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Royal Society Prizes for Science Books

{{short description|Annual award for writing}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

The Royal Society Science Books Prize is an annual £25,000 prize awarded by the Royal Society to celebrate outstanding popular science books from around the world.[https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/book-prizes/science-books-prize/ The Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize, Royal Society] It is open to authors of science books written for a non-specialist audience, and since it was established in 1988 has championed writers such as Stephen Hawking, Jared Diamond, Stephen Jay Gould and Bill Bryson. In 2015 The Guardian described the prize as "the most prestigious science book prize in Britain".{{cite news |last=Sample |first=Ian |date=24 September 2015 |title=Top science book prize won by woman for first time |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/sep/24/top-science-royal-society-winton-book-prize-won-by-woman-for-first-time |access-date=22 June 2016}}

History

The Royal Society established the Science Books Prize in 1988 with the aim of encouraging the writing, publishing and reading of good and accessible popular science books. Its name has varied according to sponsorship agreements.

class="wikitable"

|+

!Years

!Name

!Sponsor

1990 – 2000

|Rhône-Poulenc Prize for Science Books

|Rhône-Poulenc

2001 – 2006

|Aventis Prize for Science Books

|Aventis

2007 – 2010

|Royal Society Prize for Science Books

|none

2011 – 2015

|Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books

|Winton Group

2016 – 2022

|Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize

|Insight Investment{{cite magazine|url=http://www.thebookseller.com/news/science-book-prize-gets-new-sponsor-335796 |title=Science Book Prize gets new sponsor|magazine=The Bookseller|location= London|first=Caroline|last=Carpenter|date= 17 June 2016|access-date= 22 June 2016}}

2023 –

|Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize

|Trivedi Foundation

Judging process

A panel of judges decides the shortlist and the winner of the Prize each year. The panel is chaired by a fellow of the Royal Society and includes authors, scientists and media personalities. The judges for the 2016 prize included author Bill Bryson, theoretical physicist Dr Clare Burrage, science fiction author Alastair Reynolds, ornithologist and science blogger GrrlScientist, and author and director of external affairs at the Science Museum Group, Roger Highfield. In 2019, the jury consisted of Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Shukry James Habib, Dorothy Koomson, Stephen McGann, and Gwyneth Williams.{{cite web |title=Judging panel 2019 |website=royalsociety.org |url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/book-prizes/science-book-prize/2019/judges/#koomson |access-date=7 August 2019}}

All books entered for the prize must be published in English for the first time between September and October the preceding year. The winner is announced at an award ceremony and receives £25,000. Each of the other shortlisted authors receives £2,500.

Shortlisted books

= Before 2000 =

class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"

|+Royal Society Prizes for Science Books winners, 1988-2000{{Cite web |title=Past Winners & Shortlisted Books - Science Book Prize |url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/book-prizes/science-book-prize/past-winners/ |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=The Royal Society}}

!Year

!Author

!Title

!Result

style="background:#cddeff"

!1988

|British Medical Association Board of Science

|Living with Risk

|Winner

style="background:#cddeff"

!1989

|{{sortname|last=Lewin|first=Roger}}

|Bones of Contention: Controversies in the Search for Human Origins

|Winner

style="background:#cddeff"

!1990

|{{sortname|last=Penrose|first=Roger}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Emperor's New Mind}}

|Winner

style="background:#cddeff"

!1991

|{{sortname|last=Gould|first=Stephen Jay}}

|Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History

|Winner

style="background:#cddeff"

!1992

|{{sortname|last=Diamond|first=Jared}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee}}

|Winner{{Cite web |last=Pauli |first=Michelle |date=2006-04-13 |title=Diamond in the running for Aventis hat-trick |url=http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2006/apr/13/awardsandprizes.scienceandnature |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

style="background:#cddeff"

!1993

|{{sortname|last=Rose|first=Steven}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Making of Memory|nolink=1}}

|Winner

style="background:#cddeff"

!1994

|{{sortname|last=Jones|first=Steve|link=Steve Jones (biologist)}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Language of the Genes}}

|Winner

style="background:#cddeff"

!1995

|{{sortname|last=Emsley|first=John}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Consumer’s Good Chemical Guide|nolink=1}}

|Winner

style="background:#cddeff"

!1996

|{{sortname|last=Karlen|first=Arno}}

|Plague's Progress

|Winner

style="background:#cddeff"

!1997

|{{sortname|last=Walker|first=Alan|link=Alan Walker (anthropologist)}} and Pat Shipman

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Wisdom of Bones|nolink=1}}

|Winner

style="background:#cddeff"

!1998

|{{sortname|last=Diamond|first=Jared}}

|Guns, Germs, and Steel

|Winner

style="background:#cddeff"

!1999

|{{sortname|last=Hoffman|first=Paul|link=Paul Hoffman (science writer)}}

|{{sortname|1=The Man Who Loved Only Numbers|2=|nolink=1}}

|Winner

= 2000s =

class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"

|+Royal Society Prizes for Science Books winners, 2000-2009

!Year

!Author

!Title

!Result

!Ref.

