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Shortlist unveiled for Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize 2026

91TV has today announced the six titles shortlisted for the Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize 2026, which celebrates the best popular science writing from across the globe. The shortlist was revealed to a live audience on the opening night of the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, at an event hosted by New Scientist’s Alison Flood.

The full Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize 2026 shortlist is (alphabetical by title):

• The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry (Profile) by Kit Chapman
• Bad Influence: How the Internet Hijacked Our Health (Oneworld) by Deborah Cohen
• Despite it All: A Handbook for Climate Hopefuls (Granta) by Fred Pearce
• Every Last Fish: What Fish Do For Us and We Do To Them (Granta) by Rose George
• Hidden Guests: Migrating Cells and How the New Science of Microchimerism is Redefining Human Identity (Greystone) by Lise Barnéoud
• How to Change a Memory: One Neuroscientist’s Quest to Alter the Past (Robinson) by Steve Ramirez

Mike Benton FRS, Chair of the Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize 2026 judges panel, said:

“A good science book has the power to change your life, and that’s just what these shortlisted books might do. If you read them carefully, you will discover things you didn’t know before and that will make you reevaluate the way you look at your future and the future of our planet.

“But they also have the power to move you. As judges, they made us happy, made our jaws drop in awe and anger, and even made us cry. Each beautifully written, weaving the wonders of science with rich human stories, at times uplifting, at others heartbreaking, these six books prove that science writing can be just as compelling as any work of fiction.”

This year’s shortlist questions the health advice we find on the internet; journeys through time and continents to explore the global history of chemistry; interrogates the fishing industry to understand how the fish we eat gets to our plates; unveils how memory manipulation can shape our imagination and sense of self; investigates the emerging science of microchimerism; and provides reasons to be hopeful about our climate. The titles represent the judges’ pick of the most fascinating and relevant science writing over the past 12 months.

All of this year’s authors make the shortlist for the first time, including debut author, Steve Ramirez. 

The shortlist was selected from 192 submissions published between 1 July 2025 and 30 September 2026. Alongside palaeontologist and Chair of judges Professor Mike Benton FRS, the 2026 judging panel comprises multi-award-winning speculative fiction author, Irenosen Okojie; stand-up comedian and actor, Eshaan Akbar; BBC radio science presenter, Marnie Chesterton; writer and historian, Subhadra Das; and non-fiction range manager at Waterstones, Adeela Badshah.

The winner will be revealed on Tuesday 29 September at an award ceremony held at the Royal Society.

The judges’ praise for the 2026 shortlisted books:

Eshaan Akbar on How to Change a Memory:
“This might be the most perfect book I’ve ever read! For it to be a science book speaks to its quality. Part-neuroscience, part-memoir, part-diary, and part-industry magazine, Ramirez’s writing is very human in its candidness and intimacy. He brings us not just into his lab but into his friendship with his co professor, Xu, which forms the prism through which the science is told. It made me cry in the most profound way.”

Adeela Badshah on Despite it All:
“A thoughtful and inspiring must-read book about the resilience of nature and the people fighting for it! It left me feeling hopeful about the future and is the perfect antidote to the doom and gloom narrative that dominates much of the conversation around climate change.”

Mike Benton on Bad Influence:
“This book is both urgent and contemporary, providing much-needed insight into a currently unregulated area of health.”

Marnie Chesterton on Hidden Guests:
“I knew I was from a close family… I didn’t realise just how close, until I read Hidden Guests. This book did what all good science books should do: it started a conversation round the dinner table. Why do women disproportionately suffer from many immune diseases? What does it mean to be “you” if your body contains cells from your parents, children, siblings or even strangers? It revealed a new (to me) field of scientific research, microchimerism, while touching on broader themes of sex and identity. A gem of a book that deserves its place on the Royal Society’s shortlist.”

Subhadra Das on The Age of Alchemy:
“There is mistaken but sadly common notion that science is for everyone but not done by everyone. One great thing about this book is how it goes about correcting that mistake. It’s a fun and engaging reminder that science has always been a global endeavour.”

Irenosen Okojie on Every Last Fish:
"A brilliant, illuminating read on global fishing industries. From the working intricacies of local communities to the roles of women, this compelling book feels fresh and vital."