Silly science is serious business in July's book of the month

The most incredible insights sometimes come from asking the simplest questions. How much water do you displace when you sit in the bath? What if the Earth orbited the Sun rather than the other way around? Why are these pea plants different to those ones?

Each of these questions started out a little silly, but led to fundamental scientific change—and they’re far from the only examples.

That’s the premise for our pick of the month for July, The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog: And Other Serious Discoveries of Silly Science by Carly Anne York. 

This just-released book is a charming, breezy tour of how questions that seem inane have actually led to deep and powerful scientific discoveries. Kirkus called it “deftly delivered” and Publishers Weekly said it is “pop science at its finest”.

York is an associate professor in animal behavior, and this book focuses mainly on quirky and bizarre findings from around the animal kingdom. Did you know the relationship between the venom of the Gila monster and the fashionable weight-loss drug Ozempic? Or that strange algae found in the waters of Yellowstone National Park were integral to fighting Covid? 

After a few months of heavier reading, I thought this was a fun read—witty in the vein of Mary Roach, and perfect for summer. But there is a serious message underneath it all too: that we risk underestimating the value of play and creativity in basic science as research is defunded and universities put under pressure. And, well, given that the central theme of the book is curiosity, you can probably understand why it appealed to me.

If you’re a full paying member of the club, a fresh copy of The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog is on its way to you right now. I hope you enjoy it.

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And you’ll get a chance to grill Carly direct about her favorite silly science when she joins us for a live interview later this month. More details will come in the coming weeks, but set your calendars for Thursday July 24th. 

Last week’s chat with Karen Hao was deeply interesting—and I can only imagine where a conversation on magnetic frogs and flying fish will end up.

And if you aren’t already a paid-up club member, join now and we’ll send a copy straight out. As well as our standard month-to-month and annual subscriptions, we also recently introduced a six-month membership… perfect for a longer-term commitment or a special gift.

Onwards

Bobbie