Author Bios

Paul Bannick is an American ornithologist, wildlife photographer, and author based in the Pacific Northwest, whose work has earned wide recognition for its combination of scientific precision and artistic excellence. A former president of the Seattle Audubon Society, Bannick has devoted much of his career to studying and documenting birds of prey, bringing a naturalist’s…

Gary Braasch was an American photojournalist and environmental photographer whose four-decade career was defined by a deep commitment to documenting the natural world and bearing witness to the growing crisis of climate change. Born in 1942, Braasch built a reputation as one of the most skilled and dedicated environmental photographers of his generation, working across…

Brian Greene is an American theoretical physicist, mathematician, and one of the world’s most gifted communicators of advanced science. Born on February 9, 1963, in New York City, Greene showed an early aptitude for mathematics, completing calculus at the age of twelve. He studied physics at Harvard University and earned his doctorate from Oxford University…

Geoffrey Ozin is a Canadian chemist and pioneer in the field of nanochemistry, widely recognized for his foundational contributions to the synthesis, self-assembly, and application of nanoscale materials. A professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, where he spent the bulk of his academic career, Ozin helped establish nanochemistry as a distinct and productive discipline…

Mark Kurlansky is an American journalist, food historian, and author whose books have explored the surprising ways that single commodities — fish, salt, paper, oysters — have shaped the course of human civilization. Born on December 7, 1948, in Hartford, Connecticut, Kurlansky studied theater at Butler University before embarking on a career in journalism that…

Todd Wilkinson is an American environmental journalist and author who has spent more than three decades covering the natural world of the American West, with a particular focus on wildlife conservation, public lands policy, and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Based in Bozeman, Montana, he has written for numerous national publications and is a contributing editor…

Jono Neiger is an American permaculture designer, educator, and author whose work focuses on sustainable land use, ecological design, and the practical application of permaculture principles to farms, gardens, and communities. Based in New England, Neiger has worked as a landscape designer and educator, helping individuals and organizations develop productive, resilient land-use systems rooted in…

James Gleick is one of America’s preeminent science writers, a journalist and author whose books have shaped the way educated general readers understand some of the deepest ideas in modern science. Born on August 1, 1954, in New York City, Gleick studied literature at Harvard University before embarking on a career in journalism, working as…

Sir Roger Penrose is one of the most celebrated mathematical physicists of the modern era, a British thinker whose contributions span pure mathematics, theoretical physics, and the philosophy of mind. Born on August 8, 1931, in Colchester, Essex, England, he studied mathematics at University College London and earned his doctorate from Cambridge University. He held…

Simon Singh is a British science writer and broadcaster whose books have introduced millions of readers to some of the most captivating stories in mathematics, physics, and the history of ideas. Born on September 19, 1964, in Wellington, Somerset, England, Singh studied physics at Imperial College London and earned his doctorate in particle physics from…