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2000

|{{sortname|last=Greene|first=Brian}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Elegant Universe}}

|Winner

|

{{sortname|last=Dormandy|first=Thomas}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=White Death|nolink=1}}

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|

{{sortname|last=Naughton|first=John}}

|{{sortname|1=A|2=Brief History of the Future|nolink=1}}

|

{{sortname|last=Ridley|first=Matt}}

|Genome

|

{{sortname|last=Weiner|first=Jonathan}}

|Time, Love, Memory: A Great Biologist and His Quest for the Origins of Behavior

|

{{sortname|last=Wills|first=Christopher}}

|Children of Prometheus

|

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2001

|{{sortname|last=Kunzig|first=Robert}}

|Mapping the Deep

|Winner

|

{{sortname|last=Grand|first=Steve|link=Steve Grand (roboticist)}}

|Creation: Life and How to Make It

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|

{{sortname|last=Johnson|first=George|link=George Johnson (writer)}}

|Strange Beauty

|

{{sortname|last=Ridley|first=Mark|link=Mark Ridley (zoologist)}}

|Mendel's Demon

|

{{sortname|last=Strathern|first=Paul}}

|Mendeleyev's Dream

|

{{sortname|last=Wolpert|first=Lewis}}

|Malignant Sadness

|

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2002

|{{sortname|last=Hawking|first=Stephen}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Universe in a Nutshell}}

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Ian |first=Sample |date=2007-04-26 |title=Tale of a sexless tortoise shortlisted for science book prize |url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/apr/26/research.highereducation |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Gorst|first=Martin}}

|Aeons:The Search for the Beginning of Time

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|

{{sortname|last=Holmes|first=Hannah}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Secret Life of Dust|nolink=1}}

|

{{sortname|last=Horrobin|first=David}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Madness of Adam and Eve: Did Schizophrenia Shape Humanity?|nolink=1}}

|

{{sortname|last=Sapolsky|first=Robert M.}}

|{{sortname|1=A|2=Primate's Memoir}}

|

{{sortname|last=White|first=Michael|link=Michael White (author)}}

|Rivals: Conflict as the Fuel of Science

|

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2003

|{{sortname|last=McManus|first=Chris}}

|Right Hand, Left Hand

|Winner

|

{{sortname|last=Buchanan|first=Mark}}

|Small World

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|

{{sortname|last=Gigerenzer|first=Gerd}}

|Reckoning With Risk

|

{{sortname|last=Kirshner|first=Robert P.}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Extravagant Universe|nolink=1}}

|

{{sortname|last=Pinker|first=Steven}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Blank Slate}}

|

{{sortname|last=Webb|first=Stephen|nolink=1}}

|Where Is Everybody?

|

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="7" |2004

|{{sortname|last=Bryson|first=Bill}}

|{{sortname|1=A|2=Short History of Nearly Everything}}

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Alison |first=Flood |date=2016-08-04 |title=Bill Bryson hails 'thrilling' Royal Society science book prize shortlist |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/aug/04/bill-bryson-hails-thrilling-royal-society-science-book-prize-shortlist |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Brown|first=Andrew|link=Andrew Brown (writer)}}

|In The Beginning Was the Worm

| rowspan="6" |Finalist

|

{{sortname|last=Calder|first=Nigel}}

|Magic Universe

|

{{sortname|last=Leroi|first=Armand Marie}}

|Mutants: On Genetic Variety and the Human Body

|

{{sortname|last=Nelson|first=Sue}} and Richard Hollingham

|How to Clone the Perfect Blonde

|

{{sortname|last=Ridley|first=Matt}}

|Nature Via Nurture

|

{{sortname|last=Spufford|first=Francis}}

|Backroom Boys

|

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2005

|{{sortname|last=Ball|first=Philip}}

|Critical Mass: How One Thing Leads to Another

|Winner

|

{{sortname|last=Dawkins|first=Richard}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Ancestor's Tale}}

