Royal Society Science Book Prize, sponsored by Insight Investment

This year’s shortlisted books demonstrate the breadth, depth, accessibility, and joy of the best popular science writing from all over the world. “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.” Luke O'Neill FRS, Chair of the 2021 judging panel.

About the prize

Since 1988, the Royal Society has celebrated outstanding popular science writing and authors. Over the decades, the Prize has celebrated some notable winners including Bill Bryson and Stephen Hawking, and most recently Dr Camilla Pang and Caroline Criado Perez in 2020 and 2019 respectively. 

Each year our panel of expert judges, comprising eminent scientists, authors, journalists and broadcasters, choose the book that they believe makes popular science writing compelling and accessible to the public.

Find out more about the prize. For all enquiries please contact sciencebooks@royalsociety.org.  

Judging panel

The five-strong judging panel for the 2021 Royal Society Science Book Prize, sponsored by Insight Investment, is chaired by world-leading immunologist, presenter and writer, Professor Luke O’Neill FRS. He is joined on the panel by representatives from across the worlds of science and culture: television presenter, Ortis Deley; mathematician and Dorothy Hodgkin Royal Society Fellow, Dr Anastasia Kisil; author and creative writing lecturer, Christy Lefteri, and journalist, writer and film maker, Clive Myrie.

Timeline