Explaining Humans: Winner of the Royal Society Science Book Prize 2020

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The prize is intended to “promote the accessibility and joy of popular science books to the public”.

There are a few segments in this book which are truly enlightening, ones which open a window onto the mindset and perspective of a very special person.

Like the author, I was drawn to study science but this just removed me further from my peers who were more interested in sports and celebrities. How proteins, machine learning and molecular chemistry can teach us about the complexities of human behaviour and the world around us. As a painter this has inspired me to explore in images the mystery of the people, objects and landscapes of foreign lands, people speaking a different language which I have slowly had to learn.

Part self-help book, part pop science, there certainly is something for everyone in here and it is immensely readable. Some of those dear friends have wished away their neurodiversity after difficult encounters at work and heavy criticism. I think my biggest issue with this book, and why it was so disappointing, is that it just felt marketed wrong.It's startling, but illuminating, to look at human social behavior from the viewpoint of how proteins in our cells behave--individuality, teamwork, and adaptability, and the ways acting more like those proteins can help us live happier, more productive lives. There are far more informative and relatable books out there that support ASD folk in dealing with the world, and/or that help neurotypical folk understand a little more about neurodiversity. I think Camilla is clearly very intelligent but when it comes to writing I'm not sure this is the field to be in. Thinking of people as analagous to chemicals in a reaction does neither people nor chemicals worthwhile service.