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|

{{sortname|last=Draaisma|first=Douwe}}

|Why Life Speeds Up As You Get Older

|

{{sortname|last=Edwards|first=Griffith}}

|Matters Of Substance: Drugs - And Why Everyone's A User

|

{{sortname|last=Fortey|first=Richard}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Earth: An Intimate History|nolink=1}}

|

{{sortname|last=Winston|first=Robert}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Human Mind|nolink=1}}

|

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2006

|{{sortname|last=Bodanis|first=David}}

|Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Ian |first=Sample |last2=Randerson |first2=James |date=2006-05-17 |title=Science book winner donates prize to David Kelly's family |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2006/may/17/books.aventisprizeforsciencebooks2006 |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Diamond|first=Jared}}

|Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed{{Note|It was Jared Diamond's third nomination for the prize, having won twice previously. The 2006 prize was the last one to be sponsored by the Aventis Foundation.}}

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|

{{sortname|last=Kaku|first=Michio}}

|Parallel Worlds: The Science of Alternative Universes and our Future in the Cosmos

|

{{sortname|last=Lane|first=Nick}}

|Power, Sex, Suicide: Mitochondria and the Meaning of Life

|

{{sortname|last=Miller|first=Arthur I.}}

|Empire of the Stars: Friendship, Obsession and Betrayal in the Quest for Black Holes

|

{{sortname|last=Parry|first=Vivienne}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Truth About Hormones: What's Going on when We're Tetchy, Spotty, Fearful, Tearful or Just Plain Awful|nolink=1}}

|

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2007{{Note|This was the first year that the prizes were given by the Royal Society}}

|{{sortname|last=Gilbert|first=Daniel|link=Daniel Gilbert (psychologist)}}

|Stumbling on Happiness

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Alok |first=Jha |date=2007-05-15 |title=Search for happiness scoops science prize |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/may/15/royalsocietyprizes2007.awardsandprizes |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Henson|first=Robert}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Rough Guide to Climate Change|nolink=1}}

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|

{{sortname|last=Kandel|first=Eric R.}}

|In Search of Memory

|

{{sortname|last=Nicholls|first=Henry|dab=writer}}

|Lonesome George

|

{{sortname|last=Stringer|first=Chris}}

|Homo Britannicus

|

{{sortname|last=Wishart|first=Adam}}

|One in Three

|

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2008

|{{sortname|last=Lynas|first=Mark}}

|Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Lindesay |first=Irvine |date=2008-06-17 |title=Lynas's Six Degrees wins Royal Society award |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/jun/17/news.science |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Clark|first=Stuart|link=Stuart Clark (author)}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Sun Kings: The Unexpected Tragedy of Richard Carrington and the Tale of How Modern Astronomy Began|nolink=1}}

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|

{{sortname|last=Gigerenzer|first=Gerd}}

|Gut Feelings

|

{{sortname|last=Jones|first=Steve|link=Steve Jones (biologist)}}

|Coral: A Pessimist in Paradise

|

{{sortname|last=Stewart|first=Ian|link=Ian Stewart (mathematician)}}

|Why Beauty is Truth: A History of Symmetry

|

{{sortname|last=Venter|first=J. Craig}}

|{{sortname|1=A|2=Life Decoded, My Genome: My Life|nolink=1}}

|

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2009

|{{sortname|last=Holmes|first=Richard|link=Richard Holmes (biographer)}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Age of Wonder}}

|Winner

|{{cite web |date=15 September 2009 |title=Prize for wonder of science past |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8256979.stm |access-date=22 June 2016 |website=BBC}}

{{sortname|last=Gilbert|first=Avery}}

|What the Nose Knows

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2009-09-08 |title=Royal Society Science Book Prize: The shortlist |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2009/sep/08/royal-society-science-book-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Goldacre|first=Ben}}

|Bad Science

|

{{sortname|last=Marchant|first=Jo}}

|Decoding the Heavens

|

{{sortname|last=Mlodinow|first=Leonard}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives}}

|

{{sortname|last=Shubin|first=Neil}}

|Your Inner Fish: A Journey Into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body

|

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2010

|{{sortname|last=Lane|first=Nick}}

|Life Ascending

|Winner

|{{cite web |date=21 October 2010 |title=Royal Society's science book prize will be the last |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11595847 |access-date=22 June 2016 |website=BBC}}{{Cite web |last=Ian |first=Sample |date=2010-10-21 |title=Nick Lane wins Royal Society science book prize for Life Ascending |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/oct/21/nick-lane-royal-society-life-ascending |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Chown|first=Marcus}}

|We Need To Talk About Kelvin

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2010-10-13 |title=We Need to Talk about Kelvin by Marcus Chown – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/oct/13/we-need-to-talk-about-kelvin-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Cox|first=Brian|link=Brian Cox (physicist)}} and Jeff Forshaw

|Why Does E=mc2?

