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The Best American Science Writing 2002
by Alan Lightman Matt RidleyIf, as Matt Ridley suggests, science is simply the search for new forms of ignorance, then perhaps it follows that with science's advances come new questions. Will human genetic engineering become commonplace? Will human cloning ever be safe? Are there many universes? How much will the climate change during the coming century? The Best American Science Writing 2002 gathers top writers and scientists covering the latest developments in the fastest-changing, farthest-reaching scientific fields, such as medicine, genetics, computer technology, evolutionary psychology, cutting-edge physics, and the environment. Among this year's selections: In "The Made-to-Order Savior," Lisa Belkin spotlights two desperate families seeking an unprecedented cure by a medically and ethically unprecedented means -- creating a genetically matched child. Margaret Talbot's "A Desire to Duplicate" reveals that the first human clone may very likely come from an entirely unexpected source, and sooner than we think. Michael Specter reports on the shock waves rippling through the field of neuroscience following the revolutionary discovery that adult brain cells might in fact regenerate ("Rethinking the Brain"). Christopher Dickey's "I Love My Glow Bunny" recounts with sly humor a peculiar episode in which genetic engineering and artistic culture collide. Natalie Angier draws an insightful contrast between suicide terrorists and rescue workers who risk their lives, and finds that sympathy and altruism have a definite place in the evolution of human nature, David Berlinski's "What Brings a World into Being?" ponders the idea of biology and physics as essentially digital technologies, exploring the mysteries encoded in the universe's smallest units, be they cells or quanta. Nicholas Wade shows how one of the most controversial books of the year, The Skeptical Environmentalist, by former Greenpeace member and self-described leftist Bjorn Lomborg, debunks some of the most cherished tenets of the environmental movement, suggesting that things are perhaps not as bad as we've been led to believe. And as a counterpoint, Darcy Frey's profile of George Divoky reveals a dedicated researcher whose love of birds and mystery leads to some sobering discoveries about global warming and forcefully reminds us of the unsung heroes of science: those who put in long hours, fill in small details, and take great trouble. In the end, the unanswered questions are what sustain scientific inquiry, open new frontiers of knowledge, and lead to new technologies and medical treatments. The Best American Science Writing 2002 is a series of exciting reports from science's front lines, where what we don't know is every bit as important as what we know.
The Best American Science Writing 2003
by Oliver SacksIn his introduction to The Best American Science Writing 2003, Dr. Oliver Sacks, whom the New York Times has called "the poet laureate of medicine," writes that "the best science writing ... cannot be completely 'objective' -- how can it be when science itself is so human an activity? -- but it is never self-indulgently subjective either. It is, at best, a wonderful fusion, as factual as a news report, as imaginative as a novel." It is with this definition of "good" science writing in mind that Dr. Sacks has selected the twenty-five extraordinary pieces that make up the latest installment of this acclaimed annual. This year, Peter Canby travels into the heart of remote Africa to track a remarkable population of elephants; Atul Gawande shows us the way doctors learn their skills by performing supposedly routine procedures on unsuspecting patients. With candor and tenderness, Floyd Skloot observes the toll Alzheimer's disease is taking on his ninety-one-year-old mother, and is fascinated by the memories she retains. Marcelo Gleiser asks: If we are the universe's sole intelligent species, then what must we do to be good citizens of the cosmos? Natalie Angier writes about the challenge of traveling to distant stars. Gunjan Sinha explores the mating behavior of the common prairie vole and what it reveals about the human pattern of monogamy. Michael Klesius attempts to solve what Darwin called "an abominable mystery": How did flowers originate? Lawrence Osborne tours a farm where a genetically modified goat produces the silk of spiders in its milk. Joseph D'Agnese visits a home for retired medical research chimps. And in the collection's final piece, Richard C. Lewontin and Richard Levins reflect on how the work of Stephen Jay Gould demonstrated the value of taking a radical approach to science. As this series firmly attests, science writing has achieved a central place in our culture, and one can posit that the reason why has to do with the special thrill of discovery that a cogent piece of science writing can elicit. As Dr. Sacks writes of Stephen Jay Gould -- to whose memory this year's anthology is dedicated -- an article of his "was never predictable, never dry, could not be imitated or mistaken for anybody else's." The same can be said of all of the writing contained in contributions to this diverse collection "that can be enjoyed by laymen, scientists, and writers alike" (Nature).
