The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2010 »

TIM FOLGER is a contributing editor at Discover and writes about science for several magazines.

Freeman Dyson, renowned physicist and public intellectual, edits this year’s volume of the finest science and nature writing.

Foreword

Introduction Freeman Dyson Dyson, Freeman

Part One Visions of Space

The Believer Andrew Corsello Corsello, Andrew 3

From GQ

One Giant Leap to Nowhere Tom Wolfe Wolfe, Tom 16

From the New York Times

The Missions of Astronomy Steven Weinberg Weinberg, Steven 23

From the New York Review of Books

Cosmic Vision Timothy Ferris Ferris, Timothy 32

From National Geographic

Seeking New Earths Timothy Ferris Ferris, Timothy 40

From National Geographic

Part Two Neurology Displacing Molecular Biology

Don't! Jonah Lehrer Lehrer, Jonah 47

From the New Yorker

Out of the Past Kathleen McGowan McGowan, Kathleen 61

From Discover

Brain Games John Golapinto Golapinto, John 73

From the New Yorker

Part Three Natural Beauty

The Alpha Accipiter Gustave Axelson Axelson, Gustave 99

From Minnesota Conservation Volunteer

Flight of the Kuaka Don Stap Stap, Don 106

From Living Bird

Modern Darwins Matt Ridley Ridley, Matt 114

From National Geographic

The Superior Civilization Tim Flannery Flannery, Tim 122

From the New York Review of Books

Still Blue Kenneth Brower Brower, Kenneth 133

From National Geographic

The Lazarus Effect Jane Goodall Goodall, Jane 144

From Discover

Darwin's First Clues David Quammen Quammen, David 149

From National Geographic

Part Four The Environment: Gloom and Doom

All You Can Eat Jim Carrier Carrier, Jim 161

From Orion

A Formula for Disaster Felix Salmon Salmon, Felix 172

From Wired

Not So Silent Spring Dawn Stover Stover, Dawn 182

From Conservation Magazine

The Catastrophist Elizabeth Kolbert Kolbert, Elizabeth 188

From the New Yorker

The Sixth Extinction? Elizabeth Kolbert Kolbert, Elizabeth 202

From the New Yorker

Part Five The Environment: Small Blessings

Scraping Bottom Robert Kunzig Kunzig, Robert 229

From National Geographic

A Life of its Own Michael Specter Specter, Michael 239

From the New Yorker

Purpose-Driven Life Brian Boyd Boyd, Brian 259

From the American Scholar

The Monkey and the Fish Philip Gourevitch Gourevitch, Philip 272

From the New Yorker

Part Six The Environment: Big Blessings

Graze Anatomy Richard Manning Manning, Richard 301

From OnEarth

Hearth Surgery Burkhard Bilger Bilger, Burkhard 311

From the New Yorker

Green Giant Evan Osnos Osnos, Evan 334

From the New Yorker

India, Enlightened George Black Black, George 352

From OnEarth

Contributors' Notes 377

Other Notable Science and Nature Writing of 2009 383