Bruno J. Strasser’s The Mask shortlisted for Nature's best science writing 2025

We are delighted to share that The Mask: A History of Breathing Bad Air, co-authored by After the Single Use researcher Bruno J. Strasser, has been shortlisted for a leading science writing award. Published prior to our Wellcome Trust funding, the book has been praised for its richly illustrated, global history of respiratory masks and its timely reflections on how societies navigate risk, protection and public health.

As noted by Nature, the book is “engrossing” and reveals why masks continue to provoke debate across clinical, political, and everyday settings. The book’s exploration of how materials, risk, and public trust intersect offers valuable historical context for contemporary efforts to rethink the reliance on disposable products in healthcare.