The Best American Science Writing 2004
by Dava Sobel Jesse CohenWhat makes the articles found in The Best American Science Writing 2004 "the best"? As Dava Sobel, best-selling author of Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, writes in her introduction, "First and most important, all are extremely well written. This sounds obvious, and it is, but for me it means the pieces impart genuine pleasure via the writers' choice of words and the rhythm of their phrases... 'I wish I'd written that,' was my own frequent reaction to the articles I ultimately chose." This year, Jennifer Kahn's "Stripped for Parts" was selected as the lead story because, as Sobel reveals, "it begins with one of the most arresting openings I have ever read. " In "Columbia's Last Flight," William Langewiesche recounts the February 1, 2003, space shuttle tragedy, along with the investigation into the nationwide complacency that brought the ship down. K. C. Cole's "Fun with Physics" is a profile of astrophysicist Janet Conrad that blends her personal life with professional activity. In "Desperate Measures," the doctor and writer Atul Gawande profiles the surgeon Francis Daniels Moore, whose experiments in the 1940s and '50s pushed medicine harder and farther than almost anyone had contemplated. Also included is a poem by the legendary John Updike, "Mars as Bright as Venus." The collection ends with Diane Ackerman's "ebullient" essay "We Are All a Part of Nature. " Together these twenty-three articles on a wide range of today's most current topics in science -- from biology, physics, biotechnology, and astronomy, to anthropology, genetics, evolutionary theory, and cognition -- represent the full spectrum of scientific writing from America's most prominent science authors, proving once again that "good science writing is evidently plentiful" ( Scientific American ).
The Best American Science Writing 2005
by Alan LightmanToday's most prominent thinkers provide enlightening insight into some of the most important and cutting-edge topics in the field in this acclaimed series.
The Best American Science Writing 2006
by Atul GawandeTogether these twenty-one articles on a wide range of today's most leading topics in science, from Dennis Overbye, Jonathan Weiner, and Richard Preston, among others, represent the full spectrum of scientific inquiry, proving once again that good science writing is evidently plentiful.
The Best American Science Writing 2007
by Gina KolataProvocative and engaging, this collection brings together the premiere science writing of the year. The Best American Science Writing 2007 is a compelling anthology of our most advanced, and most relevant, scientific inquiries.
The Best American Science Writing 2008
by Sylvia NasarEdited by Sylvia Nasar, bestselling author of A Beautiful Mind and former economics correspondent for the New York Times, The Best American Science Writing 2008 brings together the premiere science writing of the year. Distinguished by the foremost voices and publications--among them Pulitzer Prize-winner Amy Harmon, Nobel Prize-winner Al Gore, and award-winning and bestselling author Oliver Sacks--this anthology is a comprehensive overview of our most advanced and most relevant scientific inquiries.
The Best American Science Writing 2009
by Natalie AngierDistinguished by new and impressive voices as well as some of the foremost names in science writing--Oliver Sacks and Atul Gawande among them--this anthology provides a comprehensive overview of where science has taken us--and where it is headed.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2000
by David QuammenWith the inaugural volume of THE BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE AND NATURE WRITING, Houghton Mifflin showcases the finest writing of the past year on subjects of ever-increasing interest to readers. Guest editor David Quammen and series editor Burkhard Bilger have assembled a remarkable group of essays that originally appeared in periodicals from National Geographic, Science, and The New Yorker to Puerto del Sol and DoubleTake. Among the acclaimed writers represented are Natalie Angier on "Men, Women, Sex, and Darwin," Peter Matthiessen exploring "The Island at the End of the Earth," Richard Preston considering "The Demon in the Freezer," and Oliver Sacks remembering the "Brilliant Light" of his boyhood. Also including work by such literary lights as Anne Fadiman, Edward Hoagland, and Cullen Murphy, this volume presents selections bound together by their timelessness.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2002
by Natalie AngierThis book has a collection from the best and brightest writers on science and nature exploring the topics like Islamic science, disappearing cancers and many such stimulating subjects.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2003
by Richard Dawkins Tim FolgerThe subjects include astronomy's new stars, archaeology, the Bible, 'terminal' ice, memory faults, Oliver Sacks, low carb diets, missile defense, the war on coyotes, and more.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2004
by Steven PinkerThe Best American Science and Nature Writing 2004, edited by Steven Pinker, is another "provocative and thoroughly enjoyable [collection] from start to finish" (Publishers Weekly). Here is the best and newest on science and nature.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2005
