The Color of North

An accessible look at some of the fascinating ways nature informs, and endlessly inspires, scientists. * Kirkus Reviews *Much of our perception of biology revolves around genes and DNA, which ignores the fact that genes code for proteins and that these proteins make life possible. The Color of North corrects this imbalance by taking us on a splendid voyage through the world of proteins and showing us the amazing range of things that proteins do—how they allow us to see, touch, smell, and even remember. This is done in a highly engaging form that interweaves the personal with the scientific. – Venki Ramakrishnan, Nobel laureate and author of Why We DieIn this highly readable and exciting book, Shahir Rizk and Maggie Fink have accomplished the miracle of making the invisible visible, and the inscrutable not only understandable but vividly dramatic. Proteins run our lives, and the lives of all the creatures around us. The Color of North takes us on a deep and extremely pleasurable dive into a subject that lies at the beating heart of animate creation. – Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an OctopusThe Color of North shines a brilliant light on the molecular magic underpinning life in all of its remarkable diversity—from the proteins that allow bacteria to thrive in boiling acid to those that give black mambas their deadly bite. Our increasing understanding of these essential building blocks of life is transforming medicine, agriculture, environmental science, and so much else. This book isn’t just a terrific read, it’s an essential primer on the past, present, and future of our living world. – Jamie Metzl, author of SuperconvergenceThis is biochemistry made engaging and personal. From a grandmother’s cooking in Egypt to a longhorn beetle’s survival in the Arctic cold, The Color of North reads like an illustrated travel journal. – Janelle Shane, author of You Look Like a Thing and I Love YouIt’s always a pleasure when science writing is personal, lyrical, and evocative. This deeply felt and well-researched love letter to proteins is great nerdy fun. – David J. Linden, author of UniqueThe Color of North is a whirlwind tour through the astounding universe of tiny molecular marvels we call proteins. Shahir Rizk and Maggie Fink vibrantly bring these discoveries to life and weave in personal stories to make this narrative as entertaining as it is enlightening. – Bill Sullivan, author of Pleased to Meet Me

Shahir S. Rizk is Associate Professor of Biochemistry at Indiana University South Bend and the Indiana University School of Medicine. The recipient of the Cottrell Scholar Award, he is an illustrator and poet whose work has appeared in Acorn, Modern Haiku, and Twyckenham Notes. He cohosts the podcast Rust Belt Science.

Maggie M. Fink is Adjunct Professor at Indiana University South Bend and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Notre Dame, where she divides her time between science communication and studying bacterial genetics. She is an artist and poet whose work has appeared in Landlocked Lyres and been featured in exhibits at the University of Notre Dame. She cohosts the podcast Rust Belt Science.