It was the enthusiastic endorsement by the most readable of science writers, Mary Roach, that admittedly drew me to this book.

But it was the conversational, informative and inquisitive style of writing by author, Carly Anne York, that had me reading to the very last page.

In the current political climate, this book is needed more than ever. Not just for us everyday citizens of the world but those that make and can ultimately hinder potential cures and advances in the scientific world. From how penicillin was discovered to the current use of robotics that draws its inspiration from a whale's anatomy, it's all found in the pages of this engaging book.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, Basic Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


#TheSalmonCannonandtheLevitatingFrog #NetGalley

This book was a delightful example of what good sci. comm. should be. It took various studies that had been ridiculed at one point or another and showed how they were useful. Any Ph. D. candidate in research sciences should be required to read this book as an example of how to explain things to laypeople, a skill many are lacking in.

Rarely has a book on science felt so vital and timely to me. This has fantastic examples of research that felt silly or ridiculous at the time but was later used for incredible scientific breakthroughs that have become essential to daily human existence. This should be required reading before any cuts to federal grants/funding by both government employees, elected officials, and the people supporting these budget cuts. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved this book. Dr. York tells great stories about what she describes as research driven by curiosity, which I think is a great description of basic or pure research. She also explains the tangible contributions this research has made to society, making a great case for the importance of this type of research. The writing is clever and certainly made me chuckle a few times. All the science is excellently explained and Dr York does a great job of sharing her enthusiasm for the research. This book was an absolute pleasure to read. Thank you to Netgalley and Basic Books for the advance reader copy.