Shortlist announced for 2025 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize

The Royal Society has today (Tuesday 12 August) announced the six titles shortlisted for the 2025 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize, which celebrates the best popular science writing from across the globe. The announcement was made at the Edinburgh International Book Festival by author and palaeontologist Steve Brusatte, following an event with the Prize’s 2024 winner Kelly Weinersmith.

Introducing this year’s shortlist, Dr Sandra Knapp FRS, chair of the 2025 judges, said: “The best science books don’t simply present facts or explain theories, they tell stories. They capture the creativity, determination and sacrifices involved in deepening our understanding of the world. The six books we’ve chosen for this year’s shortlist demonstrate just that.

“They explore how science shapes, and is shaped by, our culture, history and environment, tackling topics that span from mental health and identity to the future of the planet, and the scientific legacies of war and colonialism. They show that science is not a fixed body of knowledge, but a process that is messy, dynamic, and at its core, deeply human.”

All of this year’s authors make the shortlist for the first time, with books that cover an array of important scientific themes through compelling and accessible storytelling. The shortlisted titles represent the judges’ pick of the most fascinating and relevant science writing over the past 12 months. 

The full Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize 2025 shortlist is (alphabetical by title):

• Ends of the Earth: Journeys to the Polar Regions in Search of Life, the Cosmos, and our Future (Oneworld) by Neil Shubin
• Music as Medicine: How We Can Harness Its Therapeutic Power (Cornerstone Press, Penguin) by Daniel Levitin
• Our Brains, Our Selves: What a Neurologist's Patients Taught Him About the Brain (Canongate) by Masud Husain
• The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad: A True Story of Science and Sacrifice in a City under Siege (Sceptre, Hachette) by Simon Parkin
• Vanished: An Unnatural History of Extinction (Allen Lane, Penguin) by Sadiah Qureshi
• Your Life is Manufactured: How We Make Things, Why It Matters and How We Can Do It Better (Faber & Faber) by Tim Minshall

President of the Royal Society, Sir Adrian Smith, said: “Science is increasingly central to our everyday lives, shaping how we live, work, and understand the world around us, yet it is often perceived as difficult or distant. The Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize champions books that demonstrate that science belongs to all of us. They connect the frontiers of research with everyday life, placing science not in the margins, but at the heart of culture, alongside history, poetry, art and music. In doing so, this year’s shortlist upholds the values that define science at its best: openness, rigour, collaboration, and a relentless curiosity about the world and our place in it.”

The shortlist was selected from 254 submissions published between 1 July 2024 and 30 September 2025. Alongside Chair of judges Dr Sandra Knapp FRS, botanist at the Natural History Museum, the 2025 judging panel comprises best-selling crime fiction author, Val McDermid; actor and comedian, Nick Mohammed; Associate Professor of Astronomy at University of Cambridge and Royal Society University Research Fellow, Dr Amy Bonsor; structural engineer on the Shard and former Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize-shortlisted author for her book Nuts and Bolts, Roma Agrawal; and News Editor at New Scientist, Jacob Aron.

The judging panel’s praise for the 2025 shortlist 

Val McDermid on Music as Medicine: “Music is a time machine – so often, hearing a particular song or string quartet transports us back in time and space to previous encounters with it. Daniel Levitin takes this phenomenon further and examines what's going on in our brains and how music has the power to make our lives better. Beyond the theory, he suggests practical solutions to improve our lives, such as making personal playlists that speak to our own experiences and engender positive responses. Levitin is a musician himself as well as a neuroscientist and this is a solid explanation of what we know instinctively to be the case.”

Roma Agrawal on Vanished: “This book shows us why science is not a neutral subject. From the human-driven extinction of famed species such as the dodo and auk, to the justification of indigenous peoples being killed based on false racial hierarchy, politics has been woven into scientific decision-making throughout history. This is an updated and refreshing perspective of a story we ought to know about. Qureshi’s writing is thoroughly readable, while being extremely well researched, opening up a new and important conversation about natural history.”

Nick Mohammed on Ends of the Earth: "This was such a thrilling ride of a book and at times felt reminiscent of a classic Jules Verne adventure. From witnessing the beauty of the polar landscapes to uncovering a field of dinosaur footprints preserved in ice, Shubin takes the reader on a journey from pole to pole as he meets incredible scientists working to better understand these extreme climates. Through his compelling narrative voice and accessible writing style, he takes a complex and urgent topic of climate change and makes it less intimidating. This book is a reminder of how incredibly ‘cool’ our planet can be, and how we must fight to protect it."

Sandra Knapp on The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad: “Would you make the ultimate sacrifice for future generations? Through painstaking research and powerful storytelling, Parkin puts the reader in the shoes of the botanists at the world’s first seed bank caught in the 900-day siege of Leningrad between 1941 and 1944. This book chronicles the moving and tragic story of how these dedicated scientists risked their lives and starved rather than eat the future of agriculture. As well as advances in understanding, science is replete with moral decisions – their story is a timely reminder that science is part of society.”

Sandra Knapp on Our Brains, Our Selves: "This wonderfully empathetic book explores how our brains help define our identities. The title of Masud Husain’s book says it all – this is a book filled with humility and kindness, a doctor learning from his patients. Every one of the case studies illuminates how brain disorders can change human behaviour and delves into questions of who we really are."

Amy Bonsor on Your Life is Manufactured: “In this age of consumerism, and instant access to products arriving packaged on our doorsteps, this book provides a thoughtful reflection on how manufacturing makes this possible. An engaging book that left me wanting to read more, Minshall’s exploration into the world of manufacturing makes you wonder, with climate crises potentially around the corner, is it possible to envisage a sustainable future?"The Royal Society Science Book Prize has championed non-fiction books that celebrate the collective joy of science writing for more than 30 years. Previous winning titles cover diverse themes, ranging from the sensory experiences of animals to the evolution of all life on earth, and a fresh perspective on human behaviour and relationships. Recent winners include Kelly and Zach Weinersmith, Ed Yong, Henry Gee, Merlin Sheldrake and Camilla Pang. 

The winner of this year’s Prize will be revealed on the evening of 1 October 2025, where they will be presented with a cheque for £25,000. Each of the five shortlisted authors will receive a cheque for £2,500.