About
Carl Zimmer is the author of fifteen books about science. His latest book is Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe.
Zimmer writes the “Origins” column for the New York Times. His writing has earned a number of awards, including the Stephen Jay Gould Prize, awarded by the Society for the Study of Evolution. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he contributed to the coverage that won the New York Times the public service Pulitzer Prize in 2021. Three of his books have been named Notable Books of the Year by the New York Times Book Review. His book She Has Her Mother’s Laugh won the 2019 National Academies Communication Award. The Guardian named it the best science book of 2018.
In addition to his written journalism, Zimmer has hosted, produced, and appeared on numerous podcasts. His seven-episode series, “The Future of Aging,” was released in spring 2025. He is also a familiar voice on podcasts such as The Daily and Radiolab.
Zimmer is professor adjunct at Yale University, where he teaches writing. He is, to his knowledge, the only writer after whom both a species of tapeworm and an asteroid have been named.