The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2018 (The Best American Series ®)

"This is one of the most exciting times in the history of science," New York Times -bestselling author Sam Kean proclaims in his introduction to The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2018 . "Things aren't perfect by any means. But there are more scientists making more discoveries in more places about more things than ever before." The twenty-six pieces assembled here chart the full spectrum of those discoveries. From the outer reaches of space, to the mysteries of the human mind, to the changing culture in labs and universities across the nation, we see time and again the sometimes rocky, sometimes revelatory road to understanding, and along the way catch a glimpse of all that's left to learn. Foreword -- Introduction -- Part I: Transformative science: "We are not just resistors, we are transformers." Pleistocene park -- Ross Anderson ; It'll take an army to kill the Emperor -- Jacqueline Detwiler -- Part II: Rethining established science: "What do we want? Evidence-based science. When do we want it? After peer review." The squeeze : Silicon Valley reinvents the breast pump -- Sophie Brickman ; The case against civilization -- John Lanchester ; Cancer's invasion equation -- Siddhartha Mukherjee ; The island wolves -- Kim Todd -- Part III: Environmental science: "At the start of every disaster movie is a scientist being ignored." Firestorm -- Douglas Fox ; Tragedy of the common -- J.B. MacKinnon ; The irreversible momentum of clean energy -- Barack Obama ; Wealthier people produce more carbon pollution -- even the "green" ones -- David Roberts -- Part IV: Profiles: "So bad, even the introverts are here." Dr. Space Junk unearths the cultural landscape of the cosmos -- Ceridwen Dovey ; Of mothers and monkeys -- Caitlin Kuehn ; David Haskell speaks for the trees -- Paul Kvinta ; A science of the soul -- Joshua Rothman ; The detective of Northern oddities -- Christopher Solomon -- Part V. Political science: "I'm not a mad scientist -- I'm absolutely furious." Female scientists report a horrifying culture of sexual assault -- Kayla Webley Adler ; A behind-the-scenes look at Scott Pruitt's dysfunctional EPA -- Rachel Leven -- Part VI: Space science: "It's not rocket science ... (actually, some of it is)." Two stars slammed into each other and solved half of astronomy's problems. What comes next? -- Rebecca Boyle ; The starship or the canoe -- Kenneth Brower ; Astonish me : anticipating an eclipse in the age of information -- Susannah Felts ; Greetings, E.T. (Please don't murder us.) -- Steven Johnson ; Arabella (Araneus diadematus -- Elena Passarello ; Tiny jumping spiders can see the moon -- Ed Yong -- Part VII: Neuroscience and psychology: "Stop inhibiting my action potential" When your child is a psychopath -- Barbara Bradley Hagerty ; Exposure therapy and the fine art of scaring the shit our of yourself on purpose -- Eva Holland ; Fantastic beasts and how to rank them -- Kathryn Schulz-- Contributors' notes-- Other notable science and nature writing of 2017. A collection of the year's best science and nature writings, selected by New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean. "This is one of the most exciting times in the history of science," Sam Kean proclaims in his introduction to The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2018 . "Things aren't perfect by any means. But there are more scientists making more discoveries in more places about more things than ever before." The twenty-six pieces assembled here chart the full spectrum of those discoveries. From the outer reaches of space, to the mysteries of the human mind, to the changing culture in labs and universities across the nation, we see time and again the sometimes rocky, sometimes revelatory road to understanding, and along the way catch a glimpse of all that's left to learn. The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2018 includes contributions by Ross Andersen * Jacqueline Detwiler * Sophie Brickman * John Lanchester * Siddharta Mukherjee * Kim Todd * Douglas Fox * J. B. MacKinnon * Barack Obama * David Roberts * Ceridwen Dovey * Caitlin Kuehn * Paul Kvinta * Joshua Rothman * Christopher Solomon * Kayla Webley Adler * Rachel Leven * Rebecca Boyle * Kenneth Brower * Susannah Felts * Steven Johnson * Elena Passarello * Ed Yong * Barbara Bradley Hagerty * Eva Holland * Kathryn Schulz Presents an anthology of the best science and nature writing published in the previous year, selected from American periodicals