Photo: Bolt out of the blue by Peter Enright – Coolum Beach, Queensland

Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik has been named the winner of the 2014 Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books.

The £25,000 (AUD 46,000) prize is the world’s leading award for popular science books.

Stuff Matters, published by Viking, is a journey through materials which shape the man-made world.

“This matters such a lot to me,” said author Mark Miodownik. “I am surprised, honoured and very very happy.”

Miodowniks, called a “sparkling and very personal” tale by the judges, was chosen unanimously as the winner despite coming up against some strong competitors on the shortlist, including Mary Roach’s Gulp and George Johnson’s The Cancer Chronicles.

Nicky Clayton, Chair of the judges, said:

“Mark Miodownik’s Stuff Matters stood out from the start of the judging process and the decision to name it winner was a unanimous one. This book is very special – it leaves you with a feeling of being intellectually curious and inspired by everything around you and by all the marvellous feats that our species has accomplished. It’s a very personal and engaging story. Reading Stuff Matters, you can’t help but be enthralled by things you didn’t even know you were interested in to begin with.”

The six shortlisted books:

Each of the shortlisted authors receives £2,500 (AUD 4,600).

The first chapter of each book is available to download for free HERE.

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