What can a microbial gravesite on a moon teach us? Why are a group of scientists risking their life to safeguard a seed bank? How does a virus detective story show us why we need to be vigilant about the next disease outbreak? Great science writing compels us to pay attention to parts of the world often unseen, from a dusty gold mine which could help answer one of the biggest questions in astrophysics to a delightful date with the misunderstood blobfish.
This acclaimed anthology - now in its twelfth year - selects the most riveting, entertaining, poignant and fascinating science stories and essays from Australian writers, poets and scientists.
With a foreword by health broadcaster and commentator Dr Norman Swan, this collection covers another remarkable year, not only filled with seismic moments in science, but also shining a light on important work that would otherwise be overlooked.
FEATURING
Jackson Ryan, Olivia Willis, Nick Kilvert, Jacinta Bowler, Elizabeth Finkel, Amanda Anastasi, Alice Gorman, Kate Cole-Adams, Angus Dalton, Bianca Nogrady, Kate Crawford, Helen Sullivan, Tabitha Carvan, Clare Watson, Jane McCredie, John Pickrell, Alicia Sometimes, Lauren Fuge, Kelly Wong, Dyani Lewis, Suzannah Lyons, Robyn Arianrhod, Louise Wakeling, Michelle Starr, Kate Evans, Zoe Kean, Christine Kenneallv, Angela Heathcote, Lydia Hales, Drew Rooke
Ivy Shih is a science writer, audio producer and illustrator. A former researcher, she now writes about all areas of science, from coconut-cracking megabats to giant viruses. Her work has been featured in Nature, ABC, Cosmos Magazine, Hakai, multiple editions of The Best Australian Science Writing anthology and more. She is also a producer on the ABC astronomy podcast Cosmic Vertigo. She loves finding stories in unexpected places and exploring the crossover between science and society.
Trained in paediatrics, Dr Norman Swan was one of the first medically qualified journalists in Australia, with a broadcast career spanning more than 30 years. He currently hosts Radio National's The Health Report and co-hosts Coronacast. He also reports on 7.30 and is a guest reporter on Four Corners; appears on The Drum and is an occasional host of Radio National Breakfast. In addition to being an active journalist and health broadcaster, Dr Swan has a deep strategic knowledge of the Australian healthcare system and is committed to evidence-based approaches to help young people, which is why he sits on the board of the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth. He was also the co-founder of Tonic Media Network, a health channel that plays in GPs' waiting rooms.
