Spectacular Snakes

Professor Tim Flannery is one of the world's leading scientists, explorers and conservationists. He has held positions in renowned institutions across Australia and internationally, including Director of the South Australian Museum, Visiting Chair in Australian Studies at Harvard University and Distinguished Research Fellow at the Australian Museum. He was named Australian of the Year in 2007. He has published more than thirty books, including the award-winning Here on Earth, The Weather Makers, Atmosphere of Hope and the best-selling Explore Your World series, many of which he co-wrote with his daughter Emma. He is a frequent presenter on ABC Radio, NPR and the BBC, and has also written and presented several series on the Documentary Channel.

Emma Flannery is a science communicator whose curiosity for the natural world has seen her travel and work in some of its most wild and interesting places. She has explored caves, forests and oceans across most of the globe's continents in search of the elusive fossils, animals and plants that help us understand our planet and who we are in it. With postgraduate experience in geology, chemistry and palaeontology, Emma's research and writing has been published in scientific journals, children's books and a number of museum-based adult education tours. She has worked for and with universities, government agencies and museums. She is the co-founder of Museophilliac, an independent curatorial service that has produced programs for the City of Sydney and the Australian Museum, with the aim of bringing science to life for a range of audiences. Her passion for science has an infectious and playful enthusiasm that inspires curiosity in children and adults alike.

Katie Melrose was born and raised along the Southern Californian coast where her love for art and reading was cultivated at a young age by her parents. After graduating with a BFA in illustration from California State University of Fullerton, she quickly delved into illustrating books. Katie is extremely bookish, getting through more than 100 books a year (shout out to audio books!). You'll mostly find her with a brush, but when she's without, she'll be in the kitchen, cooking up a storm and pretending she's a chef - perhaps her second greatest passion in life after illustration.