Klein was born in Munich, Germany. Both his parents were chemists and had immigrated from Austria; their ancestors had been scientists for three generations. 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 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.

He was awarded the Georg von Holtzbrinck Preis, a prestigious German prize for science writing in 1998.

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. Happiness is explained as an automatic signal the brain uses to mark situations that promise 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 Happines 'an extremely well-written, easy-to-read and expertly researched book on a theme which has long been begging for pop-science treatment'.

It 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. It 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 English 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 English 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 English language media such as the New York Times

and [[Nature Magazine|Nature]]  .

Klein lives in Berlin. He is married and has two daughters.

English

• The Science of Happiness, Marlowe 2006, ISBN 1-56924-328-X
• The Secret Pulse of Time, Marlowe 2007, ISBN 1-60094-017-X
• Published in Paperback as Time: A User's Guide, Penguin 2008, ISBN 0-14103-463-7

German

• Die Tagebücher der Schöpfung, dtv: Munich 2000 ISBN 3-423-34154-8
• Die Glücksformel, Rowohlt: Reinbek 2002 ISBN 3-498-03509-6
• Alles Zufall, Rowohlt: Reinbek 2004 ISBN 3-498-03519-3
• Zeit, S.Fischer: Frankfurt 2006 ISBN 3-10-039610-3
• Da Vincis Vermächtnis oder Wie Leonardo die Welt neu erfand. Frankfurt 2008, ISBN 978-3100396129

Other Languages

Translations are listed at Stefan Klein's Website