by Tim Folger Jonathan WeinerThe Best American series has been the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction since 1915. Each volume's series editor selects notable works from hundreds of periodicals. A special guest editor, a leading writer in the field, then chooses the very best twenty or so pieces to publish. This unique system has made the Best American series the most respected -- and most popular -- of its kind. The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2005 includes pieces by Natalie Angier, Jared Diamond, Timothy Ferris, Malcolm Gladwell, Jerome Groopman, Bill McKibben, Sherwin B. Nuland, Jeffrey M. O'Brien, Oliver Sacks, Michael J. Sandel, William Speed Weed, and others.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2006
by Brian GreeneBestselling author Brian Greene edits this year's volume of the finest science and nature writing. Contributors include Walter Kirn, Ron Rosenbaum, Jeffrey Toobin, and Oliver Sacks as well as many others.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2007
by Richard Preston Tim FolgerThis collection has a range of topics, from the farthest reaches of space to the world around us and to the secrets hidden in our own bodies. Some harmful impacts of science on the natural world is also mentioned.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2008
by Jerome GroopmanBest-selling author and staff writer for The New Yorker Jerome Groopman, M.D., edits this year's volume of the finest science and nature writing. From prize-winning favorites, this is a "wonderful series where students find plenty of inspiration"
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2009
by Elizabeth KolbertElizabeth Kolbert, one of today's leading environmental journalists, edits this year's volume of the finest science and nature writing.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2011: The Best American Series (The Best American Series)
by Mary RoachThe New York Times–bestselling author of Packing for Mars presents fascinating essays by Jonathan Lethem, Jaron Lanier, Malcom Gladwell and others.Good science writing, as Mary Roach explains in her introduction, is a cure for ignorance and fallacy. But great science writing adds honey—in the form of engaging characters, stories, and wit—to make the medicine go down. This anthology reveals the essential humanity in our endless quest for knowledge and understanding.From a study of avian mating habits with unintended political implications to a sober exploration of the panic surrounding artificial intelligence, The Best Science and Nature Writing 2011 offers food for thought in a variety of flavors.The Best Science and Nature Writing 2011 includes entries by Deborah Blum, Burkhard Bilger, Ian Frazier, David H. Freedman, Atul Gawande, Stephen Hawking, Christopher Ketcham, Jill Sisson Quinn, Oliver Sachs, and others.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2012 (The Best American Series)
by Sy Montgomery Elizabeth Kolbert Jerome E. Groopman Deborah Blum Rivka Galchen John Seabrook Bijal P. Trivedi Mark McClusky&“Top-notch science writing covering everything from the 1,000 species in the human gut to efforts to reverse-evolve a chicken into a dinosaur.&” —Kirkus Reviews With contributions from bestselling and award-winning writers including Jerome Groopman and Elizabeth Kolbert, this volume delves into such topics as the 2008 &“Black Friday&” stampede at a Long Island Walmart; an annual humans-vs.-AI competition; octopus intelligence; lab-grown meat; marauder ants; the brains of teenagers; and the Neanderthal genome. Lively and accessible, this is &“a showcase for clean, plain-English science and nature writing and a treat for readers&” (Kirkus Reviews). &“This strong collection invites awe, begets wonder, and stimulates contemplation.&” —Publishers Weekly &“There is so much we don&’t know, which leads us to make so many irrational decisions that we need scientists and science writers to share their inquiries and discoveries in welcoming and lucid prose. Stellar examples of just this sort of cogent and compelling writing sustains this invaluable and exciting series.&” —Booklist Contributors include: Brendan Buhler · Virginia Hughes • Jerome Groopman • Carl Zimmer • Thomas Hayden • Michael Behar • Bijal P. Trivedi • Sy Montgomery • Mark W. Moffett • Deborah Blum • Elizabeth Kolbert • Michael Roberts • Thomas Goetz • Jason Daley • David Dobbs • David Eagleman • John Seabrook • David Kirby • Robert Kunzig • Michael Specter • Mark McClusky • Rivka Galchen • Joshua Davis • Brian Christian
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2014 (The Best American Series)
by Barbara Kingsolver Carl Zimmer Elizabeth Kolbert Rebecca Solnit Nicholas Carr Seth Mnookin Fred Pearce E. O. Wilson&“A stimulating compendium&” on topics from antibiotics to animals, featuring Rebecca Solnit, E.O. Wilson, Nicholas Carr, Elizabeth Kolbert, and many more (Kirkus Reviews). &“A consistently strong series . . . Making connections between seemingly unrelated topics can help expand thinking, as seen in the effects of automated navigation on both airplane pilot error and Inuit hunting accidents that Nicholas Carr explores in &‘The Great Forgetting.&’ Sarah Stewart Johnson makes a similar connection between the loss of a 1912 Antarctic expedition and the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in &‘O-Rings.