Well done on spotting them! Sadly, despite the best intentions of editors and graphic designers, sometimes essential meanings can be lost when edited wrongly or formatted incorrectly. It's frustrating for you and also for me, so here's a printable summary of amendments you can download and keep with the book. We'll try and correct everything for later editions. Let me know if you spot any more mistakes.

Why do you use a combination of narrative and conventional popular science styles in your books?

A story is a useful trick to make things memorable and interesting; I also enjoy using metaphors and analogies too.

Why not provide more detail such as diagrams or computer algorithm in your books?

I do, in the academic books for readers with more serious interests. In my popular science books I am writing for everyone, so complex diagrams, equations and algorithms are more likely to get in the way than be useful. It's better to use plain, clear language and provide pointers to the more techie stuff rather than scare or confuse with excessive detail.

Why do you always have the same acknowledgement to evolution in all your books?

My own research began by investigating evolution, and over the years I’ve never ceased to be astonished by its extraordinary creativity. It and its creations still inspire me every day – why not acknowledge its impact?

back