This anthology draws out and distills science's love of narrative from a wide range of scientific disciplines, weaving theory into very human stories and delving into the humanity of theorists and experimenters as they stood on the brink of significant discoveries. From Archimedes' bath to Newton's apple, these vivid accounts of scientific discovery explore the principles behind each theory and add to the larger narrative of how the universe works. Including Joseph Swan's original lightbulb moment, Einstein's revelation on a Bern tram, and Pavlov's identification of personality types thanks to a freak flood in his St. Petersburg lab, this record brings these eureka moments to life and explains the science behind them to the general reader. Contributors include Kate Clanchy, Stelly Duffy, Maggie Gee, Sarah Hall, Alison MacLeod, Sara Maitland, Sean O'Brien, Prof. Jim al-Khalili, Jane Rogers, and more.

Performing a deft metaphorical evisceration of Sigmund Freud's classic 1919 essay that delved deeply into the tradition of horror writing, this freshly contemporary collection of literary interpretations reintroduces to the world Freud's compelling theory of "das unheimliche"--or, the uncanny. Specifically designed to challenge the creative boundaries of some of the most famed and respected horror writers working today--such as A. S. Byatt, Christopher Priest, Hanif Kureishi, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Matthew Holness, and the indomitable Ramsey Campbell--this anatomically precise experiment encapsulates what the uncanny represents in the 21st century. Masterfully narrated with the benefit of unique perspectives on what exactly it is that goes bump in the night, this chilling modern collective is not only an essential read for fans of horror but also an insightful and intriguing introduction to the greats of the genre at their gruesome best.

Revealing a bestiary of hybrids from the techno-crazed future and the mythological past, this surreal short story collection takes imaginative leaps through a science fiction influenced landscape. Reflecting a cinematic feel, young couples reach defining stages in their relationships as zombies fall in love, a stalker tracks a young woman through time only to discover he's related to her, and a young man battles Godzilla in order to prove a point to his girlfriend. Blurring the boundaries between reality and hallucination--from robotic insects and in-growing cutlery to a woman impregnated with 37 embryos--these fantastical tales offer a world where the body is fluid, the spirit is mechanized, and the beasts know more about humanity than the humans do.

Science is always telling stories. Whether in the creation myths of evolution or the Big Bang, or in the eureka moments of science history, narrative – just as much as metaphor – is a key tool in the scientist’s surprisingly literary toolkit. Perhaps the most interesting use of story is the thought experiment, the intuition pump, that draws on the most instinctive parts of the imagination to crack otherwise perplexing problems. From Newton's Bucket, to Maxwell’s Demon, from Einstein's Lift to Schrödinger’s Cat – all are examples of 'fiction' being used at the highest level, not just to explain, but to deduce, to prove. In this unique anthology, authors have collaborated with leading scientists, to bounce literary, human narratives against purely theoretical ones, alloying together real stories with abstract ones, to produce truly extraordinary results. Featuring leading scientists acting as consultants on the stories, and writing scientific afterwords, bringing the theory featured in the stories to life, including Prof. Sarah Bridle (Jodrell Bank), Prof. Jonathan Wolff and Prof. Frank Jackson (the inventor of the 'Mary's Room' thought experiment).