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. Physics

    Scientists Say: Velocity

    Velocity is more than speed. It is both speed and the direction in which an object is traveling.

  2. Tech

    Let’s learn about virtual reality

    Scientists use virtual reality to build new games and to help people fight their fears.

  3. Health & Medicine

    Scientists Say: Apoptosis

    When it’s time for cells to die, they need to do it carefully, so they don’t harm other cells.

  4. Health & Medicine

    Scientists Say: Puberty

    Puberty is a time when hormones surge and people develop the ability to have children. But it’s so much more than that.

  5. Genetics

    Scientists Say: Evolution

    Evolution is how species change over time. Individuals in the group vary, and some will pass on their genes. Over time, the whole species changes.

  6. Planets

    Let’s learn about Mars

    Traveling to Mars offers many challenges, including life without gravity, cosmic rays and communication delays.

  7. Microbes

    Scientists Say: Nucleus

    Nucleus comes from the Latin term “nuc,” meaning nut or kernel. In science there are lots of nuclei. Every one of them is the center of something.

  8. Earth

    Scientists Say: Earthquake

    An earthquake is a sudden and sometimes violent shaking of the ground.

  9. Plants

    Explainer: How photosynthesis works

    Plants can take in light, water and carbon dioxide, and send out sugar and oxygen. Here’s how it works.

  10. Plants

    Here’s how giant pumpkins get so big

    Cinderella took a ride in a pumpkin coach. Though real pumpkins do get big enough, here’s why their ride would be uncomfortable at best.

  11. Climate

    Let’s learn about solar power

    Solar power is a way to harness energy from the sun, and lessen our reliance on fossil fuels.

  12. Health & Medicine

    Scientists Say: Narcotic

    Scientists refer to a narcotic as a drug that stops pain, but the word can be used in other ways as well.