|{{Cite web |last=Alok |first=Jha |date=2010-10-18 |title=Why Does E=mc2? by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/oct/18/einstein-relativity-science-book-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Grinnell|first=Frederick|link=Frederick Grinnell (biologist)}}

|Everyday Practice of Science: Where Intuition and Passion Meet Objectivity and Logic

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2010-10-14 |title=Everyday Practice of Science by Frederick Grinnell – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/oct/14/everyday-practice-science-frederick-grinnell |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Hannam|first=James}}

|God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2010-10-15 |title=God's Philosophers by James Hannam – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/oct/15/gods-philosophers-science-book-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Pollack|first=Henry|link=Henry Pollack (geophysicist)}}

|{{sortname|1=A|2=World Without Ice}}

|{{Cite web |last=Ian |first=Sample |date=2010-10-20 |title=A World Without Ice by Henry Pollack – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/oct/20/world-without-ice-henry-pollack |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

= 2010s =

class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"

|+Royal Society Prizes for Science Books winners, 2010-2019

!Year

!Author

!Title

!Result

!Ref.

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2011

|{{sortname|last=Pretor-Pinney|first=Gavin}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Wavewatcher's Companion}}

|Winner

|{{cite news |last=Connor |first=Steve |date=18 November 2011 |title=Expert in idleness is surprise winner of science book prize |newspaper=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/expert-in-idleness-is-surprise-winner-of-science-book-prize-6264095.html |access-date=22 June 2016}}

{{sortname|last=Bellos|first=Alex}}

|Alex's Adventures in Numberland

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|{{Cite web |last=Alok |first=Jha |date=2011-11-09 |title=Alex's Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos – review {{!}} Royal Society science book prize |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/nov/09/alex-adventures-numberland-alex-bellos-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Deutscher|first=Guy|link=Guy Deutscher (linguist)}}

|Through the Language Glass: How Words Colour Your World

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2011-11-08 |title=Through the Language Glass by Guy Deutscher – review {{!}} Royal Society science book prize |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/nov/08/through-language-glass-guy-deutscher-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Kean|first=Sam}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Disappearing Spoon}}

|

{{sortname|last=Sample|first=Ian}}

|Massive: The Missing Particle That Sparked the Greatest Hunt in Science

|{{Cite web |last=Jon |first=Butterworth |date=2011-11-07 |title=Massive: The Hunt for the God Particle by Ian Sample – review {{!}} Royal Society science book prize |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/nov/07/massive-hunt-god-particle-ian-sample-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Turney|first=Jon}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Rough Guide to The Future|nolink=1}}

|{{Cite web |last=James |first=Kingsland |date=2011-11-11 |title=The Rough Guide to the Future by Jon Turney – review {{!}} Royal Society science book prize |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/nov/11/scienceofclimatechange-agriculture |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2012

|{{sortname|last=Gleick|first=James}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Information|link=The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood}}

|Winner

|{{cite news |last=Radford |first=Tim |date=27 November 2012 |title=Royal Society Winton prize for science goes to James Gleick |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/nov/27/royal-society-winton-prize-james-gleick |access-date=22 June 2016}}{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2012-11-27 |title=Royal Society Winton prize for science goes to James Gleick |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/nov/27/royal-society-winton-prize-james-gleick |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Foer|first=Joshua}}

|Moonwalking with Einstein

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2012-11-21 |title=Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer – review {{!}} Tim Radford |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/nov/21/moonwalking-einstein-joshua-foer-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Frank|first=Lone}}

|My Beautiful Genome

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2012-11-24 |title=My Beautiful Genome: exposing our genetic future, one quirk at a time – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/nov/24/my-beautiful-genome-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Greene|first=Brian}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Hidden Reality}}

|{{Cite web |last=Ian |first=Sample |date=2012-11-20 |title=The Hidden Reality by Brian Greene – book review {{!}} Ian Sample |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/nov/20/hidden-reality-brian-greene-book-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Pinker|first=Steven}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Better Angels of Our Nature}}

|

{{sortname|last=Wolfe|first=Nathan}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Viral Storm|nolink=1}}

|{{Cite web |last=James |first=Kingsland |date=2012-11-23 |title=The Viral Storm by Nathan Wolfe – book review {{!}} James Kingsland |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/nov/23/viral-storm-nathan-wolfe-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2013

|{{sortname|last=Carroll|first=Sean|link=Sean M. Carroll}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Particle at the End of the Universe}}

