The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2025

<p><strong>Susan Orlean—the beloved <em>New Yorker</em> staff writer and the author of the <em>New York Times</em> bestsellers <em>Rin Tin Tin, The Orchid Thief,</em> and <em>On Animals</em>—selects twenty science and nature essays that represent the best examples of the form published in 2024.</strong></p><p>The Best American series, launched in 1915, is the premier annual showcase for the country’s finest short fiction and nonfiction, and it is the most respected—and most popular—of its kind.</p><p><em>New York Times</em> bestselling author Susan Orlean selects twenty pieces that represent the best science and nature writing published the previous year and explores our ever-changing world.</p>