NewSouth Books Media Release | 28 September 2021
A vibrant collection of lively and approachable science writing that will have plenty of appeal for curious readers.
Is there life in the clouds of Venus? How could Indigenous burning practices stave off catastrophic bushfires? What do horseshoe bats, raccoon dogs and pet cats have to do with the global pandemic? Science writing tells the stories of life and human endeavour in all its marvellous – often messy – complexity.
Now in its eleventh year – and with a foreword by Australia’s Chief Scientist, the renowned physicist Cathy Foley – The Best Australian Science Writing 2021 is a collection that showcases the nation’s best science writing.
New voices join prominent science journalists to reflect on a crucial year of science stories. Writers navigate the disorienting effects of the pandemic, the bushfires and climate change, whilst also taking us on awe-inspiring journeys to the depths of the ocean, the fuels of the future, and to the Ryugu asteroid and back.
This outstanding collection, edited by science journalist Dyani Lewis, brings us straight to the heart of complex ethical dilemmas and the calamitous crises challenging scientists and writers alike.
The 2021 contributors include: Sonia Orchard, Paul Biegler, Mark O’Flynn, Nicole Hasham, Donna Lu, Amanda Anastasi, Jackson Ryan, Ella Loeffler, Tim Dean, Clare Watson, Bianca Nogrady, Benjamin Dodds, John Pickrell, Smriti Mallapaty, James Bradley, Benjamin Pope, Rob Brooks, Jo Chandler, Emma Viskic, Julie Hollis, Declan Fry, Fiona McMillan, Wilson da Silva, Jon Brock, Ceridwen Dovey, Ashley Hay, Rebecca Giggs, Ivy Shih, Alice Gorman & Steph Panecasio.