| 2025 | Replaceable You | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Nonfiction | |
| 2025 | Replaceable You | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · 100 Must-Read | |
| 2025 | Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Must-Read Books: Nonfiction | |
| 2025 | Replaceable You | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2025 | Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Our Favorite Books | |
| 2025 | Replaceable You | Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Science | |
| 2025 | Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy | Library Journal Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Science & Technology | |
| 2025 | Replaceable You | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 20 | |
| 2022 | Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Nonfiction | |
| 2022 | Packing for Mars for Kids | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Informational Books for Older Readers | |
| 2021 | Fuzz | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Nonfiction | |
| 2021 | Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2021 | Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law | New York Public Library Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books for Adults | |
| 2021 | Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2021 | Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2021 | Fuzz | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2021 | Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2021 | Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law | Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Science | |
| 2021 | Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law | Library Journal Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Science & Technology | |
| 2017 | Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Nonfiction | |
| 2016 | Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War | Los Angeles Times Book Prizes source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Science & Technology | |
| 2016 | Grunt | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Science & Technology | |
| 2016 | Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2016 | Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War | Library Journal Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Science & Technology | |
| 2014 | Gulp | Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Science Book | |
| 2014 | Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Nonfiction | |
| 2013 | Gulp | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Nonfiction | |
| 2013 | Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult Books: Science | |
| 2013 | Gulp | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2013 | Gulp | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2013 | Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2013 | Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Nonfiction | |
| 2010 | Packing for Mars | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2010 | Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 100 | |
| 2008 | Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult | |
| 2008 | Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult Books: Science | |
| 2006 | Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife | Macavity Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Best Nonfiction/Critical | |