Mars is the only serious candidate for terraforming. The moon has no atmosphere and Venus is too hot. But just how feasible is life on the Red Planet?

In today's essay, Devon Stork illuminates why nothing can grow on Mars* (*probably)

Read it here: press.asimov.com/resources/grow…

In our latest piece, Tom Ireland, author of the book, 'The Good Virus,' explains why.

Tom also highlights how synthetic biology and computational algorithms are resolving some of the long-standing challenges in using phage to treat patients.

Read: asimov.press/p/scaling-phag…

Since reading Tom Ireland's book earlier this year, I've been captivated by the potential of phages both in and as therapeutics.

But where are they?

For Asimov Press, we asked Tom to tell us what it would take to scale phage therapy. Read it here: asimov.press/p/scaling-phag…

The audio log you find in a trashed office in a sci-fi horror game:

The latest issue of The Biologist is out this weekend! Our cover feature is on the amazing diversity of killer whale cultures - from orca pods that help whalers to those that ram boats. Plus: Kevin Mitchell on free will and Athene Donald on how to get more women in science

Very nice to see Tom Ireland's THE GOOD VIRUS in The Times and The Sunday Times best science books of the year!

Woohoo!

In a shocking turn of events, some viruses are actually good for people. They can even help us *fight* disease. 🤯 Hear more about our unexpected allies on the SEASON FINALE of #Incubation with Jacob Goldstein, Ben Chan, and Tom Ireland: pushkin.fm/podcasts/incub…

Roughly half of the 2 million+ people in Gaza are under 18. Donate to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund:
pcrf.net

Nice to be asked by Shepherd.com 📚 to provide a book list for their interesting book-discovery website. I chose to do my top 5 'science books about way more than science', with books by authors including Will Storr and Mark O’Connell
shepherd.com/best-books/sci…

'One of the best books of any genre that I've read in 2023, this superbly-written book ... will fascinate absolutely everyone' says Forbes

I don't think quotes come better than this... This book has had the most outstanding reviews I have ever seen. Congrats Tom Ireland 🌟

Basically the only bit of good news I’ve heard from the UK government in months, and it’s them undoing a stupid mistake they made

The US edition of THE GOOD VIRUS (featuring two very friendly #phages having a cuddle) looks great!

It's available from all good North American booksellers from tomorrow!
wwnorton.com/books/97813240…

Lovely detailed reviews in Science Magazine and The Wall Street Journal this week, ahead of the publication of THE GOOD VIRUS in the US next week! #phages

My review in Science Magazine of The Good Virus Tom Ireland published by W. W. Norton & Company represented by Peter Tallack Curious Minds detailing the intriguing story of #bacteriophage therapy to treat #antibiotic -resistant microbes Phage Directory International Bacteriophage Research Consortium

As I stumbled into bed last night, my wife asked me how the cricket was. 'It was like being in heaven', I apparently said, sozzled. But it really was!

The Telegraph really likes my book. amazon.co.uk/Good-Virus-Unt…

I had lots of fun appearing on the latest 5 Live Science / The Naked Scientists pod. Talking about phages, of course, but also radiation-loving fungi, hot chillis, and tiny space helmets for mice...
bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0f…

'Original, eye-opening and grippingly told.' More praise for The Good Virus, this time from New Scientist
newscientist.com/article/mg2583…