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The Best Australian Science Writing 2014
Now in its fourth year, this popular and acclaimed anthology steps inside the Australia’s finest scientific and literary minds to present a collection that celebrates the nation’s finest science writing of the year. Featuring prominent authors—such as Tim Flannery, Jo Chandler, Frank Bowden and Iain McCalman, as well as many new voices—this annual anthology covers topics as diverse and wondrous as our “lumpy” universe, the creation of dragons, why are Sydney’s golden orb weaver spiders getting fatter and fitter, and the frontiers of climate science.
- GenresScienceNonfiction
304 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2014
3 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Hay
43 books223 followersAshley Hay’s new novel, A Hundred Small Lessons, was published in Australia, the US and the UK and was shortlisted for categories in the 2017 Queensland Literary Awards.
Set in her new home city of Brisbane, it traces the intertwined lives of two women from different generations through a story of love, and of life. It takes account of what it means to be mother or daughter; father or son and tells a rich and intimate story of how we feel what it is to be human, and how place can transform who we are.
Her previous novel, The Railwayman’s Wife, was published in Australia, the UK, the US, and is heading for translation into Italian, French and Dutch. It won the Colin Roderick Prize (awarded by the Foundation for Australian Literary Studies), as well as the People's Choice award in the 2014 NSW Premier's Prize, and was also longlisted for both the Miles Franklin and Nita B. Kibble awards.
Her first novel, The Body in the Clouds (2010), was shortlisted for categories in the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and the NSW and WA premier’s prizes, and longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
Her previous books span fiction and non-fiction and include Gum: The Story of Eucalypts and Their Champions (2002), Museum (2007; with visual artist Robyn Stacey), and Best Australian Science Writing 2014 (as editor)s
A writer for more than 20 years, her essays and short stories have appeared in volumes including the Griffith Review, Best Australian Essays (2003), Best Australian Short Stories (2012), and Best Australian Science Writing (2012), and have been awarded various accolades in Australia and overseas. In 2016, she received the Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing.
Set in her new home city of Brisbane, it traces the intertwined lives of two women from different generations through a story of love, and of life. It takes account of what it means to be mother or daughter; father or son and tells a rich and intimate story of how we feel what it is to be human, and how place can transform who we are.
Her previous novel, The Railwayman’s Wife, was published in Australia, the UK, the US, and is heading for translation into Italian, French and Dutch. It won the Colin Roderick Prize (awarded by the Foundation for Australian Literary Studies), as well as the People's Choice award in the 2014 NSW Premier's Prize, and was also longlisted for both the Miles Franklin and Nita B. Kibble awards.
Her first novel, The Body in the Clouds (2010), was shortlisted for categories in the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and the NSW and WA premier’s prizes, and longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
Her previous books span fiction and non-fiction and include Gum: The Story of Eucalypts and Their Champions (2002), Museum (2007; with visual artist Robyn Stacey), and Best Australian Science Writing 2014 (as editor)s
A writer for more than 20 years, her essays and short stories have appeared in volumes including the Griffith Review, Best Australian Essays (2003), Best Australian Short Stories (2012), and Best Australian Science Writing (2012), and have been awarded various accolades in Australia and overseas. In 2016, she received the Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 14, 2017
I've always loved reading science articles in popular magazines, so this kind of book is definitely my taste! I have read the American version a long time ago, as well.
It was really wonderful to learn so many things about
-the truth about organic farming, that it is not the one great thing that will solve food problems in the world. I actually have a friend who quit organic farming because she just can't afford raising her young family anymore. Loved reading the facts from the farmers side, of the manure actually creating pollution , of the insustainability of it, also, I was surprised to learn about pesticide resistant weeds (due to farmer trying to save money by diluting pesticides) that became the beginning of back burning in Australia. These opened my eyes and make me appreciate the smoke that I hate so much, hampering our weekend outdoor activities. The problem of all these farming issues is actually our own population.
- the jellyfish taking over the sea, how we exacerbate the problem by building moors, parking boats etc, creating artificial surface that enable jelly fish to flourish, overfish its competitors and thus letting it flourish even more. The problem of the environment, is, none other, us.
-The story about the pitch drop experiment. How charming and amusing!! Why haven't I heard of it before!! I would definitely register to get alert about the next drop. I laughed so amusedly, something that I don't expect from reading a science article, when I learnt about the Professor who kept missing the pitch drops for 3 times, for one or other reasons, and yet the drop only happens once in 8-9 years .
-The story about a man getting sepsis from his prostate check. That certainly showed proof of a danger in trying to know everything.
I couldn't enjoy the poetry bits, probably because English is not my first language??If I remember it correctly, the American version that I read a long time ago did not have these kinds of articles.
It was really wonderful to learn so many things about
-the truth about organic farming, that it is not the one great thing that will solve food problems in the world. I actually have a friend who quit organic farming because she just can't afford raising her young family anymore. Loved reading the facts from the farmers side, of the manure actually creating pollution , of the insustainability of it, also, I was surprised to learn about pesticide resistant weeds (due to farmer trying to save money by diluting pesticides) that became the beginning of back burning in Australia. These opened my eyes and make me appreciate the smoke that I hate so much, hampering our weekend outdoor activities. The problem of all these farming issues is actually our own population.
- the jellyfish taking over the sea, how we exacerbate the problem by building moors, parking boats etc, creating artificial surface that enable jelly fish to flourish, overfish its competitors and thus letting it flourish even more. The problem of the environment, is, none other, us.
-The story about the pitch drop experiment. How charming and amusing!! Why haven't I heard of it before!! I would definitely register to get alert about the next drop. I laughed so amusedly, something that I don't expect from reading a science article, when I learnt about the Professor who kept missing the pitch drops for 3 times, for one or other reasons, and yet the drop only happens once in 8-9 years .
-The story about a man getting sepsis from his prostate check. That certainly showed proof of a danger in trying to know everything.
I couldn't enjoy the poetry bits, probably because English is not my first language??If I remember it correctly, the American version that I read a long time ago did not have these kinds of articles.
Displaying 1 of 1 review