John Whitfield has a PhD in zoology from the University of Cambridge. In a 20-year career as a science journalist, he has written articles for Science, Scientific American, New Scientist, Slate and the London Review of Books. He has worked for six years at the journal Nature covering topics on evolution, ecology and conservation. John is the author of two popular science books, People Will Talk: The Surprising Science of Reputation and In the Beat of a Heart: Life, Energy and the Unity of Nature.