The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog: And Other Serious Discoveries of Silly Science

by Carly Anne York

Why would anyone research how elephants pee? Or study worms who tie themselves into a communal knot? Or quantify the squishability of a cockroach? It all sounds pointless, silly, or even disgusting.

Maybe it is. But in The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog, Carly Anne York shows how unappreciated, overlooked, and simply curiosity-driven science has led to breakthroughs big and small. Got wind power? You might have humpback whales to thank. Know anything about particle physics? Turns out there is a ferret close to the heart of it all. And if you want to keep salmon around, be thankful for that cannon! The research itself can seem bizarre. But it drives our economy. And what's more, this stuff is simply cool.

York invites readers to appreciate the often unpredictable journey of scientific exploration, highlighting that the heart of science lies in the relentless pursuit of knowledge for its own sake. Emphasizing the hard work of the people behind the discoveries, this is an accessible, story-driven book that shows how important and exciting it is to simply let curiosity run wild.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Humor, Audiobook, Animals, Nature, Adult

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2025

About the author

Dr. Carly Anne York is a biology professor, science communicator, and horse lover! She studies animal behavior, runs an animal sanctuary, and owns several horses.

Reviews

[Cav · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Clearly there’s a lot of noise around basic science. This is my effort to cut through it. In the upcoming chapters, I will tell the tales of pioneering, curiosity-driven—and sometimes silly—research initiatives that resulted in landmark discoveries..."

The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog was an entertaining look into the genesis of many scientific discoveries, but I felt the writing was a little slow and dry at times (sorry).

Author Carly Anne York is currently an associate professor at Lenoir-Rhyne University. She received her PhD in ecological studies from Old Dominion University.

Carly Anne York :


York writes with a fairly decent style here for the most part. As its subtitle implies, the book is a collection of amusing anecdotes about scientific discoveries. I was looking for something a bit different from the titles I typically read, so I decided to add this one to my list.

The author drops the quote at the start of this review early on, and it continues:

"...I will explore questions you probably never knew you wanted answers to: How did hamburgers soaked in blood and formaldehyde save the cattle industry? What do honeybees have to do with your search engine? And why would you dress a termite in a cape? Many of the discoveries I’ll discuss have already led to tangible applications. Some of them haven’t yet. Others might never have an application. And that is exactly the point—we can’t predict the future.
Science is not tidy. It’s not neat, and it’s not linear, despite what we learned in school. At times, it begins with an odd observation, sparking a trail of curiosity that leads deep into uncharted territories. Inspiration may strike as we study nature’s finely tuned mechanisms or when we are driven to rethink and reinvent established ideas. Occasionally, fortune smiles, presenting a golden opportunity out of the blue. The recipe for scientific breakthroughs often includes all these elements and even more."

This short blurb of writing teases some of the content that she covers in the book:

"As an animal physiologist, I work in the world of basic research. This branch of science is driven by curiosity and the observation of nature, not by immediate demands for application. Though a product isn’t the end goal, amazing applications have stemmed from basic discoveries in this field.
Take, for example, the invention of Geckskin, a reusable, glue-free adhesive that can hold up to 700 pounds on a smooth, vertical surface. This product came from decades of research on the anatomy and mechanics of gecko toepads. These scientists weren’t trying to figure out how to build a super sticker; they simply wanted to know how geckos can walk upside down.
Through basic research, biologists discovered that gecko toepads are covered in millions of tiny hairs that create a strong adhesive force, but hundreds of studies were performed before a product was ever conceived, created, and sold."

********************

I did enjoy this one, for the most part, although as mentioned, I found some of the writing to be a bit long-winded and dry. The epilogue was also very long, clocking in at ~50 mins. Too long for an epilogue, IMHO.
These are subjective gripes, to be sure, and I am admittedly extremely picky on how readable my books are.
I would still recommend it to anyone interested.
3.5 stars.

[CatReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carly Anne York is an animal behaviorist and professor at Lenoir-Rhyne University. Her 2025 book The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog serves two general purposes: 1) to share interesting and unexpected stories of how studying animals has led to deeper understanding or creative applications for human health, and 2) to obliquely argue that continued funding for basic science research is not wasteful or frivolous, but a needed and valuable investment in scientific progress. Those of us in the field know that 2025 has not been a cheery year for US science funding, federal funding bodies like the NIH and NSF, and many other areas at the intersection of science and policy. As someone who does a lot of work in the science policy space, I understand the fine line Dr. York was walking here, and I think she did a masterful job of advocating for why science funding is so crucial.

Further reading:
The Genetic Book of the Dead: A Darwinian Reverie by Richard Dawkins

My statistics:
Book 236 for 2025
Book 2162 cumulatively

[Jessica Haider · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog by Carly Anne York is a delightfully bonkers tour of “silly science”—but smartly so. From salmon-propelling vacuum tubes to frogs floating in magnetic chambers, York proves that curiosity-driven research often leads to significant breakthroughs (hello, PCR and whale-inspired wind turbines).

Her tone is playfully winsome—like your overenthusiastic lab partner who brings a whoopee cushion to a physics lecture—and perfectly matches the subject. This is pop science at its punniest, loaded with eyebrow-raising anecdotes about elephant peeing, duck genitals, and nitrous oxide inhalation.

4.25 ★ – If you’re ready to laugh, learn, and maybe win a trivia night with your newfound “silly science” arsenal, this is your ticket.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting stories, overall an argument for why scientific research that may seem frivolous can in fact be enormously beneficial.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! First of alli love all the stories about the science and how the most amazing discoveries come from curiosity, awe and wonder. It's just like Your Brain on Art said.
Ms. York then went on to detail why these projects were important and the vital innovations they led to. We need this kind of information so much right now.

[Edie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic science read! Carly Anne York sets out to convince readers that science should be fun, research should follow curiosity - and not the dollar, that politicians ruin everything. I can't speak for every reader, but I am a convert! History shows us that silly science does lead to serious discoveries, and if we stifle researchers' ability to play, to follow seemingly useless explorations, we will miss out on many life-changing scientific breakthroughs. The audio is enthusiastic, Eileen Stevens embodies a sense of adventure through her narration. Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC.

[Kathrynwga · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog, I expected to learn some quirky science facts. What I didn’t expect was to get emotional over a rat who received a gold medal for heroism—or to develop a very reluctant respect for the sheer survival skills of cockroaches (I still don’t want them anywhere near me, though).
Carly Anne York does a fantastic job of highlighting bizarre, hilarious, and genuinely fascinating scientific studies—the kind that make you pause and go, "Wait, someone actually studied that?" But beyond the fun and weirdness, this book is a powerful celebration of scientific curiosity and its inherent value to us as human beings. York reminds us that not all research needs a clear or immediate application—sometimes the simple act of asking questions and exploring the unknown is meaningful in itself.
In a time when science and learning are often under attack, this book felt like both a breath of fresh air and a rallying cry. It’s heartwarming, gross (in the best way), surprising, and deeply human.
I listened to the audiobook (which was excellent!), but I’ll absolutely be buying a physical copy to keep and share. Highly, highly recommend to science lovers, curious minds, and anyone who enjoys learning about the stranger side of our world.

📚 Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection of anecdotes on how seemingly “silly” science can result in big advancements for human benefit. The emphasis on the inherent value of scientific research in itself soothes in a climate where so much research funding is being cut.

[Tala🦈 (mrs.skywalker.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

i to jest literatura popularnonaukowa, o którą nic nie robiłam🖖

[Abby Kalany · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok this probably has been one of my top favorite books in my lifetime. this was such a fun book to read, I want more fun scientific/environmental stories. this is the type of shit that is inspires lil stem girls. I need more of this.

[Mary Northrup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't you just hate it when someone complains about wasteful government spending and they don't have a clue about basic research and science? The author of this fascinating book, a science professor, explains how experiments and studies which might seem useless and even silly at first glance can have tremendous results affecting health, technology, and the economy. Using examples from real-life scenarios, she makes it quite clear why we should support scientific research, and does so in an entertaining way.

