Wild about science

'I Studied physics and English literature because I wanted to make myself unemployable," Sarah Wild joked at the launch of her book, Searching African Skies.

Sitting next to her on the podium at the SciBono centre in Johannesburg, Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor laughed.

Cabinet ministers rarely attend book launches, but Wild - Business Day's exuberant science and technology correspondent - is doing something few people, including the minister responsible for the industry, can do: she is making science sexy.

Wild laughs at this suggestion.

"Science is already sexy. It's just about communicating it and making it accessible, helping people realise how it is changing and will change their lives."

Searching African Skies tells the story of South Africa's successful bid for the Square Kilometre Array. But Wild weaves local folk tales into her book, creating a heady mix of stories that are eminently readable.

Her boyfriend suggested she write a book.

"It began percolating and I realised that I was at the right place at the right time: I was a science journalist with a background in radio astronomy, and there was this incredible science experiment that may or may not be happening in my backyard. And I wanted to tell people about it - in my voice, my style, the way that I thought it should be told."

While she was in Canada last year for the final SKA Organisation members' meeting before the site decision, someone said to her: "You guys in South Africa, you're so lucky. You have stars and dinosaurs. Every child is interested in stars and dinosaurs!"

But she thought: "What about adults? What about people in my age group, or my mom's age group, who aren't stupid, but want to know about science?"

There is a wider context to it too.

"People often ask where the good news is in South Africa. To my mind, good news can be found in science journalism - people using science to find solutions to problems in energy, health, communications, agriculture, or becoming excited and curious about the world. So, as I said, science is already sexy - it's just about telling people."

And tell them she has. Beautifully.

• 'Searching for African Skies' is published by Jacana Books and available from Exclusive Books for R226. Disclosure: Shapshak contributed a chapter to the book

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