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Join me for a special one-year anniversary celebration of Book Science as I sit down with biologist and author Sönke Johnsen to discuss his beautiful book, Into the Great Wide Ocean: Life in the Least Known Habitat on Earth.

In this episode, Sönke takes us on a journey into the pelagic zone—the open ocean that makes up the vast majority of living space on our planet. We explore why this "unbearably beautiful" world looks like it is lit by blue LEDs, the evolutionary marvels of transparency and bioluminescence, and the immense challenges of studying creatures that are effectively invisible.

Sönke shares his philosophy on science communication, explaining why he chose to weave his personal memoir—from his childhood in Pittsburgh to his time on research submersibles—into a text about marine biology. We discuss the "physical pain" of the writing process, why humanizing scientists is essential for public trust, and the deep connection between artistic observation and biological discovery.

Plus: We dive into the "observer effect" of deep-sea research (and why trawling nets is like driving a bulldozer through a café), the spiritual awe of biodiversity, and why Sönke believes that conservation must be driven by love rather than shame.

Topics Covered:

• The visual beauty of the pelagic environment
• Bioluminescence: defense, predation, and communication in the dark
• The intersection of art and science (featuring Alister Hardy)
• Writing as "thought made manifest"
• The difficulty of observing deep-sea behavior without disturbing it
• Why admitting ignorance is a scientist's greatest strength
• Conservation strategies: "We save what we love"

Find Sönke Johnsen:

• Faculty Profile: Duke University
• Book: Into the Great Wide Ocean
• All books mentioned on Book Science: View the List

Book Science:

• Website: TrippCollins.com
• Show notes & transcripts: https://www.trippcollins.com/episodes
• Check out the Book Science Book Shop on BookShop.org
• Instagram: @booksciencepodcast

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Join host Tripp Collins for a sweeping conversation with environmental historian and author Dan Flores about his award-winning book Wild New World: The Epic Story of Animals and People in America.

In this episode, Dan takes us on a 65-million-year journey through North America's natural history—from the Chicxulub asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs to the present day. We explore the continent's lost megafauna, including woolly mammoths and dire wolves, and discuss the heartbreaking extinctions of iconic species like the Carolina parakeet and passenger pigeon.

Dan shares insights into his writing process, the challenges of weaving together paleontology, genomics, and environmental history into a compelling narrative, and why he believes books have a unique power to "rearrange the furniture in your head." We also dive into America's evolving relationship with nature—from the hubris of market capitalism and wildlife slaughter to the birth of the conservation movement and the passage of the Endangered Species Act.

Plus: Dan reveals exciting news about his involvement with Colossal Biosciences and their groundbreaking work on de-extinction, including genetically edited dire wolves, and previews his upcoming book project Homestead: Building a Green Lifestyle in the Modern American Countryside.

Topics covered:

• Deep time history and the Chicxulub impact
• Ancient human migration to North America (23,000-year-old footprints at White Sands)
• The extinction crisis and changing attitudes toward conservation
• De-extinction science and CRISPR gene editing
• The role of nature writing in American culture
• Why books matter in an age of podcasts and film

Find Dan Flores:

• Podcast: The American West
• Books: Wild New World, Coyote America, American Serengeti
• All books mentioned on Book Science
  
  

Book Science:

• Website: TrippCollins.com
• Show notes & transcripts: https://www.trippcollins.com/episodes
• Check out the Book Science Book Shop
• Instagram: @booksciencepodcast

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Season One Wrap-Up

We’ve reached the end of Season One of Book Science! In this closing reflection, I look back on the challenges, the guests who made the season possible, and the growth—both personal and creative—that came from finally putting this project into the world.

From my very first conversation with Duane Hamacher to laughing it up with Scott Huler in Episode 8, this season has been full of experiments, stumbles, and a whole lot of learning.

Along the way, we explored:

• Episode 1: Duane Hamacher – The First Astronomer
• Episode 2: The Power of the Sea by Bruce Parker (solo)
• Episode 3: Tessa Hill & Eric Simons – At Every Depth
• Episode 4: Firmament by Simon Clark (solo)
• Episode 5: Lynne Kelly – The Knowledge Gene &n others
• Episode 6: Helen Czerski – Blue Machine & Storm in a Teacup
• Episode 7: Waves and Beaches by Willard Bascom and Kim McCoy (deep dive)
• Episode 8: Scott Huler – Defining the Wind & Delicious Country

I’m deeply grateful to every guest who took a chance on this unknown show, and to everyone who has listened. Thank you for being part of this first season. With your support, this small but mighty club of science book aficionados will only keep growing. See you in Season Two.