[Cari · Rating 4 out of 5]

York dives into federally-funded research that has been called "wasteful" by certain politicians. They may sound strange initially, but the innovation that comes out of them is more than silliness. For example, the salmon cannon in the title is a solution to the way salmon spawn by moving from fresh water to ocean water. Since humans have introduced dams, the fish need a way to migrate. We don't want to decimate the salmon population--they are important to aquaculture--so this was a great solution. Read on to find out how Felicia the ferret cleaned a particle accelerator, how Prozac pepped up clams, how humpback whale flippers contributed to aerodynamics, and much more.

[J Bridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook for review. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC!

This book does reference the study of animals and past testing on animals. I don't love scientific testing on animals but I understand the necessity for scientific advancement in instances such as medicine. I have hope for a more humane future, but alas, we aren't there yet. As a softhearted, squeamish person, I didn't find this difficult to listen to.

I really liked the narrator--I've heard her narrate in other genres and enjoyed her narration style, and I think she did a good job in this format as well.
Anyway on to the review.

This reminds me a bit of The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, which is probably my favorite nonfiction book of all time. Most of the time I read fiction, usually romance, but I do occasionally branch out. When I do read nonfiction, I prefer it to be presented with humor, or at least in vernacular rather than jargon, because while I have the capability to understand a lot of dense language, I have no interest in wading through a book that read like a text book. Much like The Anthropocene Reviewed, The Salmon Cannon... is written more like stories or episodes, starting in one place (a man changing his son's diaper and wondering how a baby can pee for so long) and ending somewhere unexpected (the realization that there's an average constant time for urination and how deviation from this standard can help diagnose prostate cancer). The book is about the importance of "silly science" and the importance of curiosity based study and how important serendipity can be.

This book was fascinating, and I would recommend it to people like me who want to branch out or those who enjoy learning without it being pretentious.

4.5/5 stars

[Corey Strobbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book caught my eye when thinking about the “ridiculous waste” on science funding was in headlines earlier this year (2025). Things like studying duck penises to putting shrimps on treadmills sounds like a waste when talked down about by people in conservative media. It makes you wonder, is it actually ridiculous?

This book will have you understanding that it really isn’t.
And that it is paramount to our future advancements that we support funding research projects based in curiosity rather than just the research that has an application immediately in mind.

Read this book, be inspired by the research driven by scientific curiosity and the fun and excitement of the researchers leading them. And use that inspiration to push for funding more research like it!

[The Delulu Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel I must be a fish, since I fell directly into this book as if it was bait because of the name and the cover, expecting it to be a random science facts book, I couldnt be more wrong, and I couldnt be more pleasantly surprised about this book.

York introduces us to the world of science, specifically silly science, firts she provides context about what silly science means and all the problems it might arise to study things such as the shrimp fightclub, and all the stigma that surrounds such investigations that could be interpreted as time and money waste such as how that weird reptile is still alive when it only eats like twice a year, or why does the cockroach doesnt die even when you squash it, you might be surprised, just as I was, of all the usefulness found in this seemingly silly investigations.
Only downside I found the first chapter a bit too long, I want more science please!

This book is totally what I believe science should be introduced at schools, fun, interesting, and it explains the utility of science. (comeon tell me you found the mithocondria is the powerhouse of the cell talk useful when you were 13)
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Refreshing to read defenses of science. The tone was tour guidey and the audience is definitely for non-scientists. Nice to skim. The stories were very interesting and I really appreciated the profiles of scientists who were negatively impacted by bad-faith attacks by republicans against their work. However, the author uses a flippant tone when mentioning sexual assault/violence of certain scientists (Kary Mullis, etc).

[Paige Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an important story on how funding research can have vast impacts!!! And a fun story for those who may be skeptics of basic research 😉 I would 10/10 recommend this book to lovers of silly science and all government officials who decide how much research is funded 😅

[Cari Ritzenthaler · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fun and informative! I really enjoyed this book and I want to recommend it to all my science students!

[Katie Hunzinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I’ve always wanted to write! Very Mary Roach adjacent.

[Jenn Chastka · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is basically a collection of essays on unorthodox experiments and research that have led to significant breakthroughs throughout history. For example, it explores how studying the physical form of a stick bug influences engineering designs and how using ferrets to thread wires has aided particle physics experiments.

