The Last Stargazers Shortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize 2021

29th September, 2021

The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story of Astronomy’s Vanishing Explorers by Emily Levesque has been shortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize 2021.

Chair of the 2021 judging panel, Professor Luke O’Neill FRS, Professor of Biochemistry in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, comments:

“This year’s shortlist reflects more than ever the huge strength and diversity of topics evident in science writing. Every book is very accessible to all, and each in its own way is quite remarkable. The topics range from an account of what it’s like to be a woman in the field of astronomy (which also conveys the enduring fascination we have with the stars), why breathing optimally is so important for our health and well-being, the scientific basis of why we are so biased when it comes to our views, the related topic of fraud and bias in science, mystery illnesses and, finally, the fascinating world of fungi.

“Each is important and compelling, conveying the wonder of science but also highlighting issues that we should all be concerned about. Important, accessible science writing is certainly alive and well with this enthralling list of titles.”

This year’s shortlisted books were chosen from a record number of 267 submissions. The winner of the 2021 Royal Society Science Book Prize, sponsored by Insight Investment, will be revealed at a ceremony in London on 29 November. Find out more about the prize, and the other shortlisted titles here.

The Last Stargazers is out now in paperback.