Today brings the highly anticipated US release of Free Radicals: The Secret Anarchy of Science by bestselling author, physicist, and science journalist Michael Brooks.For centuries, science has projected itself as responsible and safe: a carefully measured discipline involving sensible, level-headed people not given to dangerous passions. But what really goes on behind the scenes in the scientific community? In Free Radicals Michael Brooks traces the history behind one of the most successful cover-ups of modern times, delving into the darker side of scientific discovery to illuminate the fallibility, irrationality, craftiness, and egos behind some of science's greatest figures.
Revealing the extreme lengths some of our most celebrated scientists are willing to travel in order to bring groundbreaking discoveries to the world's attention, this exploration of history's greatest scientific achievements proves that in order to succeed, knowledge must be pursued by every means possible. To stay on top, scientists take drugs, follow crazy dreams, experiment on themselves, and occasionally die in the process. Newton fought ferociously with his colleagues to deny them credit for their work, Einstein relied on mystical insights when formulating his theories, and even Galileo covered up glaring errors while composing his most influential texts.
For a sneak peek at some of the subversive stories relayed from the wild frontiers of weird science detailed in Free Radicals, check out "Scientists Behaving Badly," a short history of scientific fraud published this week on the Huffington Post.To celebrate the release of Free Radicals, we're giving away a single copy to one lucky reader. To enter, all you have to do is subscribe to The Winged Elephant. Subscribers will receive dispatches from Overlook announcing new books, special events, author interviews and book giveaways delivered directly to their inbox three or four times per week. Sign up before 1:00pm (EST) tomorrow and you'll be entered for your chance to win a copy!
Praise for FREE RADICALS
"Brooks raises intriguing questions about the value of peer review panels and ethics boards, while illuminating much of the gritty real work performed in ivory towers around the world."
"A page-turning, unvarnished look at the all-too-human side of science." — Kirkus Reviews
"Brooks explores some of the important contributions science has granted to the human condition, and imaginatively examines some of its current and future potentialities." — Truthout
"Free Radicals illuminates the role of the irrational in science, the mistakes that make scientists human, and reveals that breakthroughs that change our lives in the most fundamental ways may have the most serendipitous origins." — Brain Pickings
"[Free Radicals] goes a long way toward making scientists - and science - a lot more real to the public. And to show how sometimes trusting a gut instinct is a good thing, even if the data is not there yet." — Science 2.0
Visit Michael Brooks and Free Radicals online: http://www.freeradicalsbook.com/
Twitter: @DrMichaelBrooks
"Brooks explores some of the important contributions science has granted to the human condition, and imaginatively examines some of its current and future potentialities." — Truthout
"Free Radicals illuminates the role of the irrational in science, the mistakes that make scientists human, and reveals that breakthroughs that change our lives in the most fundamental ways may have the most serendipitous origins." — Brain Pickings
"[Free Radicals] goes a long way toward making scientists - and science - a lot more real to the public. And to show how sometimes trusting a gut instinct is a good thing, even if the data is not there yet." — Science 2.0
Visit Michael Brooks and Free Radicals online: http://www.freeradicalsbook.com/
Twitter: @DrMichaelBrooks
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