This class offers a sweeping exploration of the turning points that shaped the modern world, tracing global history from the 15th century to the digital age. Examine transformative discoveries, inventions, political revolutions, and cultural shifts — from the encounter with the New World to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Alongside familiar milestones, the class highlights less obvious but equally consequential events, such as the publication of the Enlightenment Encyclopédie or the Russo-Japanese War, revealing how their influence rippled far beyond their moment. Through case studies including the discovery of penicillin, the Industrial Revolution, decolonisation, and the rise of social media, you'll uncover how chance, innovation, and human ambition repeatedly redirected the course of history. By the end, you'll gain a deeper understanding not only of what happened, but of how differently the world might have unfolded — and how today's turning points are already shaping tomorrow. Lecture style with question and answer time.