About Carl Zimmer

Carl Zimmer is an American science writer, blogger, columnist, and journalist who specializes in the topics of evolution, parasites, and heredity. He is the author of 14 books about science, including Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature’s Most Dangerous Creatures, She Has Her Mother’s Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity, and Life’s Edge: The Search For What It Means To Be Alive. He is also a contributing writer for The New York Times, where he writes the “Origins” column.

Zimmer was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1966. He received his B.A. in English from Yale University in 1987 and began his career as a copy editor and fact checker at Discover magazine. He eventually rose to the position of senior editor, and in 2004, he left Discover to focus on writing books and other projects.

Zimmer is a frequent lecturer and has appeared on many radio and television shows, including Radiolab, Fresh Air, and This American Life. He has also received numerous awards for his work, including the Stephen Jay Gould Prize, the National Academies Science Communication Award, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Journalism Award.

Zimmer is a passionate advocate for science education and communication. He believes that science is essential for understanding the world around us and for making informed decisions about our future. He is also committed to writing about science in a way that is accessible and engaging for the general public.

In addition to his scientific work, Zimmer is also a gifted writer. His books are known for their clarity, insight, and wit. He is able to explain complex scientific concepts in a way that is both accurate and engaging, and he does so with a deep understanding of the human experience. Zimmer’s books have helped to shed light on the wonders and mysteries of the natural world, and they have inspired readers to think about their own place in the universe in new ways.

Carl Zimmer’s Bibliography

Soul Made Flesh: The Discovery of the Brain–and How It Creates Who We Are (2004)

Evolution: Making Sense of Life (co-authored with Doug Emlen, 2006)

At the Water’s Edge: Fish with Fingers, Whales with Legs, and How Life Came Ashore but Then Went Back to Sea (2011)

A Planet of Viruses (2011)

Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature’s Most Dangerous Creatures (2013)

Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life (2015)

She Has Her Mother’s Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity (2018)

Life’s Edge: The Search for What It Means to Be Alive (2021)

Feathers: Displays of Brilliant Plumage from Around the World (2023)