The Royal Society Science Book Prize is an annual £25,000 prize awarded by the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

to celebrate outstanding popular science books from around the world.The Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize, Royal Society
/ref> It is open to authors of science books written for a non-specialist audience, and since it was established in 1988 has championed writers such as

Stephen Hawking Stephen William Hawking (8January 194214March 2018) was an English theoretical physics, theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author who was director of research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge. Between ...

Jared Diamond Jared Mason Diamond (born September 10, 1937) is an American scientist, historian, and author. In 1985 he received a MacArthur Genius Grant, and he has written hundreds of scientific and popular articles and books. His best known is '' Guns, G ...

Stephen Jay Gould Stephen Jay Gould ( ; September 10, 1941 – May 20, 2002) was an American Paleontology, paleontologist, Evolutionary biology, evolutionary biologist, and History of science, historian of science. He was one of the most influential and widely re ...

and

Bill Bryson William McGuire Bryson ( ; born 8 December 1951) is an American-British journalist and author. Bryson has written a number of nonfiction books on topics including travel, the English language, and science. Born in the United States, he has be ...

. In 2015 ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' described the prize as "the most prestigious science book prize in Britain".

History

The Royal Society established the Science Books Prize in 1988 with the aim of encouraging the writing, publishing and reading of good and accessible popular science books. Its name has varied according to sponsorship agreements.

Judging process

A panel of judges decides the shortlist and the winner of the Prize each year. The panel is chaired by a fellow of the

and includes authors, scientists and media personalities. The judges for the 2016 prize included author

, theoretical physicist Dr Clare Burrage, science fiction author

Alastair Reynolds Alastair Preston Reynolds (born 13 March 1966) is a Welsh science fiction author. He specialises in hard science fiction and space opera. Early life Reynolds was born in Wales and spent his early years in Cornwall before moving back to Wales, ...

, ornithologist and science blogger GrrlScientist, and author and director of external affairs at the

Science Museum Group The Science Museum Group (SMG) consists of five British museums: * The Science Museum in South Kensington, London * The Science and Industry Museum in Manchester * The National Railway Museum in York * The Locomotion Museum (formerly the Na ...

Roger Highfield Roger Ronald Highfield (born 1958 in Griffithstown, Wales) is an author, science journalist, broadcaster and Science Director at the Science Museum Group. Education Highfield was educated at Chase Side Primary School in Enfield and Christ's ...

. In 2019, the jury consisted of Sir

Nigel Shadbolt Sir Nigel Richard Shadbolt (born 9 April 1956) is Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, and Professorial Research Fellow in the Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford. He is chairman of the Open Data Institute which he co-founde ...

, Shukry James Habib,

Dorothy Koomson Dorothy Koomson (born 1971 in London) is a contemporary British novelist of Ghanaian descent. She has been described as "Britain's biggest selling black author of adult fiction". Biography Koomson has two degrees in Psychology and Journalism fr ...

Stephen McGann Stephen Vincent McGann (born 2 February 1963) is an English actor, best known for portraying Physician, Dr Patrick Turner in the BBC One medical period drama series ''Call the Midwife''. He is one of a family of acting brothers, the others bei ...

, and

Gwyneth Williams Gwyneth Williams (born 14 July 1953) is a former controller of BBC Radio 4. She grew up in South Africa and attended St Hugh's College, Oxford. Earlier career Williams joined the BBC World Service in 1976 as a trainee, having briefly worked as r ...

. All books entered for the prize must be published in English for the first time between September and October the preceding year. The winner is announced at an award ceremony and receives £25,000. Each of the other shortlisted authors receives £2,500.

Shortlisted books

Before 2000

2000s

2010s

2020s

References

External links

The Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize

Royal Society Prize at lovethebook
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Society Prizes For Science Books British children's literary awards Sanofi Royal Society Science writing awards British science and technology awards Awards established in 1988 1988 establishments in the United Kingdom Annual events in the United Kingdom British non-fiction literary awards Awards of the Royal Society