Coauthored Book by Verena Winiwarter Named Austrian "Science Book of the Year"
28.01.2015
The book Geschichte unserer Umwelt: Sechzig Reisen durch die Zeit by RCC advisory board member Verena Winiwarter and Hans-Rudolf Bork has been named the Austrian Wissensschaftsbuch des Jahres (academic book of the year) for 2015 in the category Science and Technology. This award is given by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy (BMWFW) and the publisher Buchkultur to spotlight top German-language non-fiction titles. It is especially dedicated to encouraging dialogue between academics and the general public, encouraging books which present new, relevant research topics in a manner that is both engaging and readable.
Geschichte unserer Umwelt traces the history of human-environment interactions through 60 examples from the last thousand years. Richly illustrated with drawings, photos, and historical images, the book explores stories of natural disasters, plagues, industrialization and destruction of natural ecosystems—but also stories of how humans have shaped the world around them through agriculture and water regulation, developing sustainable forest management and creating gardens in deserts and meadows amid snow and ice.
For more information, visit the award homepage (in German) or read the prize committee's evaluation of the book (in German).