Research Fellow Dr Josh McFayden

2022 Royal Society Science book Prize judges following the shortlist meeting - (left to right) Mike Gayle, Dr Josh McFayden, Kate Humble and Prof Maria Fitzgerald (Rory Cellan-Jones took part remotely).

Research Fellow Dr Josh McFayden was one of five on the judging panel for the high profile Royal Society Science Book Prize 2022, described by Radio 4 as "the Booker Prize of science writing".

The prize, awarded to Henry Gee for "A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth", was announced during a ceremony at the Royal Society in London. The evening's proceedings were hosted by physicist Jim Al-Khalili, author, broadcaster, and Royal Society Fellow.

During the past 34 years, the prize has promoted a collection of popular science writing and has celebrated game-changing titles which have illuminated the wonders of science, bringing outstanding research and ideas to a wider audience. The judges shortlisted from 50 books, and the selected six were announced in September before the winner was decided earlier this month.

Josh said: "It’s not often that you finish reading a book feeling shell shocked… but that’s the impact Henry Gee’s book had on me! A thoroughly deserving winner!” 

“I found the judging experience incredibly rewarding. It was inspirational in many ways and reassuring that good science writing is alive and well at a time when we need it most! The whole process was a real privilege to be part of."

Josh holds a Royal Society University Research Fellowship to support his research, to find out what the Higgs Boson can tell us about how the universe as we know it came to be and how it might end.

He has been interviewed for BBC Radio 4’s Inside Science programme to be aired on Thursday 1 December at 4.30pm.

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