|Winner

|{{cite news |last=Bury |first=Liz |date=26 November 2013 |title=Royal Society Winton Prize goes to 'rock star' science book |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/nov/26/royal-society-winton-prize-sean-carroll |access-date=22 June 2016}}{{Cite web |last=Liz |first=Bury |date=2013-11-26 |title=Royal Society Winton Prize goes to 'rock star' science book |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/nov/26/royal-society-winton-prize-sean-carroll |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Birkhead|first=Tim}}

|Bird Sense

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2013-11-21 |title=Bird Sense: What it's Like to be a Bird, by Tim Birkhead – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/nov/21/bird-sense-what-like-to-be-bird-tim-birkhead-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2013-09-26 |title=Royal Society Winton prize for science books: the shortlist - in pictures |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/gallery/2013/sep/26/royal-society-winton-prize-for-science-shortlist-gallery |access-date=2022-12-03 |issn=0261-3077}}

{{sortname|last=Coen|first=Enrico}}

|Cells to Civilizations: The Principles of Change That Shape Life

|{{Cite web |last=James |first=Kingsland |date=2013-11-19 |title=Cells to Civilizations, by Enrico Coen – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/nov/19/cells-to-civilizations-enrico-coen-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Fernyhough|first=Charles}}

|Pieces of Light: The New Science of Memory

|

{{sortname|last=Henderson|first=Caspar}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Book of Barely Imagined Beings|nolink=1}}

|{{Cite web |last=Alok |first=Jha |date=2013-11-23 |title=The Book of Barely Imagined Beings, by Caspar Henderson – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/nov/23/book-barely-imagined-beings-caspar-henderson-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Roberts|first=Callum|link=Callum Roberts (biologist)}}

|Ocean of Life

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2013-11-18 |title=Ocean of Life: How our Seas are Changing, by Callum Roberts – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/nov/18/ocean-of-life-how-our-seas-are-changing-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2014

|{{sortname|last=Miodownik|first=Mark}}

|Stuff Matters: The Strange Stories of the Marvellous Materials that Shape Our Man-made World

|Winner

|{{cite web |date=10 November 2014 |title=Materials book wins Royal Society Winton Prize |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29987159 |access-date=22 June 2016 |website=BBC |location=London}}

{{sortname|last=Ball|first=Philip}}

|Serving the Reich: The Struggle for the Soul of Physics under Hitler

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2014-11-03 |title=Royal Society books shortlist: Serving the Reich by Philip Ball – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/nov/03/royal-society-books-shortlist-serving-the-reich-by-philip-ball |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=GrrlScientist |date=2014-09-19 |title=Royal Society 2014 Winton Prize for Science Books shortlist announced |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/grrlscientist/2014/sep/19/royal-society-2014-winton-prize-for-science-books-shortlist-announced |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Browne|first=John|link=John Browne, Baron Browne of Madingley}}

|Seven Elements That Have Changed The World: Iron, Carbon, Gold, Silver, Uranium, Titanium, Silicon

|{{Cite web |last=Ian |first=Sample |date=2014-11-10 |title=Royal Society books shortlist: Seven Elements That Have Changed the World by John Browne – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/nov/10/royal-society-books-shorlist-seven-elements-by-john-browne-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Ferreira|first=Pedro G.}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Perfect Theory: A Century of Geniuses and the Battle over General Relativity|nolink=1}}

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2014-11-05 |title=Royal Society books shortlist: The Perfect Theory by Pedro G Ferreira – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/nov/05/royal-society-books-shortlist-the-perfect-theory-by-pedro-g-ferreira |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Johnson|first=George|link=George Johnson (writer)}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Cancer Chronicles: Unlocking Medicine's Deepest Mystery|nolink=1}}

|

{{sortname|last=Roach|first=Mary}}

|Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

|{{Cite web |last=Nicola |first=Davis |date=2014-11-06 |title=Royal Society books shortlist: Gulp by Mary Roach – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/nov/06/royal-society-books-shortlist-gulp-by-mary-roach-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2015

|{{sortname|last=Vince|first=Gaia}}

|Adventures in the Anthropocene: A Journey to the Heart of the Planet We Made

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2015-09-23 |title=Adventures in the Anthropocene by Gaia Vince – review |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/sep/23/adventures-in-the-anthropocene-by-gaia-vance-review |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Adam|first=David|nolink=1}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Man Who Couldn’t Stop|nolink=1}}