The book shows that even the most “offbeat” experiments are not self-serving or a waste of funds, even when proven unsuccessful.

If you’re a fan of books by Mary Roach, Sam Kean, or Erika Engelhaupt, who cover their own journeys through research in witty and almost always hilarious narratives, this book is for you.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 words for the smartasses and the squeamish: ELEPHANT POOP and DUCK DICKS.

My tweens lost their minds at animal king sex. I don't know why I expected more out of 7th graders who crack up at fart jokes.

It's a great book reminding you why "silly science" is important. That doesn't mean I didn't go OMG like a sorority girl in a way too short mini skirt with a Starbucks cappuccino and a fresh mani/pedi trying to avoid dog poop on the side walk.

Science is important. So are duck dicks. And embarrassing your kids. I'm sure reading this book is great, but LISTENING as a family, PURE EPICNESS.

Absolutely will repeat.

[Lyri Ahnam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Salmon Canon and the Levitating Frog: And Other Serious Discoveries of Silly Science is as fun to read as the title suggests. She presents a lot of fascinating information, including the novel experiments curious scientists set up to discover intriguing aspects of our natural world. The book highlights basic science, which is “driven by curiosity and the observations of nature, not by immediate demands for application.”
The author says, “every question, no matter how seemingly silly, is fueled by a profound sense of wonder and a hunger to understand. It’s not just about idle musing; it’s about piecing together the colossal jigsaw puzzle that is the universe, one tiny piece at a time.”

Here are some highlights of the research findings~

Jake Socha and his team discovered how some snakes in Southeast Asia fly: “By contorting their body into a concave shape, they were essentially turning their entire body into a wing. . . . Not only were the snakes performing a behavior that seemed impossible, but they were also doing it in a completely different way than had been documented in any other flier or glider.”

One of the most intriguing stories in the book is that of Patty Brennan, who studies duck reproduction. Ninety-seven percent of male birds don’t have penises. Brennan suggests that over millions of years of evolution, “female birds have chosen less coercive males with smaller penises to the point where penises disappeared. Without a penis, it is practically impossible for a male to copulate without the female’s consent.”
Not so with ducks. Male ducks are notorious for forcing copulation on females. In fact, they have a “lengthy, corkscrew-shaped phallus.”
The vaginas of female ducks are “filled with labyrinthine elaborations.” What’s interesting is that “when the female is penetrated by a male she didn’t choose, she maintains her inner maze to thwart reproduction. But when she finds the right guy, she’s able to open a clear pathway for fertilization.”

For 300 million years, cockroaches have been “marvels of evolution.” Scientist Kaushik Jayaram was interested in how they “can get into just about any tiny space—a roach is typically over half an inch tall but can squeeze into gaps just a tenth of an inch wide.”
He learned that the shiny plates of the cockroach exoskeleton “are like overlapping shingles—they can slide over each other, allowing for extraordinary body contortions. This clever design enables cockroaches to flatten and wooden out under pressure, a nifty trick when you need to fit into the narrowest of escape routes or . . . withstand being squashed.”

A physicist named Andre Konstantin Geim at the High Field Magnetic Laboratory provided the levitating frog of the title.
“In a move he would later describe as ‘somewhat unprofessional,’ he cranked up the electromagnet to its maximum power and poured a bottle of water into the core of the very expensive apparatus. That’s when it happened—droplets of water began to levitate inside the machine. [They tested other objects like a piece of pizza.] Next, the team decided to experiment with a living being. They quietly borrowed a small frog from the biology department, cranked up the magnets, and placed the frog inside the machine. And there it was: the first ever levitating frog. Not only was the experiment a success, but the frog appeared quite comfortable floating in midair.”

The author has a wonderful storytelling style:
“It was a late night alone in the lab for Peter Fong of Gettysburg College when he accidentally knocked a bottle of Prozac into an aquarium of clams. As the pills sank to the bottom of the tank, along with his heart, he noticed something strange: the clams started spawning, releasing eggs and sperm into the water at startling rates.”
She notes that in commercial clam farming, using Prozac helps the farmers create synchronous spawning, thus clam “farmers can increase their yield and raise a uniform crop.”
Because many clams and other bivalves are endangered, “Fong’s good (mis)fortune [may give] us the key to preventing their extinction.”