&’ . . . Essays like Virginia Hughes&’s &‘23 and You&’ investigates the effects of availability of individual genetic information on human interactions, while pieces like Maryn McKenna&’s &‘Imagining the Post-Antibiotics Future&’ and Kate Sheppard&’s &‘Under Water&’ remind us of unpleasant futures which we have in large part created ourselves. But Barbara Kingsolver&’s &‘Where it Begins,&’ a lyrical musing on connectedness, or Wilson&’s optimistic, bug-loving &‘The Rebirth of Gorongosa,&’ reveal that among the strange, shocking, or depressing, there is still unadulterated joy to be found.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Undeniably exquisite . . . meditations that reveal not only how science actually happens but also who or what propels its immutable humanity.&” —Maria Popova, Brain Pickings Contributors include: Katherine Bagley • Nicholas Carr • David Dobbs • Pippa Goldschmidt • Amy Harmon • Robin Marantz Henig • Virginia Hughes • Ferris Jabr • Sarah Stewart Johnson • Barbara J. King • Barbara Kingsolver • Maggie Koerth-Baker • Elizabeth Kolbert • Joshua Lang • Maryn McKenna • Seth Mnookin • Justin Nobel • Fred Pearce • Corey S. Powell • Roy Scranton • Kate Sheppard • Bill Sherwonit • Rebecca Solnit • David Treuer • E.O. Wilson • Carl Zimmer
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2015 (The Best American Series)
by Rebecca SklootThis anthology of essays and articles explores topics ranging from untouched wilderness to scientific ethics—and the nature of curiosity itself. Scientists and writers are both driven by a dogged curiosity, immersing themselves in detailed observations that, over time, uncover larger stories. As Rebecca Skloot says in her introduction, all the stories in this collection are &“written by and about people who take the time, and often a substantial amount of risk, to follow curiosity where it may lead, so we can all learn about it.&”The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2015 includes work from both award-winning writers and up-and-coming voices in the field. From Brooke Jarvis on deep-ocean mining to Elizabeth Kolbert on New Zealand&’s unconventional conservation strategies, this is a group that celebrates the growing diversity in science and nature writing alike. Altogether, the writers honored in this volume challenge us to consider the strains facing our planet and its many species, while never losing sight of the wonders we&’re working to preserve for generations to come. This anthology includes essays and articles by Sheri Fink, Atul Gawande, Leslie Jamison, Sam Kean, Seth Mnookin, Matthew Power, Michael Specter and others.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2016 (The Best American Series)
by Amy Stewart, Tim FolgerThis anthology collects some of the year&’s best science and nature writing—from climate change to killer beetles, an exposé of nail salons, and more. As guest editor Amy Stewart says in her introduction, &“science writers get into the game with all kinds of noble, high-minded ambitions. We want to educate. To enlighten…But at the end of the day, we&’re all writers. We&’re just like novelists, memoirists, and poets. We&’re entertainers.&” The writers in this anthology pull off that wonderful feat of turning hard research into page-turning narrative. From a Pulitzer Prize–winning essay on the earthquake that could decimate the Pacific Northwest to the astonishing work of investigative journalism that transformed the nail salon industry, this is a collection of hard-hitting and beautifully composed writing on the wonders, dangers, and oddities of scientific innovation and our natural world. The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2016 includes Kathryn Schulz, Sarah Maslin Nir, Charles C. Mann, Oliver Sacks, Elizabeth Kolbert, Gretel Ehrlich, and others.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2019 (The Best American Series ®)
by Sy Montgomery Jaime GreenA NATIONAL BESTSELLER Sy Montgomery, New York Times best-selling author and recipient of numerous awards, edits this year’s volume of the finest science and nature writing. “Science is important because this is how we seek to discover the truth about the world. And this is what makes excellent science and nature writing essential,” observes New York Times best-selling author Sy Montgomery. “Science and nature writing are how we share the truth about the universe with the people of the world.” And collected here are truths about nearly every corner of the universe. From meditations on extinction, to the search for alien life, to the prejudice that infects our medical system, the pieces in this year’s Best American Science and Nature Writing seek to bring to the people stories of some of the most pressing issues facing our planet, as well as moments of wonder reflecting the immense beauty our natural world offers.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2022 (Best American)
by Jaime Green Ayana Elizabeth JohnsonA collection of the best science and nature articles written in 2021, selected by guest editor renowned marine biologist Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and series editor Jaime Green. Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, renowned marine biologist and co-founder of the All We Can Save climate initiative, compiles the best science and nature writing of the year.
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2023 (Best American)
by Carl Zimmer Jaime GreenThe Best American Science and Nature Writing 2023 has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher.