Best Australian Science Writing 2026

This is a new book. Condition: Brand New.

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

Book details and technical specifications

Format: Paperback / softback
ISBN13: 9781761170867
Published: October 2026

Number of pages: 320
Width: 135 mm
Height: 210 mm
Depth: not specified

Publisher: NewSouth Publishing