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
The Science of Shakespeare: A New Look at the Playwright’s Universe
Posted on Tuesday, December 17, 2013I'm very pleased to announce my third book, The Science of Shakespeare: A New Look at the Playwright's Universe, to be published by St. Martin's Press in the U.S., and by Goose Lane in Canada, in April 2014. Although the release is still several months away, the book has already been mentioned in The Economist's "The World in 2014" issue!
Published to coincide with Shakespeare's 450th birthday, the book will explore the connections between the playwright's work and the beginnings of the Scientific Revolution—and how, together, they changed the world forever. Read more about the book...
Science and Art through the Lens of Galileo: My TEDxNovaScotia talk
Posted on Friday, November 8, 2013Science, art, and literature have largely gone their separate ways - but 400 years ago, they were very much intertwined. I explore some of these connections in my TEDxNovaScotia talk, recorded on March 10, 2013, and now posted online.
Life in Extreme Environments
Posted on Monday, September 23, 2013Could life survive, even flourish, in boiling, acidic water? Inside solid rock, or ice? In the near-vacuum of space? As part of the Toronto Science Festival, I'll be moderating a panel on "Life in Extreme Environments" with astrobiologist Kevin Hand, geochemist Barbara Sherwood Lollar, and oceanographer John Baross. The panel is at the University of Toronto, this Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
Mind and Machine
Posted on Monday, September 9, 2013The age of intelligent machines is coming faster than we think. How will it change our world? Part One of my radio documentary, "Mind and Machine," airs this Wednesday evening (Sept. 11) on 'Ideas," on CBC Radio One. Part Two airs the following Wednesday (Sept. 18).
Apples to apples: analogies as the essence of human thought
Posted on Saturday, May 18, 2013Douglas Hofstadter and Emmanuel Sander believe we're hard-wired to make comparisons – but does our knack for drawing analogies form the basis of human thought? I review their new book, Surfaces and Essences: Analogy as the Fuel and Fire of Thinking, in today's Globe and Mail.
Honourable Mention for “The God Particle”
Posted on Thursday, May 16, 2013I'm very pleased to have received an Honourable Mention in the 2012 Canadian Science Writers' Association's annual Science in Society Journalism Awards competition. The article was called "The God Particle", and looked at the public appetite for popular physics writing, especially when science brushes up against philosophy and religion. It ran in The Walrus in December 2012.
Can Lee Smolin get time flowing again?
Posted on Saturday, April 27, 2013Einstein called the flow of time “a stubbornly persistent illusion” – but physicist Lee Smolin says it’s very real, and needs to be explained. I review his latest book, Time Reborn, in today’s Globe and Mail newspaper.
TEDxNovaScotia
Posted on Monday, March 4, 2013I’m delighted to have been selected to participate in TEDxNovaScotia. My talk will explore the connections between science, art, and literature during the Renaissance, and will take place in my hometown of Halifax on Sunday March 10.
In Search of Weird Life
Posted on Saturday, March 2, 2013Just how weird could life be – either on our own planet, or beyond? I review David Toomey’s book Weird Life in today’s Globe and Mail newspaper.
Science at the Movies
Posted on Tuesday, January 22, 2013I'm thrilled to be acting as moderator for "Science at the Movies," a series of three science-themed films, with expert panelists, coming to the Bloor HotDocs Cinema in Toronto. The series kicks off with 'Star Trek: First Contact" and guest speaker Lawrence Krauss on Feb. 26.
http://www.facebook.com/events/135275826632066/
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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)
