SingaporeApril 27, 2009 The words ‘sexy’ and ‘cool’ rarely go hand in hand with the discipline of science – a serious subject in itself. However, science has been given a new persona in Michael Gross’s new book, The Birds, the Bees and the Platypuses: Crazy, Sexy and Cool Stories from Science. Published by Wiley-VCH, this impressive collection of science stories proves that science is a cultural pursuit just as rich and varied as literature and music.
With his distinctive prose style and wit, author Michael Gross presents his favorite science stories from his seven years as a hobby reporter and eight as a science writer in this brilliant popular science book.
“It is the sheer craziness of unanticipated discoveries or grotesquely oversized challenges that still tempt me to revisit a topic and reread an article again and again. In other stories, there is a sexy element or an unexpected insight into the human condition. And sometimes, when reporting news and future technologies, I just can’t help thinking “Cooooool!””, Gross said.
As stated at the outset, The Birds, the Bees and the Platypuses: Crazy, Sexy and Cool Stories from Science assembles breathtaking scientific innovations and findings sorted under the headings of crazy, sexy and cool. Crazy stories include the weird, unexpected and simply crazy ideas that scientists come across- although quite often enough end up being useful. Sexy stories revolve around the topic of sex, but sometimes also about other human obsessions. Lastly, cool stories are mostly about cool inventions, devices, gizmos and gimmicks.
Relying on some of the best materials in the history of science, Gross accompanies each article with an introductory paragraph to explain the genius of the story and infuses his own brand of humor and character into this collection. He adds, “Science in the last decade has been anything but boring. With every new answer that researchers work out, a host of new questions are likely to arise, providing an endless supply of crazy, sexy and cool findings.”
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Media wishing to receive a review copy should contact Alina Boey, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications at aboey@wiley.com or phone 65-96565580.
About the book
The Birds, the Bees and the Platypuses: Crazy, Sexy and Cool Stories from Science
By Michael Gross
Cloth; ISBN: 798-3-527-32287-9; 259 pp.; S$61.95; May 2008
Additional information on the book is also available at http://as.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-3527322876,descCd-description.html
About the Author
Michael Gross, born in 1963, began studying chemical engineering in Karlsruhe, but moved to chemistry at the universities of Marburg and Regensburg. After his Ph.D. in physical biochemistry he worked seven years at the Oxford Centre for Molecular Science in the field of protein folding, including studies of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Since 1993 he started with science journalism and wrote many popular science books (Life on the Edge, Travels to the Nanoworld, Light and Life, Astrobiology), some of them in German and English language. He is now writer in science at the Birkbeck College, London, and a regular contributor to several prestigious journals and magazines like Chemistry World, Current Biology, Chemistry and Industry, The Independent, Nature, New Scientist, Spektrum der Wissenschaft, Süddeutsche Zeitung and many more.
About Wiley
Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has been a valued source of information and understanding for 200 years, helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their aspirations. Since 1901, Wiley and its acquired companies have published the works of more than 350 Nobel laureates in all categories: Literature, Economics, Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Peace. Our core businesses publish scientific, technical, medical and scholarly journals, encyclopedias, books, and online products and services; professional/trade books, subscription products, training materials, and online applications and websites; and educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Wiley's global headquarters are located in Hoboken, New Jersey, with operations in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Canada, and Australia. The Company's Web site can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols JWa and JWb.
About Wiley-Blackwell
Wiley-Blackwell is the international scientific, technical, medical and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons, with strengths in every major academic and professional field and partnerships with many of the world’s leading societies. Wiley-Blackwell publishes over 1,400 peer-reviewed journals as well as 1,500+ new books annually in print and online, as well as databases, major reference works and laboratory protocols. For more information, please visit www.wileyblackwell.com or http:// www.interscience.wiley.com.
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