The author is also quick to point out the ethical dilemmas of using animals in basic research. Several scientists contributed to the discovery of incredible clotting factors in horseshoe crab blood, leading to a test that can “rapidly indicate the presence of contaminants in medical solutions by forming distinctive clots within just a few hours. . . . About 450,000 horseshoe crabs are harvested for this purpose each year [presenting] a complex ethical and environmental dilemma. Thankfully, scientists have been hard at work to find an animal-friendly alternative to horseshoe crab blood, and the research looks very promising.”

The book concludes with a chapter on exploring political attacks on basic science. Patty Brennan, the scientist studying duck penises came under intense negative scrutiny.
“Critics labeled her as sick and a deviant for her focus on animal genitalia. Brennan’s own reflection of this time tells of the profound psychological toll these criticisms can take. Mortified, she feared being perceived as a fraud even by her professional community. In her words, she wanted to crawl under her desk and never come out again. Her experience is evidence of how vulnerable one becomes when publicly pushing the boundaries of knowledge.”

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about both the weird investigations into unexplored phenomena, and the helpful discoveries that resulted! I did lose focus a few times while listening, so I may have missed a few points.

[Art Enyedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I greatly enjoyed reading The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog - and Other Serious Discoveries of Silly Science. My only complaint with this book is its length - it is too short at just 227 pages. I am certain that the author could have doubled the amount of material without exhausting the supply of stories of "silly science". This book was written because York, a scientist herself, was studying squid biomechanics and sensory physiology, when a lunch companion asked her why she bothered with such useless research. York was flummoxed by the question - it was self-evident to her that learning things simply for the fact of knowing how something worked was valuable in itself. Sometimes these oddball research projects yielded insights that led to valuable breakthroughs. This book is her answer to the question of "why do such pointless research?" It is because you never know what you will find.

The book is full of short narratives describing a curious individual looking at something unexpected and deciding to investigate further. For example, in 1966, a microbiologist named Thomas Brock was vacationing in Yellowstone and observed that algae thrived in the boiling hot thermal pools. Normally enzymes and proteins will disintegrate at temperatures above 131 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet Brock isolated a new bacterium that could tolerate temperatures as high at 158 degrees. A couple of decades later, scientists were stumped on how to replicate a few strands of DNA into large enough quantities that it could be tested (for example, in forensics). The problem was that copying DNA needed heat to separate the strands, and heat destroyed the polymerase enzymes used to replicate the DNA sample. A biochemist named Kary Mullis recalled reading about Brock's research, and in the 1980s realized he could use the enzymes from the thermal-tolerant Yellowstone algae to run the PCR (polymerase chain reaction). The result was an explosion of scientific research, including the mapping of the human genome, and innumerable studies into diseases and genetic defects.

The "Salmon Cannon" of the book title discusses the problem of dams blocking salmon from swimming back upstream to return to their spawning grounds. Fish ladders are ignored by most of the fish, and the water that runs through those fish ladders could have been used for power generation or irrigation. One observer remembered how banks used to pass documents through pneumatic tubes, and he wondered if fish could be propelled through similar structures, launching them up and over dams. It turns out that the answer is yes. The launch tube apparently does not harm the fish. Modifications have been made so that the cannon can identify the species of fish that swims into the tube - if it is an invasive species, such as an Asian carp, the fish cannon can redirect the fish into a holding bin, removing it from the environment.

Horseshoe crabs have blue blood because it is copper based (our blood is red because it is iron based). Horseshoes crabs are ancient, they have been around for 450 million years, well before the dinosaurs appeared. Their primitive circulatory system is susceptible to infections because blood and lymph slosh through sinuses open to the environment. Yet horseshoe crabs thrive in bacteria rich environments. Someone notice that the clotting agents in the blood of horseshoe crabs is extraordinarily sensitive to toxins - if even the slightest foreign particle enters their bloodstream, clots aggressively form around the intruding agent. Humans have a problem when generating medicines or vaccines - how to detect if there has been any contamination in a batch of drugs? It turns out that the sensitive horseshoe crab blood can be used to detect if there are any endotoxins nearby. Now the need for horseshoe crabs is so great that scientists are pondering how to prevent overharvesting of this suddenly valuable species.

