Reviews for The Science of Shakespeare: A New Look at the Playwright’s Universe
A "lucid history of early Renaissance science" — The National Post
"...a fascinating and wide-ranging exploration of the astronomical knowledge of the era" — The Chronicle-Herald
"Falk takes the reader on an eventful tour through science in the early modern era...It’s an enjoyable read, and will appeal to non-specialists, but nonetheless is based on a comprehensive engagement with the pertinent academic scholarship. The work is well-informed, enthusiastic, and recommended to anyone seeking a new take on the oft-studied Bard." — Chemistry World
Latest News
Shape Dynamics: a radical new spin on spacetime
Posted on Wednesday, January 6, 2016Shape Dynamics a radical new spin on Einstein's theory of gravity. It offers a bold new take on black holes -- and it might yield new insight into what's "real" in the universe. In my first story for PBS's "NOVA NEXT" I look at where this new theory might lead.
The Top 10 Science Stories of 2015
Posted on Thursday, December 31, 2015It's been a banner year for science, from medical breakthroughs to newly-discovered human ancestors, from genes to neurons -- plus enticing findings from Mars, Pluto, and beyond. In my first story for Mental Floss, I look back at the top science stories of the past year.
100 Years of General Relativity
Posted on Thursday, November 5, 2015Einstein's masterpiece, 100 years old this year, continues to provoke. My cover story for Cosmos magazine on general relativity's first century -- and where it may still take us.
Episode 9 of BookLab is now out!
Posted on Thursday, October 22, 2015Episode 9 of BookLab is now out! In this episode, two new science books go head to head. Both books look at the history of our species, the rise of science, and how one puny primate conquered the planet. It's The Upright Thinkers, by Leonard Mlodinow versus Sapiens, by Yuval Noah Harari. (The podcast can also be found on iTunes and SoundCloud.)
A new Canadian eye on the sky: Dragonfly
Posted on Tuesday, September 8, 2015Can an off-the-shelf telephoto lens be used for cutting-edge astronomy? If you put enough of them together, sure! I report on a new telescope array -- a Canadian-led project called Dragonfly -- in the September/October issue of SkyNews. (The article is available on-line to subscribers.)
The Science of Addiction
Posted on Wednesday, August 19, 2015The accepted medical wisdom is that addiction is a disease. Neuroscientist and former addict Marc Lewis sees it differently. I review his book "The Biology of Desire" in the Globe & Mail.
Last Hominin Standing
Posted on Monday, June 29, 2015How likely -- or not -- was the evolution of Homo sapiens? Was the appearance of an upright, intelligent ape predictable, or a mind-boggling stroke of luck? My feature story for Aeon magazine.
Pixels to Sentences
Posted on Monday, June 22, 2015Canadian computer scientists have developed a neural-network-based program that can tell you what it's looking at (and gets it right, most of the time). My news story for Scientific American.
A New Era of Machine Intelligence
Posted on Wednesday, June 17, 2015Neural-network based artificial intelligence is about to change everything. My feature story for the University of Toronto Magazine, focusing on the work of machine learning pioneer Geoffrey Hinton.
The Quantum Revolution
Posted on Monday, June 1, 2015Quantum computing could be a game-changer -- and Canadian researchers in Waterloo's "quantum valley" are leading the way. My feature story for CPA Magazine.
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Dan Falk is an award winning freelance writer and broadcaster specializing in science stories, and was a 2011/12 Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT.
St. Martin's Press (USA) / Goose Lane (CAN)
St. Martin's Press (USA) / McClelland & Stewart (CAN)
Arcade (USA) / Penguin (CAN)
