: Kelsey Johnson
-
Einstein's Relativity and the Quantum Revolution: Modern Physics for Non-Scientists, 2nd Edition
- Written by: Richard Wolfson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Richard Wolfson
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall147
-
Performance123
-
Story123
"It doesn't take an Einstein to understand modern physics," says Professor Wolfson at the outset of these 24 lectures on what may be the most important subjects in the universe: relativity and quantum physics. Both have reputations for complexity. But the basic ideas behind them are, in fact, simple and comprehensible by anyone. These dynamic and illuminating lectures begin with a brief overview of theories of physical reality starting with Aristotle and culminating in Newtonian or "classical" physics.
-
-
good but old
- By James on 2021-02-25
Written by: Richard Wolfson, and others
-
The Rigor of Angels
- Borges, Heisenberg, Kant, and the Ultimate Nature of Reality
- Written by: William Egginton
- Narrated by: David Glass
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall2
-
Performance2
-
Story2
A NEW YORK TIMES AND NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR A poet, a physicist, and a philosopher explored the greatest enigmas in the universe—the nature of free will, the strange fabric of the cosmos, the true limits of the mind—and each in their own way uncovered a revelatory truth about...
-
-
Intriguing!
- By Colleen Young on 2024-10-17
Written by: William Egginton
-
How Iceland Changed the World
- The Big History of a Small Island
- Written by: Egill Bjarnason
- Narrated by: Einar Gunn
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall6
-
Performance6
-
Story5
"[A] joyously peculiar book." -- The New York Times ‘Bjarnason’s intriguing book might be about a cold place, but it’s tailor-made to be read on the beach.’ –New Statesman The untold story of how one tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic has shaped the world for centuries. The...
-
-
Iceland: The Untold Story
- By Monty on 2025-12-29
Written by: Egill Bjarnason
-
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
- Written by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall1,859
-
Performance1,586
-
Story1,571
What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There's no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and best-selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson. But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in digestible chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day.
-
-
make the world smart again.
- By a2thak on 2017-10-19
Written by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
-
The Universe Speaks in Numbers
- How Modern Math Reveals Nature's Deepest Secrets
- Written by: Graham Farmelo
- Narrated by: Hugh Kermode
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall0
-
Performance0
-
Story0
How math helps us solve the universe's deepest mysteriesOne of the great insights of science is that the universe has an underlying order. The supreme goal of physicists is to understand this order through laws that describe the behavior of the most basic particles and the forces between them...
Written by: Graham Farmelo
-
Cosmic Queries
- StarTalk’s Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We’re Going
- Written by: James Trefil, Lindsey N. Walker - editor, Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall52
-
Performance45
-
Story45
In this illuminating audiobook, Tyson and coauthor James Trefil, a renowned physicist and science popularizer, take on the big questions that humanity has been posing for millennia - How did life begin? What is our place in the universe? Are we alone? - and provide answers based on the most current data, observations, and theories.
-
-
not read by Neil in its entirety.
- By Andrew Beaucage on 2021-07-17
Written by: James Trefil, and others
-
Math Without Numbers
- Written by: Milo Beckman
- Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
- Length: 3 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4
-
Performance3
-
Story3
An audio tour of the structures and patterns we call "math" This is an audiobook about math, but it contains no numbers. Math Without Numbers is a vivid, conversational, and wholly original guide to the three main branches of abstract math—topology, analysis, and algebra—which turn out to be...
-
-
A wonderful book about everything
- By Efik on 2025-01-05
Written by: Milo Beckman
-
Pale Blue Dot
- A Vision of the Human Future in Space
- Written by: Carl Sagan
- Narrated by: Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan
- Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall164
-
Performance140
-
Story140
In Cosmos, the late astronomer Carl Sagan cast his gaze over the magnificent mystery of the Universe and made it accessible to millions of people around the world. Now in this stunning sequel, Carl Sagan completes his revolutionary journey through space and time.
-
-
Read by Ann Druyan featuring Carl Sagan
- By Brian on 2018-08-27
Written by: Carl Sagan
-
The Daily Show (The AudioBook)
- An Oral History as Told by Jon Stewart, the Correspondents, Staff and Guests
- Written by: Chris Smith, Jon Stewart - introduction
- Narrated by: Oliver Wyman, Jay Snyder, Kevin T. Collins, and others
- Length: 16 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall13
-
Performance12
-
Story12
The complete, uncensored history of the award-winning The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as told by its correspondents, writers, and host. For almost seventeen years, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart brilliantly redefined the borders between television comedy, political satire, and opinionated news...
-
-
Decent Overview on the History of The Daily Show
- By Bruce Novakowski on 2026-02-18
Written by: Chris Smith, and others
-
Pillars of Creation
- How the James Webb Telescope Unlocked the Secrets of the Cosmos
- Written by: Richard Panek
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall2
-
Performance1
-
Story1
The James Webb Space Telescope is transforming the universe right before our eyes—and here, for the first time, is the inside account of how the mission originated, how it performs its miracles of science, and what its revolutionary images are revealing. Pillars of Creation tells the story of...
-
-
Telescopes in space!
- By Darrell Goulet on 2025-06-11
Written by: Richard Panek
-
Quantum Physics Made Me Do It
- A Simple Guide to the Fundamental Nature of Everything
- Written by: Jeremie Harris
- Narrated by: Jeremie Harris
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall15
-
Performance12
-
Story12
WINNER OF THE 2024 NON-FICTION KOBO EMERGING WRITER PRIZE LONGLISTED FOR THE SCIENCE WRITERS AND COMMUNICATORS OF CANADA AWARD An entertaining and accessible dive into the riveting world described by quantum mechanics, from physicist, AI risk expert, and Hollywood “alternative reality”...
-
-
The best one I have read to date
- By Awesome book for everyone who wants to understand how a human mind works and why on 2024-10-03
Written by: Jeremie Harris
-
The Disordered Cosmos
- A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred
- Written by: Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
- Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall11
-
Performance9
-
Story9
From a star theoretical physicist, “a love letter to the wonderous universe we call home, and an urge to think critically about how we explore its depths” (Smithsonian Magazine) In The Disordered Cosmos, Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein shares her love for physics, from the Standard Model of...
Written by: Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Entertaining and Informative
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.