Lisa Grossman

Astronomy Writer, Science News

Lisa Grossman is the astronomy writer for Science News. Previously she was a news editor at New Scientist, where she ran the physical sciences section of the magazine for three years. Before that, she spent three years at New Scientist as a reporter, covering space, physics and astronomy. She has a degree in astronomy from Cornell University and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Lisa was a finalist for the AGU David Perlman Award for Excellence in Science Journalism, and received the Institute of Physics/Science and Technology Facilities Council physics writing award and the AAS Solar Physics Division Popular Writing Award. She interned at Science News in 2009-2010.

All Stories by Lisa Grossman

  1. Planets

    Physics Nobel rewards discoveries on cosmic evolution and exoplanets

    This trio of scientists helped figure out the makeup of our universe. Two of them also identified the first known exoplanet orbiting a sunlike star.

  2. Planets

    Students help name 5 of Jupiter’s newly discovered moons

    Astronomers announced discovering 12 new moons of Jupiter in July 2018. Five of them now just been named for goddesses and spirits of Greek and Roman mythology.

  3. Planets

    Welcome to moon rock central

    A Science News reporter’s visit to NASA’s moon-rock lab shows the hyper-pristine conditions in which these rocks are kept — and why that’s so important.

  4. Physics

    If dark matter particles could kill us, they would have already

    Dark matter is a mysterious substance. The fact that no one has been killed by it suggests it is relatively small and light.

  5. Planets

    What do you call a moon that escapes its planet? A ‘ploonet’

    Giant planets in other star systems might lose their moons, creating new planets. And if moons do go rogue, current telescopes may be able to find them.

  6. Space

    Caught: A ghost galaxy that may have hit ours long ago

    Astronomers think they’ve found a galaxy that hit the Milky Way. The collision took place millions of years ago, leaving ripples in our galaxy.

  7. Physics

    Meteorites may be excavating lunar water

    When meteorites hit the moon, water is released from the moon’s soil. That suggests the moon has water buried all across its surface.

  8. Space

    Some dust in Earth’s atmosphere may hail from beyond Neptune

    Bits of space debris in Earth’s atmosphere may come from the Kuiper Belt. This zone of dust and ice sits just beyond Neptune.

  9. Physics

    Here’s the first picture of a black hole

    The Event Horizon Telescope imaged the supermassive beast lying some 55 million light-years away in a galaxy called M87.

  10. Space

    Caught on camera: A small rock hit the moon

    Photographers documented a rocky impact during January’s total lunar eclipse.

  11. Space

    There’s a snowman in space

    The New Horizons spacecraft snapped pics of the space rock on New Year’s Day.

  12. Space

    China landed a spacecraft on the far side of the moon

    China just brought down a lander and rover on the far side of the moon. Let the science begin!