Once again, an eclectic collection of science writing. This year's was a little less climate change focused, although James Purtill's bleakly short "Western Australia had its hottest summer ever, but climate change barely made the news" may be partly why science writers are no longer motivated to write pieces they feel will exhaust them with misery and disappear without a trace.
But some of the 'lighter'pieces here are really interesting - Belinda Smith on how chip flavours are made; Bianca Nogrady on how coffee flavours are made and perhaps the best "how it is done"piece, Matthew Ward Agius on solar challenges and what they are really achieving.
Others cover work that gives you hope, especially India Shackleford on Indigiemogis and language revival. And there are a few nicely thoughtprovoking big picture pieces, including Tabitah Carvan on how the wild creates our home.