The Best Australian Science Writing 2019

by Bianca Nogrady (Editor)

Good science writing makes us feel. It makes us delight in the discovery of a black hole munching on a star, laugh at the image of aliens puzzling over golf balls on the Moon, wonder at the mystery of the Spanish influenza’s deadly rampage, grieve for baby shearwater chicks dying with plastic-filled stomachs, rage at the loss of the Great Barrier Reef and cheer for the clitoris’ long-overdue scientific debut.
This ninth edition of The Best Australian Science Writing showcases the most powerful, insightful and brilliant essays and poetry from Australian writers and scientists. It roams the length and breadth of science, revealing how a ceramic artist is helping to save the handfish, what is so dangerous about the hype around artificial intelligence and whether too much exercise is bad for the heart. It makes us think, feel and hopefully act.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science

320 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2019

Reviews

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous anthology, each piece is beautifully written, and topics range from the need to send artists and people who think differently into space, to viruses affecting turtles. A wonderful range of contemporary science issues, written in a style for the non expert in mind as a reader.

[Lee Belbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent miscellany of insightful and educational stories ranging from molecules to galaxies. All are indeed well-written, engaging and everyone will learn much in each chapter. This would be a terrific motivation for secondary school students, but ancient people like me are still inspired.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, perhaps more than some other years (not sure if that’s me or the editors). One thing I especially loved is that most pieces seemed to be written by people who loved science and were good at writing, compared to a lot of science journalism in the mainstream media where the complex reality of science is squashed unsatisfactorily into a proforma structure of “conflict” or “hero” etc.

My favourite example was the author who loved krill so much that he got one tattooed on his arm, so he could show everyone what they looked like, but the tattoo artist got it wrong (I guess that’s the problem with being a world leading krill expert, everyone else’s krill-knowledge is inferior). Such passion and commitment.

I also particularly enjoyed pieces that challenged my thinking, for example previously believing I understood female anatomy but it turns out I was wrong! And the article predicting an impending flu pandemic, where it would take a full *four months* to develop a vaccine... so close and yet crucially not quite the right guess for 2020, with a different respiratory illness causing such devastation.

Definitely recommended for an interesting whip around the world of current science, with some poems and science history thrown into the mix.

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting culmination of studies and questions I never even thought of asking let alone ever be answered.
Honestly, some articles were tiresome to get through (just quite long and repetitive) but others were enthralling - I never thought I would know so much about Eastern Water Dragons but here I am.
Great Book to break up fictional reading as they are short(ish) articles and papers - and hey who doesn't like feeling like an intelect?
3.5 Stars (rounded to 4 :) )

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

Konrad Marshall's essay "Maxed out" was dynamic and punchy while he connected a wide variety of stats and comments to make for a really compelling essay. None of the other essays, however, struck me with a flaring argument like Marshall's, which is a shame because most of the topics these essayists were covering seemed interesting, but the style and persuasion was so lame I didn't care for the matter beyond what was presented.

[WildWoila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enthusiasm, awe & solastalgia for the many wonders of the natural world. Particularly good on female sexuality, plastic in seabirds and krill.