Bethany Brookshire

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.

All Stories by Bethany Brookshire

  1. Teen invents a better tent to beat fire’s heat

    Firefighters can die fighting wildfires. A teen decided to make a better shelter to keep those heroes safe from approaching flames.

  2. Cooking up a Broadcom win

    Students who improved microwave ovens and built calculating apps took home big awards at the 2015 Broadcom MASTERS.

  3. Student devises test to catch cheaters

    Determined to reveal academic dishonesty at her school, one teen used classmates to probe when they cheat.

  4. My favorite field of science is…

    What is your favorite subject in science, technology, engineering and math? These students share why they love physics, technology, biology and more.

  5. Chemistry

    A teen turns an autumn chore into a science project

    Many scientists are trying to turn plants into a renewable fuel. One teen decided to help, by extracting sugars from the dead leaves on his lawn.

  6. Materials Science

    Scientists Say: Kevlar

    Many people hear Kevlar and think of body armor. But this polymer is in so much more.

  7. Annoying those who bathe too long cuts shower waste

    Showering too long can waste a lot of water. This teen rigged up a system to irritate people who linger.

  8. Competition seeks students’ bright ideas

    The best way to learn how light can affect sleep is through research. A new competition offers middle-school students the opportunity to learn — and win cash prizes.

  9. Plants

    Scientists Say: Urushiol

    Poison ivy looks harmless, but its oil, urushiol, is not. This is the plant’s oil that leaves an itchy rash or blisters on your skin.

  10. Animals

    Weed killers may go from plant to pooch

    Dogs love to roll around in the grass. But if there is weed killer around, it could end up on — and in — our furry pals.

  11. ‘Good Thinking’ series helps teachers fight learning myths

    Teaching science concepts can be tough on educators. A new video series helps dispel myths and provides science-based teaching methods.

  12. Health & Medicine

    Scientists Say: Virulence

    The virulence of a germ is a measure of its potential to cause disease.