Stephen Ornes

Freelance Writer

Stephen Ornes has been writing for Science News Explores since 2008, and his 2014 story "Where Will Lightning Strike?" won an AAAS/Kavli Gold Award. He lives in Nashville, Tenn., and he has three children, who are inventing their own language. His family has a cat, six chickens, and two rabbits, but he secretly thinks hagfish are the most fascinating animals. Stephen has written two books. One is a biography of mathematician Sophie Germain, who was born during the French Revolution. The other, which was published in 2019, features art inspired by math. Visit him online at stephenornes.com.

All Stories by Stephen Ornes

  1. Physics

    Breaking the universal speed limit

    Particles appear to race faster than the speed of light.

  2. Environment

    Cleaning clothes dirties oceans

    Washing polyester fabrics sends plastics to sea.

  3. Planets

    Double sunsets on a distant world

    Astronomers discover for the first time a planet circling two stars.

  4. Tech

    Cars of the future

    New cars will be smarter, safer, more efficient — and able to drive themselves.

  5. Humans

    Old bones ignite fresh debate

    Scientists try to understand how 2 million-year-old fossils fit among ancient species.

  6. Animals

    Glow kitties

    Cats light up when an experiment is successful.

  7. Space

    Wanted: Garbage collectors in space

    Scientists say we should clean up the cosmos now to avoid crashes in the future.

  8. Tech

    A greener way to keep flames away

    Scientists use safer materials to create a new flame retardant.

  9. Space

    Fireworks near the Big Dipper

    Astronomers see a star as it explodes.

  10. Animals

    An energy lesson from panda poop

    Scientists say microbes in panda feces may help convert grasses into fuel.

  11. Animals

    An elephant’s “aha!” moment

    A young elephant named Kandula passes a tricky test.

  12. Planets

    Possible new saltwater stains on Mars

    Dark streaks that grow in spring, fade in winter may point to saltwater on the Red Planet.