Rating: Very Good
Strong Points: Beautiful visualizations and concise summaries of major concepts and books
Weak Points: Limited titles available, although the app is adding new ones all the time.
Platform: iPhone/iPad
Cost: Free (then $9.99/month)
Sometimes it feels impossible to find the time to read a new book or learn about a new topic. Fortunately, Lucid is built to be used during those fleeting moments of free time during the day, providing maximum learning in minimal time. In the app you’ll find numerous modules covering a variety of different topics, from hard science to broadly useful skills like leadership and productivity. Each module breaks down major concepts into short segments, all of which are beautifully animated and illustrated. Some modules are focused on a particular topic, such as the development of mRNA vaccines, while others take you through full books, such as Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. Users can add titles they’re interested in to their “To Read” list, and in any module, you can bookmark pages that you want to return to later on. The science modules are relatively limited at this point, but Lucid is continuing to add new topics and is well worth checking out if you’re a visual learner with a few minutes a day to spare.