Book Announcement: The Shape of Wonder by Alan Lightman and Martin Rees

Pantheon Books is proud to announce the upcoming release of The Shape of Wonder: How Scientists Think, Work, and Live, a captivating exploration of the scientific world by renowned physicists Alan Lightman and Martin Rees. Scheduled for release on September 2, 2025, this insightful book promises to demystify the scientific process and humanize the brilliant minds behind groundbreaking discoveries. (Penguin Random House, 2025)

---

Why This Book Matters

In an age of rapid scientific discovery and technological advancement, it’s understandable that many feel uneasy about the future. While we might place our trust in science when boarding an airplane, undergoing a medical procedure, or stepping into an elevator, the lives and motivations of scientists themselves often feel hidden from view.

This distance has bred a troubling mistrust. Concerns about political agendas, financial interests, or institutional ties have caused skepticism toward science at a time when trust is most crucial.

With the challenges of climate change, pandemics, nuclear threats, artificial intelligence, and genetic engineering, understanding science—and those who shape it—has never been more urgent.

---

Inside The Shape of Wonder

Lightman and Rees take readers inside the minds and lives of scientists across generations and disciplines:

• A young theoretical physicist and rock climber at the University of Washington.
• Werner Heisenberg, whose early interests in music and philosophy shaped his path to physics.
• Govind Swarup, the pioneering Indian astronomer whose work on radio telescopes transformed astronomy.

Through these stories, readers glimpse the passions, daily lives, and ethical concerns of scientists—revealing that they, too, are guided by curiosity, wonder, and responsibility toward the future.

---

A Manifesto for Science

More than biography, The Shape of Wonder is a manifesto calling for a deeper appreciation of scientific inquiry and its ethical responsibilities. Featuring figures such as Charles Darwin, Barbara McClintock, and Werner Heisenberg, the book presents science as a deeply human endeavor—one that depends on trust, curiosity, and imagination.

---

Meet the Authors

• Alan Lightman is a physicist, essayist, and bestselling author of Einstein’s Dreams. He has taught at Harvard and MIT and hosts the PBS series Searching: Our Quest for Meaning in the Age of Science.
• Martin Rees, the UK’s Astronomer Royal, is a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, former President of the Royal Society, and co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risks at Cambridge University.

Together, they bring unparalleled insight and perspective to this vital book.

---

Who Should Read This Book?

The Shape of Wonder is ideal for readers who enjoyed Edward O. Wilson’s Letters to a Young Scientist, as well as anyone fascinated by:

• Astronomy & physics
• The natural world
• Lives of great scientific thinkers
• The human side of discovery

---

Release Details

📖 The Shape of Wonder: How Scientists Think, Work, and Live
✍️ By Alan Lightman & Martin Rees
📅 Release Date: September 2, 2025
📚 Publisher: Pantheon Books

---

✨ This book is a timely, inspiring call to see science not as something distant or abstract, but as a profoundly human pursuit—driven by the same curiosity and wonder that shapes us all.

---