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
A physicist's grand tour of the universe
Posted on Friday, April 17, 2020In Until the End of Time, physicist Brian Greene explores a stunning array of human thought, from the big bang to evolution and consciousness. My review for Undark.
Must we all be more creative during a pandemic?
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2020Shakespeare and Newton had spectacular bursts of creativity while sheltering from the plague. It doesn't mean you have to. My blog post for Scientific American.
The quest for immortality
Posted on Friday, March 13, 2020A new book asks whether we could one day achieve immortalty. I review the book (with appropriate skepticism) for Undark magazine.
Darwin was confident in his new theory -- His publisher, less so
Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2020The famed naturalist and his conservative publisher, John Murray III, formed an unlikely alliance in publiscizing a radical idea. This feature for Smithsonian magazine spotlights new research by Canadian scholar Sylvia Nickerson.
Fleming Medal award ceremony
Posted on Tuesday, December 3, 2019
New measurements pin down the proton's size
Posted on Sunday, December 1, 2019Painstaking work by researchers at York University has pinned down the size of the proton -- and helped solve a problem that puzzled physicists for years. My report for Scientific American. (Article may be behind paywall.)
Three new books about consciousness
Posted on Friday, November 8, 2019Three provocative new books explore the age-old question of how the brain gives rise to the mind. Read my review in Undark magazine.
Einstein, superstar
Posted on Monday, November 4, 2019100 years ago, Albert Einstein became headline material for the first time. He would remain the object of public fascination and media scrutiny for the rest of his life. My feature for Smithsonian Magazine.
Fleming Medal for Science Communication
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2019I'm delighted to be the recipient of the 2019 Fleming Medal for Excellence in Science Communication, from the Royal Canadian Institute for Science. The medal has been presented annually since 1982. Past winners include Bob McDonald, host of Quirks & Quarks, and Ivan Semeniuk, the Globe and Mail's science reporter, as well as two astronauts and a Nobel Laureate. I'm honoured to be in their company! There will also be a free, public event on Dec. 3, 2019, in Toronto.
Seeing Vilnius Through my Grandfather's Lens
Posted on Tuesday, September 3, 2019I normally write about science; this one is more personal: My grandfather, Moshe Vorobeichic, was an artist and photographer originally from Vilnius, Lithuania. In 1929, he photographed the city's old Jewish quarter. A dozen years later, that community was utterly destroyed. Last year, I visited Vilnius and re-traced my grandfather's footsteps. My essay in Tablet 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)
