kissing platypuses

Pleased to report that the German paperback edition of my collection of crazy sexy and cool science stories, The birds, the bees, and the platypuses, will appear on February 23rd and can be pre-ordered from Amazon.de. It has kept the lovely cover design of the original hardback:




This is published on the same day as my really new book, 9 Millionen Fahrräder am Rande des Universums. Two new books in a day, I like the sound of that. Plus there is a third one scheduled for later this year, watch this space.

how many kisses

For anybody who spends some time in France, of course, the deepest of all mysteries is: how many kisses am I supposed to exchange on greeting someone?

Now, at last, there is at least a geographical map, showing the preferred number of kisses for each departement. There are of course additional levels of complexity (according to social factors, occasion, time, fashion, sheer random chaos ... ) but this map is a start. Wonder how long it takes before it is reprinted in the guidebooks.

I tend to do two, and rely on people to tell me if they need more :)

I found this link in an amusing Guardian feature about how Brits struggle with the shift towards more intimate greetings ...