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |last=Tim |first=Radford |date=2015-08-05 |title=Royal Society Winton prize 2015 shortlist announced |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/05/royal-society-winton-prize-2015-shortlist-announced |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Bellos|first=Alex}}

|Alex Through the Looking-Glass: How Life Reflects Numbers and Numbers Reflect Life

{{sortname|last=Butterworth|first=Jon}}

|Smashing Physics

{{sortname|last=Cobb|first=Matthew}}

|Life's Greatest Secret

{{sortname|last=McFadden|first=Johnjoe|link=Johnjoe McFadden}} and Jim Al-Khalili

|Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2016

|{{sortname|last=Wulf|first=Andrea}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Invention of Nature: The Adventures of Alexander von Humboldt, the Lost Hero of Science|nolink=1}}

|Winner

|{{Cite web |date=19 September 2016 |title=The Royal Society announces Andrea Wulf as the winner of the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2016 |url=https://royalsociety.org/news/2016/09/royal-society-announces-the-winner-of-the-royal-society-insight-investment-science-book-prize-2016/ |access-date=2016-09-22 |website=The Royal Society}}{{Cite web |last=Allison |first=Flood |date=2016-09-19 |title=Alexander von Humboldt biography wins Royal Society science book prize |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/sep/19/royal-society-science-book-prize-andrea-wulf-the-invention-of-nature |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Birkhead|first=Tim}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Most Perfect Thing: Inside (and Outside) a Bird's Egg|nolink=1}}

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |title=Shortlist for The Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2016 unveiled |url=https://royalsociety.org/news/2016/08/shortlist-for-science-book-prize-2016-unveiled/ |access-date=2016-09-22 |website=royalsociety.org}}

{{sortname|last=Levenson|first=Thomas}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Hunt for Vulcan: ... and How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe|nolink=1}}

{{sortname|last=Marchant|first=Jo}}

|Cure: A Journey Into the Science of Mind over Body

{{sortname|last=Morton|first=Oliver|link=Oliver Morton (science writer)}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Planet Remade: How Geoengineering Could Change the World|nolink=1}}

{{sortname|last=Mukherjee|first=Siddhartha}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Gene: An Intimate History}}

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2017

|{{sortname|last=Fine|first=Cordelia}}

|Testosterone Rex: Unmaking the Myths of Our Gendered Minds

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Armitstead |first=Claire |date=2017-09-19 |title=Testosterone Rex triumphs as Royal Society science book of the year |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/sep/19/testosterone-rex-royal-society-science-book-of-the-year-cordelia-fine |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Shortlist for The Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2017 explores life’s big questions |url=https://royalsociety.org/news/2017/08/shortlist-for-royal-society-insight-investment-science-book-prize-2017/ |access-date=2017-09-03 |website=The Royal Society}}

{{sortname|last=Cheng|first=Eugenia}}

|Beyond Infinity: An Expedition to the Outer Limits of the Mathematical Universe

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |title=Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize |url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/book-prizes/science-book-prize/ |access-date=2017-09-19 |website=royalsociety.org}}

{{sortname|last=Godfrey-Smith|first=Peter}}

|Other Minds: The Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligent Life

{{sortname|last=Jebelli|first=Joseph}}

|In Pursuit of Memory: The Fight Against Alzheimer's

{{sortname|last=O'Connell|first=Mark|link=Mark O'Connell (writer)}}

|To Be a Machine: Adventures Among Cyborgs, Utopians, Hackers, and the Futurists Solving the Modest Problem of Death

{{sortname|last=Yong|first=Ed}}

|I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2018

|{{sortname|last=Blakemore|first=Sarah-Jayne}}

|Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Cain |first=Sian |date=2018-10-01 |title=Myth-busting study of teenage brains wins Royal Society prize |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/oct/01/study-of-teenage-brains-wins-royal-society-prize-inventing-ourselves-sarah-jayne-blakemore |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2 August 2018 |title=Shortlist for The Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2018 revealed |url=https://royalsociety.org/news/2018/08/shortlist-for-the-royal-society-insight-investment-science-book-prize-2018/ |access-date=2017-08-05 |website=The Royal Society}}

{{sortname|last=Cooke|first=Lucy}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Unexpected Truth About Animals|nolink=1}}

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite news |last=Cain |first=Sian |date=1 October 2018 |title=Myth-busting study of teenage brains wins Royal Society prize |language=en |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/oct/01/study-of-teenage-brains-wins-royal-society-prize-inventing-ourselves-sarah-jayne-blakemore |access-date=2 October 2018}}

{{sortname|last=Davis|first=Daniel M.|link=Daniel M. Davis}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Beautiful Cure: Harnessing Your Body’s Natural Defences|nolink=1}}

