Introduction and Teaser for Book Science Podcast

​​Hello and welcome. I'm Tripp Collins and this is Book Science. Welcome to this very special introductory episode and teaser for season one of Book Science. In this episode you will discover what this podcast is all about, get to know me, your host, and towards the end we’ll tease the rest of Season 1. The mission of Book Science is to uncover the art of writing science books. We will discuss their significance in bridging scientific knowledge with public understanding. You will also get a bit on my background. I have a PhD in Applied Marine Physics and a passion for science books. My aim is to explore the nature of science books through author interviews and thematic solo episodes. Season 1 will delve into diverse topics across oceanography, physics, astronomy, and indigenous knowledge, featuring discussions with prominent authors and scientists on the importance of curiosity and engagement. Episodes will be released bi-weekly for four months.

​Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast wherever you listen. I would love to hear from you, so reach out! Also, considering supporting us through Patreon for exclusive content. Overall, we invite you to think deeply about science and stay engaged with the world beyond digital distractions. 

Book Science Show Notes 

Book Science Patreon

Upcoming Episodes

Instagram

Transcript

Tripp: This show was recorded in Narrm, Melbourne, Australia, where the traditional custodians include the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging. I'm Tripp Collins, and this is Book Science. The podcast explores how the best science books are written and why they matter. Hello everyone, and welcome to this very special introductory episode in teaser for season one of Book Science. In this episode you'll discover what this podcast is all about. Get to know me, your host, and towards the end we'll tease the rest of season one. 

Let's start with what this podcast is all about. Well, Book Science is about science books. A good science book bridges the gap between knowledge gathered using the scientific process and the public imagination. And Book Science is a podcast dedicated to celebrating science books and their authors. We do this through two types of episodes. 

There are author interviews, which are in-depth discussions, where we explore stories, insights, and craftsmanship behind books. The other type of episodes are solar adventures, usually dedicated to a single book or theme. No matter the episode type, my mission is to champion long-form science communication, inspire readers, and support aspiring authors in sharing their passion for science with the world. 

Welcome to this introductory episode and teaser for season one, hopefully the first of many seasons to come. It's no secret that we live in turbulent times, and it's never been more important to lead a well-informed and well-examined life. Science has a role to play in living an examined life. Science is a system, not the system, but a system by which we can make sense of the world around us. I think of science as a good faith seeking of truth. And if your knowledge system does this, then it too is a type of science. Science isn't well suited to answer every question, but for those questions for which it can't answer, science often points us in the direction of progress. In these cases, we should try to use science to make decisions toward an improved future for everyone. And if you look back through history, time and time again, science books have been part of human progress. 

It's not a primary driver. I'm talking about books like Micrographia by Robert Hooke or Cosmos by Alexander von Humbolt, or Own the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, The Sea Around Us in Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. These books were powerful forces for good in the world. Sometimes science may seem too strange or lofty to play a role in our daily lives. This is partly because scientific discussions tend to play out in journal articles. And journal articles are usually a chore to read because they aren't intended for casual reading. 

Journal articles are written by experts, for experts, often in very niche communities, using shorthand language that only the community understands. This is where the bleeding edge of science is. So it's really impossible for the average person to engage with this area of science in a meaningful way. 

There is science journalism and short form science communication, but these efforts often fall short because there isn't time to develop nuance. Simply, the type of understanding you can get from reading a short article is pretty superficial. What we should do if we really want to engage with an interesting topic is read a book written by an expert. 

Thankfully, there are experts out there. People have spent years, decades, perhaps their whole lives dedicated to thinking about certain topics who want to share their knowledge with everyone in the form of a book. A book written with everyone in mind from the beginning, not just other experts. There is something about the form and format of a book. A book gives you space and time with a topic. You can carry the book around. 

You can easily cross-reference and make notes in the margins. You can experience a book. It's the best way to really get into a topic short of going back to school and getting a degree. It's my core belief that books and science books in particular bring net good into the world. And here at Book Science, I want to celebrate books that do this well. 

