Kathryn Hulick

Freelance Writer

Kathryn Hulick is a freelance science journalist and author. Her book Welcome to the Future: Robot Friends, Fusion Energy, Pet Dinosaurs and More explores how technology could change the world in the future. Strange But True: 10 of the World's Greatest Mysteries Explained reveals the real science behind paranormal mysteries, including ghosts, aliens and sea monsters. Hulick also writes regularly for Science News Explores, Muse magazine and Front Vision magazine. Her favorite part of writing about science is getting to speak with researchers in many different fields. She especially loves learning about plants and animals, artificial intelligence, outer space, new energy sources and robots. Once, she spoke with an expert on parallel universes while he was shoveling snow from his driveway. Hulick lives in Massachusetts with her family and many house plants. She enjoys hiking and exploring nature as well as drawing and painting.

All Stories by Kathryn Hulick

  1. Health & Medicine

    Discovering the power of placebos

    If you take a fake pill and expect to feel better, you may. Researchers are learning how this placebo effect works and how to use it to help patients.

  2. Tech

    New robots can clean virus-laden surfaces so people won’t have to

    Smart and nimble cleaning robots will soon help disinfect spaces. They twist and bend to hit hard-to-reach spaces with UV light or cleansing sprays.

  3. Materials Science

    New device gets power from 5G signals grabbed from the air

    A new way to harvest electricity relies on a tiny array of antennas and a lens. Together, they collect and focus 5G signals coming from any direction.

  4. Physics

    Light levitation might help explore Earth’s ‘ignorosphere’

    A toy called a light mill inspired researchers to invent a new way to fly. They’re using light to levitate small nanotube-coated discs.

  5. Tech

    5G promises new energy savings for digital tech

    A new way to transmit wireless communications promises time and energy savings by using networks of smaller cells.

  6. Tech

    Greening your digital life

    The less electricity you use while playing video games or using your devices, the less impact you’ll have on climate change.

  7. Tech

    Training AI to be really smart poses risks to climate

    As artificial intelligence models grow larger and consume more energy, experts have begun to worry about their impact on Earth’s climate.

  8. Math

    What the mummy’s curse reveals about your brain

    A man died soon after opening a mummy’s tomb. But don’t assume the mummy killed him. Statistics help explain why coincidences may not be meaningful.

  9. Tech

    Bye-bye batteries? Power a phone with fabric or a beacon with sound

    New piezoelectric systems produce electricity in unusual ways, such as when a certain nylon bends or underwater ceramics vibrate.

  10. Tech

    New device tells smiles from frowns — even through a mask

    Most facial-recognition software has to see the whole face to work. The new type can reconstruct an entire expression from just viewing your cheeks.

  11. Tech

    Ordinary paper turns into flexible human-powered keypad

    Engineers have figured out how to turn sheets of paper into rugged, low-cost electronic devices, such as a computer keypad.

  12. Psychology

    You should guess answers to your homework before searching online

    Over a span of 11 years, an increasing share of students performed more poorly on exams than on their homework. Online homework help may explain why.