Have you ever thought about how strange everything is? No, but really something happens in January

when it still feels like last year, but it's suddenly this year and it always makes me ask, what are we transitioning into? What have we transitioned from?

I'm Bree Kane, a member of Scientific Americans, editorial team, and resident reader.

Today I'm sharing a conversation with Nell Greenfield Boys,

author of Transient and Strange. I asked her about this new intimate collection of

essays she's written about the science that helps contextualize her life and all of our lives for that matter.

The essays range from why fleas have sexy poems written about them to how Mecca inspire

touchable moonstones oceans away to even how all of this is tiny but still meaningful

when you remember just how big, time, and space really are.

You're listening to science quickly. You might recognize Nell's voice. She's been

an NPR science correspondent for a while. You may also recognize the title of

her new book from a Walt Whitman poem called Year of Meteor's.

For those of you who are poetry, aficionados, or fans of Meter, our poetry column,

Year of Meteor's ends with Whitman talking to time and space itself about the new year he finds himself in,

and how strange it is to see your own self in the brief and beautiful years coming and going.

He's asking a similar question to what Nell asks herself

and asks the readers of her book. What are we doing here? What am I transitioning to or out of?

What have I learned along the way? Although my conversation with Nell took place a few weeks ago, I'm still thinking about it. This one is not for the faint of heart, but it is for those looking around wondering what strange new year and life is on the horizon.

Thank you so much for joining me today now.

When I first read the book, I was struck by how much I learned from a short collection of essays

I wanted to ask you about the touchable space rock and your connection to it I've never heard of this before.

So it's here in the city where I live Washington DC the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

...