Author(s): Andrew Masterson

Science | Nature

In Lolcatz, Santa, and Death by Dog, Andrew Masterson reveals the hidden secrets of science and technology research. Have you ever considered, for example, the influence of breasts in cyberterrorism? Or the role of cats in the Arab Spring? Did you know that there is a peer-reviewed paper describing the correct method for sticking a pin in a can of Guinness? Have you paused to wonder why our future might depend on finding sympathy for bushfire arsonists? And why male menopause is a feminist issue? In a rich collection of stories, Masterson takes a gleeful romp along the windier shores of science and tech, pausing occasionally to interview some of the giants in the field, including cosmologist Neil deGrasse Tyson, string theorist Brian Greene, US science guy' Bill Nye, science comedian Robin Ince, and America's most wanted man, Edward Snowden. The stories in Lolcatz, Santa, and Death by Dog are by turns curious, bizarre, deeply moving, and straight-up funny. They are a must for anyone with a questioning mind and a passion for human achievement.