{{sortname|last=Fry|first=Hannah}}

|Hello World: How to be Human in the Age of the Machine

{{sortname|last=Miodownik|first=Mark}}

|Liquid: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances That Flow Through Our Lives

{{sortname|last=Winchester|first=Simon}}

|Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2019

|{{sortname|last=Perez|first=Caroline Criado}}

|Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

|Winner

|{{Cite web |title=Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2019 |url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/book-prizes/science-book-prize/2019/ |access-date=2019-08-27 |website=The Royal Society}}{{Cite web |last=Flood |first=Alison |date=2019-09-23 |title='Brilliant exposé' of gender data gap wins Royal Society science book prize |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/sep/23/gender-data-gap-wins-royal-society-science-book-prize-caroline-criado-perez-invisible-women |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Book on gender data gap wins Royal Society Science Book Prize 2019 - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/features/book-on-gender-data-gap-wins-royal-society-science-book-prize-2019/articleshow/71279032.cms |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Gribbin|first=John}}

|Six Impossible Things

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite news |last=Flood |first=Alison |date=23 September 2019 |title='Brilliant exposé' of gender data gap wins Royal Society science book prize |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/sep/23/gender-data-gap-wins-royal-society-science-book-prize-caroline-criado-perez-invisible-women |access-date=23 September 2019}}

{{sortname|last=Lyman|first=Monty}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Remarkable Life of the Skin|nolink=1}}

{{sortname|last=Smedley|first=Tim}}

|Clearing the Air

{{sortname|last=Steinhardt|first=Paul}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Second Kind of Impossible|nolink=1}}

{{sortname|last=Strogatz|first=Steven}}

|Infinite Powers

= 2020s =

class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"

|+Royal Society Prizes for Science Books winners, 2020-present

!Year

!Author

!Title

!Result

!Ref.

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2020

|{{sortname|last=Pang|first=Camilla}}

|Explaining Humans

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Flood |first=Alison |date=2020-11-03 |title=Neurodivergent author Camilla Pang’s Explaining Humans wins Royal Society prize |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/nov/03/neurodivergent-author-camilla-pangs-explaining-humans-wins-royal-society-prize |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=3 November 2020 |title=2020 Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize |url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/book-prizes/science-book-prize/2020/ |access-date=5 November 2020 |website=The Royal Society}}{{Cite web |date=2020-11-03 |title=Winner of The Royal Society Science Book Prize revealed |url=http://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2020/11/03/news/winner-of-the-royal-society-science-book-prize-revealed-2118905/ |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=The Irish News |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Al-Khalili|first=Jim}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=World According to Physics|nolink=1}}

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |title=Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2020 |url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/book-prizes/science-book-prize/2020/ |access-date=2020-09-24 |website=royalsociety.org}}

{{sortname|last=Bryson|first=Bill}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Body: A Guide for Occupants}}

{{sortname|last=Cahalan|first=Susannah}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Great Pretender|nolink=1}}

{{sortname|last=Scott|first=Linda|link=Linda M. Scott}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Double X Economy|nolink=1}}

{{sortname|last=Vince|first=Gaia}}

|Transcendence

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2021

|{{sortname|last=Sheldrake|first=Merlin}}

|Entangled Life

|Winner

|{{Cite news |last=Bayley |first=Sian |date=2021-11-29 |title=Sheldrake wins Royal Society Science Book Prize with 'illuminating' fungi book |work=The Bookseller |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/sheldrake-wins-royal-society-science-book-prize-illuminating-book-fungi-1291613# |url-status=live |access-date=2021-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130115628/https://www.thebookseller.com/news/sheldrake-wins-royal-society-science-book-prize-illuminating-book-fungi-1291613 |archive-date=2021-11-30}}{{Cite web |last= |title=Sheldrake wins 2021 Royal Society Science Book Prize {{!}} Books+Publishing |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/11/30/206824/sheldrake-wins-royal-society-science-book-prize/ |access-date=2022-12-03 |language=en-AU}}

{{sortname|last=Levesque|first=Emily}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Last Stargazers|nolink=1}}

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

{{sortname|last=Nestor|first=James}}

|Breath

{{sortname|last=Nordell|first=Jessica}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=End of Bias|nolink=1}}

{{sortname|last=O'Sullivan|first=Suzanne}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Sleeping Beauties|nolink=1}}

{{sortname|last=Ritchie|first=Stuart J.}}

|Science Fictions

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2022

|{{sortname|last=Gee|first=Henry}}

|{{sortname|1=A|2=(Very) Short History of Life on Earth: 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Pithy Chapters|nolink=1}}

