2024 – Sydney Morning Herald Best Reads of 2024 – Nine Minds
2024 – Waterstones Best Popular Science Books of 2024 – Nine Minds
2023 – Honorary doctorate (Open University)
2020 – Le Monde bestseller – Fragments de paradis
2020 – Prix de la liberté intérieure, finalist – Fragments de paradis
2017 – New Zealand Listener 100 Best Books of 2017 – Every Word is a Bird We Teach to Sing
2017 – Booklist Editors’ Choice (Arts and Literature) for Every Word is a Bird We Teach to Sing
2016 – Prix Tangente des lycéens, finalist – Thinking in Numbers
2013 – Der Spiegel bestseller – Thinking in Numbers
2013 – Le Monde bestseller – Thinking in Numbers
2013 – US National Indie bestseller – Thinking in Numbers
2013 – The Marginalian 13 Best Science and Technology Books of 2013 – Thinking in Numbers
2012 – Sunday Times bestseller – Thinking in Numbers
2012 – Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)
2010 – L’Express best-seller de l’année 2009 – Embracing the Wide Sky
2009 – Le Monde bestseller – Embracing the Wide Sky
2008 – American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults for Born on a Blue Day
2007 – The Guardian readers’ Best Books of 2007 – Born on a Blue Day
2007 – Le Monde bestseller – Born on a Blue Day
2007 – New York Times bestseller – Born on a Blue Day
2007 – Booklist Editors’ Choice (Biography) for Born on a Blue Day
2006 – Sunday Times bestseller – Born on a Blue Day