ISC is excited to host science journalist and comedy writer Maggie Ryan Sandford for a virtual author talk where we get to explore her recent book, Consider the Platypus: Evolution Through Biology’s Most Baffling Beasts. The review by Ars Technica explains it well:

“Science buffs and animal lovers will gravitate to Consider the Platypus… for its detailed and often hilarious exploration of evolution through animals. Darwin’s theory of evolution shaped the views of everyone who came after him, and it can provide explanations to how some creatures have ended up so curious. The book does this by “profiling” over 50 animals, and Sandford describes the most important quirks and anomalies of each that likely came from evolutionary adaptation. If you’re intrigued by DNA-altering octopuses, radiation-withstanding tardigrades, and venomous platypuses, then you should pick up Consider the Platypus.”

This will be a really fun discussion. Join us!

FREE!  Livestream with audience Q&A HERE

Maggie Ryan Sandford is a science journalist, broadcast media producer, researcher, award-winning comedy writer, speaker, and performer. She has been published in Smithsonian, Slate, Nautili.us, National Geographic, mental floss, Glamour, ComedyCentral.com, The Onion’s A.V Club, and appeared regularly on All Things Considered and Freakonomics Tell Me Something You Don’t Know. She also worked as a research associate at the Science Museum of Minnesota, where she studied the way people engage with science. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Tuesday, June 23, 2020, 6:00pm (CT)

FREE!  Livestream with audience Q&A HERE

You can purchase a copy of “Consider the Platypus” here.