Best Australian Science Writing

Why should we care about a failed Soviet mission to Venus at the height of the cold war? Can mathematics teach us about drug cartels? And what is life – do we even know?The best science writing doesn’t just answer questions, it cracks them open. It dissects them, probes them and solves their mysteries. It takes you on a journey of discovery.Science is a deeply human endeavour and the stories we tell about it can be powerful, life-affirming forces for good. They can show us how a beloved dog can inspire a new cancer treatment, what the humble backyard sprinkler teaches us about our lives on the driest inhabited continent, and how new motherhood can cause us to pay attention to ancient stromatolites.This much-loved anthology – now in its sixteenth year – selects the most riveting, entertaining, poignant and fascinating science stories from Australian writers, poets and scientists.With a foreword by the Director of the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science Centre, Professor Sujatha Raman, this collection covers another momentous year in science.Contributors include:Dyani Lewis Angus Dalton Clare Watson Nicola Grobler Ashley Hay James Bradley Benjamin Dodds Elizabeth Finkel Jonathan Webb and Fiona Pepper Sara Webb Ashleigh Wyss Iain Strachan Glenn Morrison Starre Vartan Jessica Gihozo Mupenzi Adam Morton Donna Lu and Lisa Cox Jackson Ryan Lucinda Duxbury and Joline Lalime Euan Ritchie Cat Williams Brenda Saunders James Purtill Liam Mannix Campbell Rider Caitlin Maling Alice Gorman Smriti Mallapaty Peter de Kruijff and James Bullen Bella Rough Felicity Plunkett Bianca Nogrady Tom Melville Gemma Conroy Robyn Arianrhod Grace Heathcote Jacinta Bowler Kate Evans Ceridwen Dovey Lulu Houdini