I don't think it's ever seeing the case that if we can increase scientific literacy of the public, then we can help create a better future for everyone. And speaking of everyone, first and foremost, this is a podcast for everyone. We're going to be exploring the contents of books whose aim is to communicate science to everyone. So if you're looking for a book recommendation or if you want to dig into the stories behind science, or if you're just looking to get a little bit more insight into a particular book or topic, this is the right place. If you're interested in science stories, if you're a science communicator yourself and you want to get into the minds of some of the best in the business, then you're also in the right place. Another slice of my audience that I hope gets a lot of value out of this podcast is science book authors and inspiring authors. When I talk to an author, we often get into the art and craft and sometimes the business of writing science books. And hopefully I'm able to provide information that demystifies how a science book goes from idea to object in the world. 

So that's a primer on the aims and goals of the podcast. At this point, you may be wondering about me. Well, who the heck am I? 

Well, I'm Tripp. I grew up in the coast in the Carolinas. I have a bachelor's in physics and a master's in PhD in applied marine physics. I am a professional researcher and my expertise is in the physics of ocean waves. This puts me in a hard to define area between disciplines. I mostly identify as an oceanographer, but I also work with a lot of engineers. And I've even taught engineering courses at the university level. 

My work sometimes crosses over into fluid mechanics and marine meteorology. I'm a first generation scientist. Growing up, I didn't know any scientists and honestly, I wasn't even sure what science was all about. My family loved nature. 

Most of my childhood was spent outside and in natural environments along the coast. My curiosity for the world was encouraged. Family past time was watching National Geographic documentaries. But the deeper place and impact of science and society, well, that was something I've discovered much later on my own. I found my way into science in large part because of books like the ones you'll find in this podcast. Books that translated complex scientific ideas for a popular audience. 

Books like Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time, which was gifted to me by my high school wrestling coach, thanks Coach Clay. And I can say without exaggeration that that book altered the course of my life. Putting aside the particular ideas in the book, what that book did for me was show me that there was a systematic way to approach and understand the world. And it infused me with a sense of awe that there was more to the world than what met the eye. 

And the path to this hidden world was through careful observation and thinking. Science books revealed an extraordinary way of thinking, an ongoing search for objective truth in this deeply mysterious world we live in. So it's no surprise I love a good science book. And now, as I attempt to write my own, I find myself reading science books not just for their content, but also to understand how they're crafted. What makes a science book compelling? How does the author take complex topics and make them clear, accurate, and engaging? 

How do they balance technical detail with storytelling? So book sciences my attempt to answer these questions and share my findings with you. And solo episodes will dive into science books I've loved, will break them down, and examine what makes them shine. Likewise, and author interviews will be exploring their journey from idea to published book. We'll dig into the content of the book, but also try to get a peek behind the scenes of what goes into writing a science book. 

And this inaugural season will cover a number of remarkable books. These books span topics including oceanography, physics, prehistory, astronomy, and indigenous knowledge systems. Alongside exploring these works will feature conversations with some of the brilliant minds behind them. We'll learn from prominent scientists and authors who have not only advanced their fields but have also mastered the art of making science accessible and compelling. Okay, without further ado, here is the trailer for season one of book science. 

Scott Huler: The scientific method of understanding the world is why we have so many things that work so well. It's why we have modern dentistry. It's why we have antibiotics. It's why you and I are sitting and talking to each other literally an entire world apart. And it's beautiful and it's magical and it's marvelous but it's all understandable and communicable. 

Helen Czerski: The book is the single greatest tool humanity has for conveying what is in one person's head into another person's head. 

Lynne Kelly: But if you want creativity and new ideas, you have to link information that hasn't been linked before. To link them all together with enough depth that the reader is confident that it's robust but also simple enough that they don't get bored out of their minds with detail, that's where the challenge is. And I don't think you can do that in less than a book. 

Scott Huler: Listen to yourself, listen to your heart rate, wait for your, you know, the hair in your arms to stand up. Actively hope for your mind to be blown. And when something blows your mind, just stop and be there for that move. 

