An Outsider's Guide to Humans

Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at age eight, Camilla Pang often felt like an outsider trying to decode the baffling behaviors of those around her. Lacking a manual for how to be human, she set out to create one—using the tools she knew best: science.

Now a biochemist with a PhD, Pang draws from molecular chemistry, physics, and machine learning to unravel the unspoken rules of human behavior. She examines everything from how we make decisions to how we handle conflict, form relationships, and navigate social etiquette—all through the lens of scientific thinking.

With clarity, warmth, and wit, Pang offers a refreshingly original take on life’s everyday interactions. Her outsider’s perspective becomes a brilliant mirror, helping readers reflect on the complexities of their own behavior and assumptions. This is both a scientific guide to social life and a deeply personal account of navigating the world on one’s own terms.

Insightful and unexpectedly moving, Explaining Humans shows us that understanding others starts with curiosity—and that science can illuminate even the most human of mysteries.