Background
Klein was born in Munich, Germany.
Klein was born in Munich, Germany.
Klein studied physics and analytical philosophy at the University of Munich and Grenoble and graduated in theoretical biophysics at the University of Freiburg, Germany.
He is best known for his books The Science of Happiness and Time: A User"s Guide. He left his academic career to become science editor at Der Spiegel, a newsmagazine, in 1996, and made quickly made a name for himself through a series of ten highly regarded cover stories. After a stint at Geo, a popular scientific magazine, he has worked as a freelance author since 2000.
His 2002 book The Science of Happiness is a synthesis of findings from neuroscience, social psychology and philosophy on how positive emotions can arise in the human brain.
Klein explains Happiness as an automatic signal the brain uses to mark situations promising a benefit for the organism. As it is triggered when a given situation appears better relative to a previous state, no external conditions whatever can account for lasting happiness.
However, Klein believes subjective well-being can be raised by training the awareness for positive emotions when they are generated in the brain. Alison Abbott from Nature Magazine called The Science of Happiness "an extremely well-written, easy-to-read and expertly researched book on a theme which has long been begging for popular-science treatment".
lieutenant was on the German bestseller list for more than a year.
In The Secret Pulse of Time (2006), Klein explored the human capacity to perceive time. lieutenant describes most people"s constant difficulties in dealing efficiently with time as a consequence of the brain"s organisation: Awareness for time and the ability to follow one"s plans are functions of highly evolved and vulnerable cognitive mechanisms. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, a German national newspaper, characterized this book as "a protest against the deeply unfair fact that memorable time flies by whereas unbearable time stumbles".
Library Journal elected its translation as one of the best science books in 2007.
Klein has advocated for novel ways to communicate science. In his view, science should rather be told as stories rather than by teaching facts.
He also opposed the unique use of as a language of science and argued that it would be better to teach science in national languages. His essays were published by leading German newspapers and by various -language media such as the New York Times and Nature.
Klein lives in Berlin.
Survival of the Nicest, The Experiment 2014, German Die Tagebücher der Schöpfung, dtv: Munich 2000 Die Glücksformel, Rowohlt: Reinbek 2002 Alles Zufall, Rowohlt: Reinbek 2004 Zeit, South.Fischer: Frankfurt 2006 Da Vincis Vermächtnis oder Wie Leonardo die Welt neu erfand. Frankfurt 2008, Other Languages Translations are listed at Stefan Klein"s Website.