Review - The Best Australian Science Writing 2023
How to condense years of complex research into something that the general public can understand?
It's no easy feat and something many scientists struggle with ... and I'd know, because I've read a lot of scientific papers and articles that are just, well, tiring.
There's this old notion that, because science is complex and logical, science communication should be purely complex and logical.
And that seems to translate into articles crammed full of 50+ word sentences and unnecessary jargon.
From my perspective, science is only as valuable as how interestingly it's communicated.
It's the non-scientists - the general public, government officials, those with power to allocate funding - that scientific communication needs to impress; and how can these people care about something they don't understand or find interesting?
That's where The Best Australian Science Writing of 2023 comes in.
It's a testament to what science communication should be, and is moving towards: writing that is clear, concise, fascinating and simply explained.
Let's get into it, shall we?
Judging a book by its cover
Look ... I'm a dark academia fan and this book cover doesn't fit my aesthetic.
But it's bright, it stands out, and perhaps that's what it needs to be to get people's attention in the bookstore.
Interesting background
The Best Australian Science Writing 2023 celebrates the annual anthology's 13th year.
That's 13 years of celebrating impactful, engaging science writing.
Each year, authors submit pieces to the anthology's publisher, NewSouth Publishing, for consideration.
These authors aren't just scientists - they're also journalists and science communicators.
The editor and a panel of experts select which pieces will feature in the anthology; and they aren't just selected on the basis of accuracy.
I love the idea that science writing is being valued for more than accuracy, and it's something the 2023 anthology's editor, Donna Lu, captures well.
She quotes a line by novelist Ian McEwan:
"Is accuracy, being on the right track, or some approximation of it, the most important criterion for selection? Or is style the final arbiter? ... We know what we like when we taste it."
Lu says to her, the best science writing stems from curiosity; it's writing that's nuanced, explorative and clarifies the complex.
Evidently, this is an anthology to pay attention to! What a beautiful, important perspective to take when compiling a collection of science writing.
Reasons to love this book
1. It brings science closer to your life
Sometimes science feels so far away from our everyday lives.
I'll be honest, I'd never thought about (or heard about) The Grove of Giants forest in Tasmania until I read Lauren Fuge's piece about it in this book.
It's hard to get people to care about trees in a different state when they're just trying to get through the day and curl up with a good book.
So, what better way to get people caring about the forests of Tasmania than by transporting them to those forests as they read?
Fuge, and many of the authors featured in this anthology, truly bring you along with them on their field trips.
Fuge's recount of her climb up the textured bark of the biggest blue gum in the world makes you feel like you're right there with her, experiencing the same wonder.
Suddenly, the science is right there in your face instead of across the country, and you want to protect those trees too.
2. It's easy and enjoyable to read
I was expecting to have to put a lot more effort into reading this anthology than I did.
It takes a couple articles to get into the groove, but once you do, you can read this before bed and feel both fascinated and relaxed.
There's no jargon, the sentences are, for the most part, short and sweet, and there's plenty of descriptive language to keep things interesting.
I find it so refreshing to read science writing that embraces both logic and emotion.
For too long, the disciplines of science and creative writing have been considered mutually exclusive, and it's beautiful to see them entwined into an anthology that makes science more interesting and writing more profound.
3. There's a good variety of scientific fields featured
If you're not a fan of physics, have no fear! There's a good mix of scientific fields featured in this book, from conservation biology to space science.
I will say that a lot of the pieces focus on the impacts of climate change, but it's entirely justified considering the extent of climate destruction we're seeing on our planet.
It's easy to flick back and forth through the book as desired, picking and choosing which articles you'd like to read, if that's more your style.
The editor's introduction contains short summaries of each of the articles, making it easy to see what interests you and what doesn't.
However, I'm a personal believer in reading things you aren't necessarily interested in, and each piece definitely has something to offer even if it's not something that naturally grabs your attention.
But yes, there's plenty of topics and fields covered in this anthology, and something to interest everyone!
Criticisms
There's not a whole lot to criticise in this anthology, other than the occasional presentation of problems with little detail on solutions.
I classify that sort of writing as part of the growing 'outrage culture' movement in the media; as in, the practice of writing about issues and getting people fired up, without actually turning to a solution or providing much hope. It's very easy to fall into.
However, most of the articles do discuss solutions and have an uplifting feel, and it's a very subtle issue when it does pop up.
Also, the issue could possibly be justified by the fact the authors are bringing awareness to a serious problem and don't yet know the solution. So, yes, not much to criticise.
A blogger's note: sometimes I feel self-conscious about the fact my book reviews are always so positive. What if people start to think I just give everything five stars?
But, when I reflect on it, the reason my book reviews are so positive is that I only review books that I think are worth reviewing!
If I'm going to feature a book on my blog, it's because I think it's valuable and could either entertain or help people. So I will continue to give positive reviews and try to be less self-conscious about doing so.
Anyway, to wrap up:
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