From the blue depths of the ocean to the twinkling vastness of black space; from the pulsing red cells of the human heart to the biological behemoth of the Great Barrier Reef; from the nanorobot to the Large Hadron Collider … science is everywhere.
Science writing is also everywhere. Once it was the preserve of printed newspapers, magazines and books. Now writing about science can also be found in a myriad of online publications and outlets, in novels and books of poetry, in blogs and essays.
Sometimes science writing is a simple ode to the wonder of scientific discovery and achievement – whether that be landing a rover on a distant asteroid or unlocking cancer’s immunosuppressive secrets. Sometimes it’s a writers’ eye-view of the winding path so many scientists travel in their careers.
But not all science writing is a cheer-squad for science. Like all human endeavours, science is flawed and fallible. Science can also be misappropriated and misguided, with profound consequences for our lives, ecosystems and planet. Sometimes, science writing is about shining a light into the darker corners of scientific endeavour.
The Best Australian Science Writing is a celebration of science writing in all its forms and about all scientific fields, and as editor of this year’s edition, I’m delighted to call for entries for the ninth edition of this excellent anthology, published by New South Publishing.
I’m looking for news stories, features, blogs, opinion pieces, poems, short stories, book chapters and excerpts up to 7000 words. The anthology includes a mix of lengths, so send me your shorts, your longs and everything in-between.
To be considered for the anthology, pieces must have been published – or be scheduled for publication – in print or online anywhere in the world in 2018 or 2019. Authors must be Australian residents or Australian citizens living overseas. The closing date for entries is 31 March 2019. To download a Bragg Prize entry form, click here.
Please submit your work for consideration via scienceprize@newsouthpublishing.com and please feel free to contact that email address for any other information.