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
In Search of Galileo
Posted on Friday, November 4, 2011Often considered the “father of modern science,” Galileo blazed a trail in astronomy and physics that remains bright today. In this article for COSMOS magazine, I take the reader on a tour of Galileo’s Italy. (Also see my video on Galileo’s “falling bodies” experiment, which has now received more than 20,000 views.)
Knight Fellowship begins!
Posted on Monday, August 15, 2011As of today I am officially a Knight Fellow! Soon I’ll be selecting classes to take at both MIT and Harvard, along with 11 other science journalists from the U.S. and around the world. The Knight Science Journalism Fellowship runs through May 2012.
Tech musings amid the music at NXNE
Posted on Friday, June 17, 2011The pros and cons of “worshipping at the altar of buzz” – a report from NXNEi, the “Interactive” component of the annual music, film, and technology festival held in Toronto, for New Scientist’s “Culture Lab” blog.
The Psychology of Facebook
Posted on Monday, June 13, 2011What can psychologists learn about human behavior from Facebook? Tune in to Spark this Sunday (June 19), when I look at the intriguing differences between the way that men and women use the big blue website. The program begins at 1:05 pm.
Learning to love experimental sci-art film
Posted on Friday, June 3, 2011Flickering fractals, perplexing pixels, far-out films: I review a screening of experimental “audiovisual art-science” for New Scientist’s Culture Lab blog.
Is Anything Sacred?
Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2011Would we really be better off in the world described in John Lennon’s Imagine, with no heaven and hell – “Nothing to kill or die for / And no religion too”? Philosopher Ronald De Souza and psychologist Jordan Peterson recently debated that question at U of T. Read my blog post about the event.
Video: Final launch of the space shuttle Discovery
Posted on Friday, May 13, 2011On Feb. 24, I witnessed the final launch of the space shuttle Discovery from the Kennedy Space Centre (actually from a park just across the Intracoastal Waterway, south of Titusville, Florida). Please enjoy this short video of the launch!
A year at MIT and Harvard
Posted on Sunday, May 8, 2011I’m pleased to announce that I’ve been awarded a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship at MIT for the upcoming 2011-2012 academic year. This will be an exciting opportunity to take classes at both MIT and Harvard, and to interact with other science journalists from around the world.
Quantum Man
Posted on Wednesday, March 30, 2011I review Lawrence Krauss’s new biography of physicist Richard Feynman, Quantum Man, in the current issue of New Scientist.
The Idea of Genius
Posted on Tuesday, February 1, 2011My two-part radio documentary The Idea of Genius airs this month on Ideas on CBC Radio One. Part One airs Monday Feb. 14; Part Two airs Mon. Feb. 21. Ideas begins at 9:05 p.m.