Sid Perkins
Freelance Writer
Sid is a freelance science journalist. He lives in Crossville, Tenn., with his wife, two dogs and three cats. He specializes in earth sciences and paleontology but often tackles topics such as astronomy, planetary science, materials science and engineering.
In 2009, Sid won the Award for Distinguished Science Journalism in the Atmospheric and Related Sciences from the American Meteorological Society. And in 2002, he shared the American Astronomical Society’s Solar Physics Division’s Award for Popular Writing on Solar Physics. Sid’s writing also appears in Science, Nature, Scientific American, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Science News.
All Stories by Sid Perkins
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Science & Society
Teen’s cancer research scores big at Intel ISEF competition
Seventeen teens grabbed top honors at the world’s premier high-school science competition. A 15-year old cancer researcher got to take home $75,000.
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Tech
The road less worn
Two teens have found a new use for old tires. By grinding them up and adding them to asphalt, the old rubber can create stronger, longer-lived roads. And the bonus: The process recycles tires that might otherwise have been burned, creating pollution.
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Tech
Fighting theater pirates
How can theaters thwart thieves from unlawfully recording a movie during a showing? A high-school freshman’s low-cost solution relies on simple physics.
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Climate
Arctic sends weird weather south
Arctic warming is affecting weather farther south, where most of the world lives. The impacts are especially worrisome for agriculture.
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Planets
Heavenly research
Groundbreaking research in astronomy landed four high school seniors spots as finalists in the 2014 Intel Science Talent Search.
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Computing
Teen wins $100,000 for flu advance
Forty talented high-school seniors competed in the 2014 Intel Science Talent Search this week, sharing $630,000 in prizes. Top prize went to a teen for his new approach to fighting flu.
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Fossils
Reviving dinosaurs
With the help of computers, researchers are getting a pretty good idea of how these ancient creatures moved, walked and ate.
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Earth
Mining metals amidst seafloor animals
Miners may need to get their feet — and everything else — wet as they carefully seek out loads of copper and other valuable natural resources.
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Environment
Does lightning sculpt mountains?
A new study sparks debate about how much rubble on a mountainside has been blasted loose by powerful bolts from the sky.
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Teen finalists selected in 2014 Intel STS competition
Forty high-school seniors learn they have been named finalists in the March Intel Science Talent Search competition.
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Computing
Wheelies: Computers help electric cars turn
Electric-car designers think they’ve found a way to replace the differential. Computer-controlled wheels and a bevy of electronic sensors now help take the place of old-school gears.
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Fossils
Early tyrannosaurs would have feared this predator
A newfound dinosaur fossil appears to explain why ancestors of T. rex didn’t begin their growth in size — and dominance — any earlier than they did.