Lolcatz, Santa, and Death by Dog: Strange and True Tales from Science and Technology

Description

In Lolcatz, Santa, and Death by Dog, Andrew Masterson explores the windier shores 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 through the curiosities of science and tech research, 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. 'Masterson has a keen eye for an entertaining science yarn, and matches meticulous research with the ability to fascinate and entertain. His knack of uncovering the peculiar and revealing the ridiculous is second to none.' Sonya Pemberton, Emmy Award-winning producer of science documentaries including Immortal, Catching Cancer and Jabbed- Love, fear and vaccines.

Andrew Masterson is a journalist, editor and author. He writes frequently on science, technology and popular culture for publications including The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and Cosmos, as well as contributing to science documentaries made by Emmy Award-winning Melbourne company Genepool Productions. He has also had several novels published, two of which have won Ned Kelly Awards for crime fiction. He lives in central Victoria with his wife, son, cat, two elderly Staffordshire bull terriers and, at last count, five chickens.