Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law

Mary Roach (1959-) graduated from Wesleyan University with a degree in psychology, not journalism or a science field, as some may think based on her books. She began her writing career at the San Francisco Zoological Society, writing press releases and freelance articles for various publications, including National Geographic, Wired, Outside Magazine, and Vogue. She is known for her popular science writing, which is often infused with humor; however, being a science writer was not her ambition. She states that “science stories were always, consistently, the most interesting stories I was assigned to cover,” and that it’s “like being in continuing education classes all the time. You’re always learning something new” (Drummond, Katie. “Science Writer Mary Roach: ‘Everything I Learn Is Pretty Shocking and Weird.’” The Verge, 17 Apr. 2013). Her lack of a science background in some ways makes her a good interviewer, as she asks basic questions in order to get a grounding in the subject. Without needing to keep herself out of the story, as one might with journalism or scientific writing, Roach can remark on the ridiculous, ironic, disgusting, or odd in her findings—and her research exposes her to unusual experiences. For Fuzz, she attended a training on how to identify whether someone was mauled by a bear versus a cougar.