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. Environment

    Floor of Gulf got slimed

    Oil from BP spill was likely dragged down by bacterial goo.

  2. Animals

    Eating can be skin deep

    In the laboratory, bottom-dwelling hagfish absorb nutrients through the skin.

  3. Earth

    Quake leaves destruction, fear

    In Japan, an earthquake started a tsunami that caused a nuclear disaster.

  4. Animals

    There’s no ‘i’ in elephant

    These clever mammals may know when two trunks are better than one.

  5. Physics

    Like electricity, but magnetic

    Getting magnetic poles on the move makes a new kind of flow.

  6. Plants

    Carnivorous plants say ‘cheese’

    It took high-speed cameras to reveal how the bladderwort gets lunch.

  7. Microbes

    Life in the bacterial underground

    Tiny life forms in rock may coax minerals to release hydrogen for food.

  8. Health & Medicine

    Evolved to run

    Heel bones hint that humans could run farther than Neandertals.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Scientists help amputees by getting on their nerves

  10. Planets

    The growing planetary family

    At least 1,200 added to list of possible planets beyond the solar system.

  11. Health & Medicine

    Making snotty scents

    Mucus may play big role in the nose's job of smelling.

  12. Chemistry

    Like poison for phosphorus

    Scientists report finding bacterium that can live off arsenic.