The book is full of similar stories. How did the study of gila monsters lead to the GLP weight-loss drugs? Mold in a petri dish led to the discovery of penicillin. Ferrets were trained to drag swabs through giant contaminated magnets at particle accelerators. Studying the dance of honeybees lead to ideas about distribution of server resources in networks. Rats are trained to detect land mines. Bumps on a humpback whale's flippers lead to discoveries in turbulence and lift (expect to see bumps on the underside of airplane wings in the future). I enjoy reading about stories like this. If these examples are intriguing to you, I bet you will also enjoy reading this book.

At the end of The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog, York laments how much federal funding has been cut. The book was published in 2025, so it came out before the massive gutting of science by Musk and his DOGE cronies. If York thought federal backing of basic research was too small prior to 2025, then she must be aghast at what has happened since. We will never know what discoveries are missed, what opportunities are lost, because America has turned its back on basic science research.

[scifishm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carly Anne York has temporarily set aside her research on squid biomechanics and sensory physiology to write an entertaining robust defense of basic scientific research. York takes her cue from an anecdote about the great physicist Michael Faraday. When asked what practical good would come from his experiments in electromagnetism, Faraday responded “what good is a newborn baby”?

The main message of this book is that, while some scientific research may appear to be useless, even “silly,” none should be considered worthless. As we see again and again in York’s stories, we cannot predict the future: research that initially appeared worthless proved to be valuable.

The book offers great stories of science that proves its worth not by being useful—though it sometimes turns out that way—but because it is driven by observation, curiosity, inspiration from nature, and benefits from collaboration and the luck that favors the prepared.

This is a book that should be read by anyone who questions the value of basic science. It’s also a book that I hope will motivate young people to pursue careers in science. I hope the book will be used in high school science classes and assigned to 1st-year students in college as part of their preparation for arriving on campus. Observation, curiosity, inspiration from nature and the openness to collaboration will be of value to any student in any endeavor, not just science. If you think about it, these qualities should be valued by all of us.

We especially need this book now because basic scientific research is under potentially fatal attack. The stories in this book—including detailed stories of how three scientists dealt successfully with attacks on their work—provide great ammunition for fighting the latest and ---more intense than ever—war against science in America.

Thank you Basic Books for providing an advance copy in galley form for review consideration via NetGalley. Please note: Quotes taken from a galley may change in the final version.
All opinions are my own.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I wasn’t sure if this would be for me, since I can’t bear to read books that include animal experimentation. Then I read how the author is an animal lover and I decided to trust her. If Mary Roach liked this, I’m in. And I’m so glad I did. Written in an approachable style, there are plenty of anecdotes for people who like “silly" science. But there is so much more, exploring the huge implications that these experiments have had in the world. Do I want to know how long an elephant pees? Absolutely! Do I care about its technological applications? Not really, but the people holding the pursestrings do and, as a taxpayer I also understand that. So I was thrilled when I learned how animal venom may have saved countless lives (and not just through anti-venoms), or how the one animal I can’t stand to even look at, cockroaches, may save me a delay at the airport in the future. The cases feature a lot of people from different times. Some of them are long dead and we cannot ask them about what moved them. Most, though, are still alive and working and don’t mind sharing their experiences with the author. It’s surprising to learn that not all of them are scientists (or at least not biologists or zoologists). With regards to the welfare of the critters, most of the contemporary scientists make a big effort to treat them right. The people in the past were not so inclined, but the author is not explicit about it so, even if it’s sad, it’s not graphic. A lot of the experiments are not for the faint of heart (cutting a dead whale’s flipper comes to mind); but this book is so worth reading. If you, like me, have never lost the curiosity to learn about the world, this is for you. If you, also like me, scream at government waste and question why we need to spend so much money, this will also provide answers. A truly great read.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Basic Books.

