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Bethany Brookshire was a longtime staff writer at Science News Explores and is the author of the book Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains. She has a B.S. in biology and a B.A. in philosophy from The College of William and Mary, and a Ph.D. in physiology and pharmacology from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She was a 2019-2020 Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT, the winner of the Society for Neuroscience Next Generation Award and the Three Quarks Daily Science Writing Award, among others.
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All Stories by Bethany Brookshire
- Genetics
Scientists Say: Evolution
Evolution is how species change over time. Individuals in the group vary, and some will pass on their genes. Over time, the whole species changes.
- Planets
Let’s learn about Mars
Traveling to Mars offers many challenges, including life without gravity, cosmic rays and communication delays.
- Microbes
Scientists Say: Nucleus
Nucleus comes from the Latin term “nuc,” meaning nut or kernel. In science there are lots of nuclei. Every one of them is the center of something.
- Earth
Scientists Say: Earthquake
An earthquake is a sudden and sometimes violent shaking of the ground.
- Plants
Explainer: How photosynthesis works
Plants can take in light, water and carbon dioxide, and send out sugar and oxygen. Here’s how it works.
- Plants
Here’s how giant pumpkins get so big
Cinderella took a ride in a pumpkin coach. Though real pumpkins do get big enough, here’s why their ride would be uncomfortable at best.
- Climate
Let’s learn about solar power
Solar power is a way to harness energy from the sun, and lessen our reliance on fossil fuels.
- Health & Medicine
Scientists Say: Narcotic
Scientists refer to a narcotic as a drug that stops pain, but the word can be used in other ways as well.
- Climate
Student scientists work to help all of us survive a warmer world
From glaciers in the refrigerator to a rover in the field, here’s how young scientists are looking to help us adapt to climate change.
- Space
Scientists Say: Gravity
Gravity is a fundamental force that attracts objects with mass to other objects with mass. It decreases with distance.
- Health & Medicine
Let’s learn about bones
Bones hold us up and help us fight gravity with every step. They also make blood cells, hormones and more.
- Ecosystems
Scientists Say: Desert
Deserts are ecosystems that get less than 250 millimeters (10 inches) of precipitation per year.