We're surrounded by inventions. Clocks, appliances, cars, televisions, cell phones... the list goes on and on. Where did all these inventions come from? How do they work? And how do they reflect - even define - the values of our culture? Now, you can learn the remarkable stories surrounding monumental inventions - and how consequential these inventions were to history. Taught by Professor W. Bernard Carlson of the University of Virginia, who is an expert on the role of innovation in history, these 36 enlightening lectures give you a broad survey of material history, from the ancient pottery wheel to the Internet and social media. Along with recounting the famous inventions you might expect, such as the steam engine, the airplane, and the atomic bomb, this course explores a number of surprising innovations, including beer, pagodas, and the operating room.From ancient China to 21st-century America, from the English coal mines to the high-tech companies of Silicon Valley, this...