[Greg Stoll · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a love letter to basic (i.e. not applied) science - York's enthusiasm clearly shines though in her writing, and I am here for it! The whole book is more or less a series of stories about how a seemingly silly investigation led to very useful results, although I couldn't help notice that in a few of the cases the useful results aren't quite here yet.

York also talks about "wastebook"s that have been published by various senators that purport to name and shame wasteful government spending, which includes dumb-sounding scientific grants. It turns out, which will not come as a great shock, most of these grants are for studies that might actually turn out to be useful.

Other interesting parts:
- It's estimated that 30% of the US's gross national product is based on stuff that depends on quantum mechanics! (pg 6)
- Massaging premature babies makes them grow faster, leave the hospital sooner, and saves an average of $10,000 in health care costs per baby! (pg 28)
- GLP-1 medicines (like Ozempic, Wegovy, etc.) were developed partially based on research done on Gila monster venom! (pg 40)
- The first bone graft was done in 1668 on a soldier's deformed skull. The doctor used a dog's skull to do it, and after the procedure the patient's church decided he was partially dog and could no longer be part of the church! (pg 96)
- A nit to pick - York says "You might have felt what happens when an airplane stalls", and I'm not an expert here but hopefully most people have not felt this! (it doesn't mean you're necessarily going to crash but it does mean that something has gone pretty wrong!) (pg 112)
- Adding bumps on the blades of a wind turbine (inspired by bumps on humpback whales' flippers) can improve its efficiency by 20%! (pg 114)

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great fun, but it's also an important topic people should know more about. Science shouldn't be political, because curiousity-driven research leads to so many great ideas and innovations. There doesn't always need to be a specific goal when studying something, just a passionate desire to learn more and a willingness to share ideas with others so that our knowledge can keep growing in leaps and bounds.
I loved the topics that were chosen, and they all seemed "silly" at first, and many of the topics came about because of random observations. For example, one guy learned a lot because he wondered about the time it took him and his new baby to pee. My favorite story was about Felicia the Ferret, who saved a $250 million particle accelerator when the scientists were looking for a way to clean it (it was a real emergency as there didn't seem to be a way and the magnets were failing, but they couldn't just take it apart). The researchers took turns taking care of Felicia until her retirement when they figured out a different way to clean the particle accelerator, and by all accounts enjoed their time with her.
Thinking outside the box is necessary tor innovation -- we often don't know what the question is until we have more information Thanks to NetGalley, I got to listen to this audiobook, and the reader was so enthusiastic! I found myself walking around talking about the book with whoever I could get to listen.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

York defends scientific curiousity by highlighting some interesting science grants that have been funded by the US government. She explains the studies, and celebrates the findings. She is quick to point out that some benefits of scientific research take years to exploit, and that you can't know what results will bring renumeration beforehand.

Why I started this book: I'm a fan of weird facts and wacky science, so I couldn't wait to pick up this book.

Why I finished it: Fascinating look at the amazing world around us, and all the scientists that are still curious and willing to measure, explore and document. Plus a push back at the Congressional shaming by politicians eager to drum up support for themselves without fully understanding various studies. Hand it to people who liked Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds: 100 New Ways to See the World, Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War or any other title by Mary Roach.

[Nola · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog is a good book, both entertaining and educational. It also has its advocacy component. The author, Carly Ann York, advocates strongly for the value of basic research. She shows that observation, curiosity, collaboration, creativity, and serendipity are all components of science leading to advances in knowledge that can be useful. In this book these themes are skillfully woven together, with stories of scientific studies that illustrate each one. Each story is fascinating on its own, but also supports the point that the components are necessary and that they facilitate good research. There are also explanations of how some of the most esoteric studies led to useful real-world applications. This drives home the point that advancement in knowledge brought about with basic research is a good thing, bringing us to a better understanding of our world that is a good foundation for improving our lives. Carly Ann York also delves into how basic research has been ridiculed, such as with the Golden Fleece award, and the effect this has had on the researchers targeted (not good). I am happy that I have learned the difference between the Golden Fleece award and the Golden Goose award. Very good writing in this book; the chapters are short and intriguing, the chapter titles are fantastic, the suspense builds from one chapter to another, the writing is crisp and the selections are wonderfully educational.