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. The Mentos geyser: From demo to real science

    It’s fun to make geysers with candy and soda. But it’s not an experiment. Here’s how to make it one.

  2. Physics

    Scientists Say: Quantum

    Quantum seems like a very complex word. But really, it’s a term used for something very, very small.

  3. Physics

    Scientists Say: Viscosity

    We know some liquids are thick and some are thin. This week’s word describes the property of these liquids to resist tension or pressure.

  4. Physics

    Scientists Say: Torque

    Some forces pull and some push. This force produces turning or twisting.

  5. Oops. Correcting scientific errors

    Scientific research is performed by people, and those people sometimes make mistakes they need to correct. Here’s a new example: Think of it as the “Case of the "Plagued Subway."

  6. Science & Society

    Scientists Say: Social

    Social is a single word used in many ways. But whether it’s social media or social order, social describes how we interact.

  7. Genetics

    Scientists Say: Loci

    The DNA in our bodies contains thousands of genes, all with different functions. We use a special word for their location.

  8. Some everyday objects change everything

    Refrigerators, deodorants, toasters and clothing. Often we give little thought to think these commonplace objects. A new museum exhibit shows why we should.

  9. Genetics

    Scientists Say: Allele

    What makes your eyes green or brown? Different versions of the same gene. We call these alternative forms by a separate name.

  10. Climate

    Scientists Say: Cyclone

    These strong storms have different names in different oceans. But all are cyclones.

  11. Cookie Science 18: Eating it up

    My cookie baking is at an end, but the steps in Cookie Science can be used to help you conduct any experiment in the kitchen and beyond.

  12. Fall into science with a new podcast

    There are science shows and science books and science games for kids. Now there’s also an engaging science podcast.