SCOTT RANK is the author of twelve books, including The Age of Illumination: Science, Technology, and Reason in the Middle Ages, Lost Civilizations, and Off the Edge of the Map: Travelers and Explorers That Pushed the Boundaries of the Known World. His books have been translated into nine languages. A historian of the Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey, he is a professor and podcaster. He currently hosts the show History Unplugged, one of the most popular history podcasts today. He earned his Ph.D. in history from Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. Before going down the academic route he worked as a journalist in Istanbul. He lives in Kansas City with his family.