Tessa Hill: You know, so much change happening in the ocean and yet maybe a lot of people don't know about that change. And so we went directly to the source of people who could sort of be that voice for the ocean. And I think we really did see it as a conduit for their stories, more than our stories. And ultimately, I think Eric and I really wanted people to feel connected to the ocean and that that human connection to the ocean, you know, goes back millennia and that maybe if we got in touch with that connection that we'd be willing to act on it a little bit. 

Helen Czerski: There is more than one way to look at the ocean. And in science, we take that for granted, you know, we zoom out, we zoom in, we look at it from different places, we look at it through ecology and through chemistry and physics. But of course, there are also different humans and different human perspectives on it. There is no reason we can't talk about those ideas about the ocean at the same time as talking about the sort of more hardcore science ideas, because fundamentally they all join up around the back. 

Lynne Kelly: And then I'd throw in a topic thinking, I know what people are going to say, and nothing happened the way I thought. Engaging with other people who think very differently is the most exciting thing you can do. Grab a musician and artist and you're a diverse person. Now, why is it that when we talk about astronomy, 

Duane Hamacher: when we talk about Aboriginal culture, people think there are two different worlds that don't belong together at all. I started looking into it, and it didn't take much effort, really, to just see how much science was embedded in the knowledge of astronomy by Aboriginal people. 

Eric Simons: I think the main thing for us is just that that knowledge of the world is so incredible and so powerful and that there are people, maybe the lesson, that there are people who have that knowledge still, that there are people around the world who know the ocean in this way and that it is worth elevating their experience and their knowledge and appreciating it. 

Duane Hamacher: There is a tremendous amount of things that we can learn from Indigenous knowledges that are scientific. It doesn't matter that they're scientific. It shouldn't be considered valid because they're scientific, but there's amazing ways that we can learn from Indigenous knowledges if we learn to close our mouths and open our ears. 

Tessa Hill: It makes you wonder, are we asking the right questions? Are we having the right conversations? Are we listening? Are we listening? 

Scott Huler: If there's a through line through all of my work, whether it's my books, radio work, or my journalism, anything I get, underneath all of it is the exhortation to pay attention, pay attention to what is happening around us. The universe is whispering its secrets into our ears and we're telling it to shut up because we're too busy looking at our phone. 

Tessa Hill: Things that are worth fighting for we should fight for and it may require risks or work or sacrifice. 

Scott Huler: As you say, so much has been lost and yet there's so much still left to say and we should be about the business of trying to save what we can and not just because we're good and kind people, but because we'll have much better lives. 

Tessa Hill: Every positive step we take today or this month or this year matters, so it's not too late for the ocean. In fact, it's just in time. 

Tripp: All right, I hope that trailer piqued your interest and I can't wait for you to join me on this journey. Where do we go from here? Episodes will be released every other week for the next four months or so and then we'll take a bit of a break. I'm hoping we can build enough interest over the course of the first season to keep this project going into the future. Doing a podcast is a lot of work and I'm doing it all by myself, so if you're getting value out of this, please consider supporting. 

I'd also love to hear from you. Is there a science book you would like me to explore? Is there an author you would like to see featured? Reach out to me and let me know and reach out to the author and let them know this should get on book science. 

I can't wait for you to hear these discussions and I hope book science not only sparks your curiosity but also provides insight and inspiration, especially for those dreaming of writing their own science book. That's all for now. Thanks for your time and attention and see you in episode one. 

Hey, Tripp here. Thanks so much for tuning in. If you enjoyed the show, there are a few ways you can help us keep the conversation going. First, be sure to subscribe, rate and review the podcast. It really helps us connect more listeners. 

If you can, also share the episodes with friends and family on social media. We also have a Patreon, so if you have the means, please consider supporting us directly. Patreon supporters get access to the book science community and bonus content is only available for supporters. 

The Patreon is also a great place to get in touch and we'd love to hear from you. So what books would you like to hear us cover next? Remember, you can find show notes and all things book science as well as everything else I'm working on at TrippCollins.com. Thanks for listening. I am Tripp Collins and this has been Book Science. Your invitation to Tripp Collins. Thank you. Please stay curious, get off the scroll and get out into the world. Take care.