‘York is a witty, whip-smart, lithely engaging science storyteller, truly one of our best’

Mary Roach, author of Stiff and Fuzz

A playful examination of how science’s silliest research leads to crucial breakthroughs and enduring insights.

Why would anyone research how elephants pee? Or study worms who tie themselves into a communal knot? Or quantify the squishability of a cockroach?

Carly Anne York shows how unappreciated, overlooked and simply curiosity-driven science has led to breakthroughs big and small. Got wind power? You might have humpback whales to thank. Know anything about particle physics? Turns out there is a ferret close to the heart of it all. And if you want to keep salmon around, be thankful for that cannon! The research itself can seem bizarre, but it drives our economy. York invites us to appreciate the often-unpredictable journey of scientific exploration, highlighting that the he