The sun is shining on Science News this week. In Albuquerque, the Solar Physics Division of the American Astronomical Society has awarded its 2002 Popular Writing Award for journalists to Ron Cowen and Sid Perkins for a two-part series in Science News.
Ron’s article “Stormy Weather” (SN: 1/13/01, p. 26) focuses on cyclic variations in the sun’s activity and describes solar storms, which can disrupt communications and power networks on Earth, threaten high-altitude flight crews, and cause the beautiful aurora. Ron has written about astronomy for Science News for more than 11 years.
In “Pinning Down the Sun-Climate Connection” (SN: 1/20/01, p. 45), Sid tackles the difficult task of disentangling solar and earthly effects on Earth’s climate, addressing phenomena–temperature, rainfall, forest fires, and hurricanes–that seem to follow the sun’s 11-year activity cycle. Sid has covered earth sciences for Science News for 2 years.