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-11-30 |title='A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth' wins Royal Society Science Book Prize |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2022/11/30/224169/a-very-short-history-of-life-on-earth-wins-royal-society-science-book-prize/ |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=Books+Publishing |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |last=Schaub |first=Michael |date=2022-11-30 |title=Henry Gee Wins Royal Society Science Book Prize |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/henry-gee-wins-royal-society-science-book-prize/ |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=Kirkus Reviews |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Davidson|first=Nick}}

|{{sortname|1=The|2=Greywacke: How a Priest, a Soldier and a School Teacher Uncovered 300 Million Years of History|nolink=1}}

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Porter |date=2022-09-27 |title=Royal Society Science Book Prize Names Its 2022 Shortlist |url=https://publishingperspectives.com/2022/09/the-uks-25000-royal-society-science-book-prize-names-its-2022-shortlist/ |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=Publishing Perspectives |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=27 September 2022 |title=Shortlist for 2022 Royal Society Science Book Prize announced |url=https://royalsociety.org/news/2022/09/shortlist-for-2022-royal-society-science-book-prize-announced/ |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=Royal Society}}

{{sortname|last=de Waal|first=Frans}}

|Different: What Apes Can Teach Us About Gender

{{sortname|last=Farrar|first=Jeremy}} with Anjana Ahuja

|Spike: The Virus vs. The People – the Inside Story

{{sortname|last=Kenny|first=Rose Anne}}

|Age Proof: The New Science of Living a Longer and Healthier Life

{{sortname|last=Stott|first=Peter}}

|Hot Air: The Inside Story of the Battle Against Climate Change Denial

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2023

|{{sortname|last=Yong|first=Ed}}

|{{Sort|Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us|An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us}}

| Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Schaub |first=Michael |date=2023-11-26 |title=Winner of Science Book Prize Is Revealed |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/winner-of-science-book-prize-is-revealed/ |access-date=2023-11-26 |website=Kirkus Reviews |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Agrawal|first=Roma}}

|Nuts and Bolts: Seven Small Inventions That Changed the World (in a Big Way)

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |last=Schaub |first=Michael |date=2023-09-29 |title=Royal Society Science Book Prize Reveals Finalists |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/royal-society-science-book-prize-reveals-finalists/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Kirkus Reviews |language=en}}

{{sortname|last=Brendborg|first=Nicklas}}, trans. by Elizabeth de Noma

|Jellyfish Age Backwards: Nature's Secrets to Longevity

{{sortname|last=Parikian|first=Lev}}

|Taking Flight: The Evolutionary Story of Life on the Wing

{{sortname|last=Quammen|first=David}}

|Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus

{{sortname|last=Zernike|first=Kate}}

|{{Sort|Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science|The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science}}

style="background:#cddeff"

! rowspan="6" |2024

|Kelly Weinersmith and Zach Weinersmith

|A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?

|Winner

|{{Cite news |last=Creamer |first=Ella | date=October 24, 2024 |title=Winner of Royal Society Trivedi science book prize assesses whether humans really could colonise Mars |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/oct/24/winner-of-royal-society-trivedi-science-book-prize-assesses-whether-humans-really-could-colonise-mars |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=October 25, 2024}}

Cat Bohannon

|Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution

| rowspan="5" |Finalist

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |title=Shortlist for 2024 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize announced {{!}} Royal Society |url=https://royalsociety.org/news/2024/08/shortlist-2024-royal-society-trivedi-science-book-prize/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=royalsociety.org |language=en}}

Tom Chivers

|Everything Is Predictable: How Bayes' Remarkable Theorem Explains the World

Kashmir Hill

|Your Face Belongs to Us: The Secretive Startup Dismantling Your Privacy

Gísli Pálsson

|The Last of Its Kind: The Search for the Great Auk and the Discovery of Extinction

Venki Ramakrishnan

|Why We Die: The New Science of Ageing and the Quest for Immortality

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

  • [https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/book-prizes/science-books-prize/ The Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize]
  • [http://www.lovethebook.com/Awards.aspx?bookaward=Royal+Society+(Aventis)+Prize+for+Science+Books Royal Society Prize at lovethebook] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821234753/http://www.lovethebook.com/Awards.aspx?bookaward=Royal+Society+(Aventis)+Prize+for+Science+Books |date=21 August 2018 }}

{{RoySoc}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Society Prizes For Science Books}}

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Category:Royal Society

Category:Science writing awards

Category:British science and technology awards

Category:Awards established in 1988

Category:1988 establishments in the United Kingdom

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Category:Awards of the Royal Society