Looking Ahead: Season Two launches this October! Guests include Carl Zimmer (Airborne), Dan Flores (Wild New World), Laura Poppick (Strata), Rebecca Lexa (Everyday Naturalist), Kevin Walsh (Planets of the Known Galaxy), Sönke Johnsen (Into the Great Wide Ocean), and Chelsea Wood (Power to the Parasites).

Links & Extras

• Website: TrippCollins.com
• Show notes & transcripts: https://www.trippcollins.com/episodes
• Check out the Book Science Book Shop
• Instagram: @booksciencepodcast

Author Websites

• Scott Huler
• Helen Czerski
• Tessa Hill
• Eric Simons
• Duane Hamacher
• Lynne Kelly
• Simon Clark

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**Update: Audio Issues Fixed Aug. 19 2025**

I was in the local branch of my public library and I came across the title, Defining the Wind. I had never heard of the title, nor the author, Scott Huler. I was blown away by Scott's seemingly bottomless interest, his total commitment to investigation and understanding, and his equanimity when the universe doesn't deliver on expectations. I reached out to Scott with gratitude for the good read, and asking for some advice for an aspiring writer. He was fireworks in response, knife sharp and funny. This was the beginning of our correspondence.

I later read A Delicious Country, another book of full of curiosity and commitment. Scott retraced one of the earliest published accounts of a European trekking through the Carolinas. By this point I had started the podcast and knew Scott would make for a phenomenal chat. He did not disappoint. Scott is full of writerly wisdom, and you are going to love this conversation.

• Scott Huler's Website
• Show notes and full transcript on my website
• Other Episodes
• Check out our Instagram @BookSciencePodcast
• Support the show & get bonus content: Patreon.com/BookScience

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Willard Bascom’s Waves and Beaches first appeared in 1964 and quickly became a classic of coastal and wave science. Favored by readers who wanted to dig deeper into the physics of waves, it has stood for decades as a clear and engaging introduction to the subject.

But the new third edition? It wipes out. The wave science remains largely outdated, and new sections insert climate commentary that doesn’t reflect the current state of research.

If you care about coastal science, wave dynamics, or climate, this episode is for you.

• Show notes and full transcript on my website
• Upcoming Episodes
• Check out our Instagram @BookSciencePodcast
• Support the show & get bonus content: Patreon.com/BookScience

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In this episode of Book Science, I'm joined by physicist, oceanographer, BBC presenter, and author Dr. Helen Czerski, a world-class communicator of science and an expert on all things ocean and bubble.

We talk about her most recent book, Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes Our World — a sweeping, human-centered tour through the ocean’s role as a planetary engine. We discuss how her background in physics informs her writing, her playful and cinematic style, the challenges of scientific storytelling, and why books still matter.

We also explore:

• The hidden structure behind ocean storytelling
• Why physics is for everyone
• The importance of curiosity and perspective
• Her work with the Cosmic Shambles Network
• Featuring Indigenous voices in ocean science
• The power of books as immersive tools for understanding

Show Notes & Bonus Content:
Show Notes, Full episode transcript, extended reading list and more at TrippCollins.com

Find more episodes of Book Science

Explore Helen’s work at HelenCzerski.net
Learn more about Rare Earth on BBC Radio 4

Support the Show:
Love Book Science? Help keep the show going by becoming a patron!
Join us on Patreon for behind-the-scenes content, and more.

Stay curious, get off the scroll, and get out into the world.

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What if memory wasn’t just a skill—but a superpower embedded in our genes?

In this episode, I talk with science writer and memory expert Lynne Kelly about her remarkable new book, The Knowledge Gene. We explore the evolution of human creativity, the deep science of memory, and how ancient oral cultures used storytelling, song, and ceremony as sophisticated memory systems—long before the invention of writing.

We discuss the genetic clues behind memory and neurodivergence, the science of mnemonic techniques like memory palaces, and how understanding these systems can reshape how we think about education, knowledge, and even what it means to be human.

Plus: Stonehenge, songlines, memory championships, and a case for putting music and art back at the center of learning.

This is a wide-ranging and mind-expanding conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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In this episode of Book Science, I dive into Firmament: The Hidden Science of Weather, Climate Change, and the Air That Surrounds Us by Simon Clark. It’s a beautifully written, surprisingly compact book that unpacks the atmosphere we live in—something so ever-present and invisible that we often forget it exists at all. Clark brings both expertise and charisma to the subject: he’s a UK-based science communicator with a PhD in atmospheric physics and a popular YouTube channel. His book explores foundational concepts in atmospheric science, from Boyle’s Law to global wind patterns, and weaves in the long arc of scientific discovery—from ancient meteo-astronomers to modern climatologists. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t just explain the science but tells the story of how we came to understand it, bringing in the people, experiments, and moments of insight that shaped our knowledge of the air.

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Simon Clark on YouTube

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