2020 shortlisted announced

The Royal Society reveals the shortlist for the Royal Society Science Book Prize 2020, sponsored by Insight Investment. This year’s shortlisted books, chosen from over 172 submissions, represent the very best in popular science writing from around the world for a non-specialist audience.

Explore the shortlist.

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 Caroline Criado Perez for bringing together compelling data showing gender biases in our world.

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.

Timeline

July 2020 Judging panel announced

22 September 2020 Shortlist announced