Articles by Philip Ball
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Essay
The metaphorical richness of science in fiction
(and the dangers of taking it literally)
Philip Ball 18 June 2018
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Scenes through a picture window
New science poetry from Peter Roberts
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New short fiction from João Ramalho-Santos
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The science of coincidence
New short fiction from Gavin Milnthorpe
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Life reimagined, by Alex and Noah
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The sample
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Past highlights
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Needs must: The great pipette tip caper
New humorous fiction from Julia RIchards
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After the Delhi rapes, a female scientist from India speaks out
Professional women in India have to work in fear - when will it change?
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Live long and prosper: a brief encounter with Aubrey de Grey
Akshat Rathi meets the man who wants to abolish aging
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A lab wager goes horribly wrong: The 50% Sleeper by Tal Yarkoni
Humorous fiction from the LabLit short story series
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The flying laboratory: stalking the shrinking ice of Antarctica
Scientist Seelye Martin reports live from an airborne mission
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Stardom
Interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson
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The day after today
Interview with Kim Stanley Robinson
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In the news
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"LabLit.com founder and editor, Jenny Rohn, is prone to getting excited over 'hard-core lab scenes.' "
LabLit.com picks another great crop of beach reads for NPR
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"These summer reads have scientists at their heart"
Interview of LabLit.com's editor on NPR
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"It's a great venue for aspiring authors to publish their fiction about scientists"
Interview of LabLit.com's editor on 3M Champions of Science podcast
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Novels about scientists highlight passion and (sometimes) failure
Interview of LabLit.com's editor on NPR
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Lab lit - a lesser-known literary genre that tries to portray scientists realistically, beyond the classic lab coat stereotypes
Science in fiction featured in Nature Physics
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Scientists in space - and beyond
Jenny talks lab lit fiction with Mariella Frostrup on Open Book, BBC Radio 4
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The untapped niche is rich in opportunities for originality
Piece about lab lit fiction in Nature
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Lab Lit Revealed: LabLit.com's editor interviewed by Robert Crease
Piece in Physics World
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"Lab lit? What’s that? Not to be confused with science fiction, lab lit refers to novels with scientists as central characters"
NPR discusses LabLit.com and the genre - or lack thereof
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"[R]research developments have been featuring in novels that depict the world as we know it now."
Piece on LabLit in Oxford Today
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"[A] genre of serious fiction with a snappy new name: lab lit...the webzine LabLit.com...has “Lab Lit Lists” for dozens of novels, films, plays and TV shows
The New York Times likes LabLit.com
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'Lab lit' is a chance to show what we're really like
The New Scientist talks to Jenny
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Light reading
LabLit helps judge Diamond's science short story competition
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Dedicated to "writing about the science environment, stories that take place in the lab"
51stories.com recommends Lablit.com
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"A clever website...LabLit.com breaks new ground in its portrayal of science and scientists"
BioTechniques Webwatch recommends us
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"Another example of 'lab lit' is Experimental Heart...which I’ll put on my 'to read' list"
- The Boston Globe gets into science novels
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"[Scientists] are usually cast as troublemakers and hardly ever get to be true Hollywood heroes"
Jenny dissects the science behind the movie 'Splice' for BBC News
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"Science is a great topic for a novel"
Interview of LabLit's editor in Lab Times
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A lab lit renaissance?
Jenny's essay in Nature about why science in fiction seems on the rise
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"The loveliness of the Lab Lit List"
Author Michael Byers recommends our collection of science novels
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"Science is only one side of the story"
Jenny from LabLit interviews Billy Bragg for Nature news
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"[Lab lit novels] are not just entertaining tales of biologists at work; they also make the reader think about the unique issues"
Nature Methods recommends LabLit.com
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"[One of] 20 great websites that every scientist, engineering, or geek-at-heart ought to know about"
Baltimore Science News Examiner on LabLit.com
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"[C]heck out [LabLit.com] for more reasons to welcome science to literature"
Cell
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"[W]here literary scientists...can find like-minded people"
Chemistry World on LabLit.com
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What is LabLit.com?
Learn more on the Guardian's 'Science Weekly' podcast
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"It's a wonderful venture, and a topic of the most resonant importance"
novelist Richard Powers on LabLit.com
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"FUN: Still life, with test tube"
Science magazine recommends LabLit
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"A light touch and some panache"
LabLit reviewed by The Biochemist
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