Janet Raloff

Janet Raloff

Editor, Digital, Science News Explores

Editor Janet Raloff has been a part of the Science News Media Group since 1977. While a staff writer at Science News, she covered the environment, toxicology, energy, science policy, agriculture and nutrition. She was among the first to give national visibility to such issues as electromagnetic pulse weaponry and hormone-mimicking pollutants, and was the first anywhere to report on the widespread tainting of streams and groundwater sources with pharmaceuticals. A founding board member of the Society of Environmental Journalists, her writing has won awards from groups including the National Association of Science Writers. In July 2007, while still writing for Science News, Janet took over Science News Explores (then known as Science News for Kids) as a part-time responsibility. Over the next six years, she expanded the magazine's depth, breadth and publication cycle. Since 2013, she also oversaw an expansion of its staffing from three part-timers to a full-time staff of four and a freelance staff of some 35 other writers and editors. Before joining Science News, Janet was managing editor of Energy Research Reports (outside Boston), a staff writer at Chemistry (an American Chemical Society magazine) and a writer/editor for Chicago's Adler Planetarium. Initially an astronomy major, she earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (with an elective major in physics).

All Stories by Janet Raloff

  1. Climate

    Eggs, Tea and Mr. IPCC

    Even jet-lagged, the world's lead climate negotiator took time out to brief a few reporters.

  2. Climate

    The News Climate

    Whether people choose to peruse news — and where — may explain what role science plays in shaping public opinion on global warming.

  3. Earth

    One Rockin’ Library

    This dusty library saves the geo-curious a trip to Antarctica.

  4. Climate

    Glacier melts are erasing climate record

    Featured blog: As glaciers continue to dry up, so does any hope of gleaning information from them about the past climate record.

  5. Astronomy

    On that ‘earmark’ for my favorite science center

    Featured blog: In the last debate, McCain denounced proposed federal spending on a multimillion dollar "overhead projector."

  6. Materials Science

    Material Scientists: Cast Your Vote

    You can vote early, if not officially.

  7. Health & Medicine

    Let’s Get Physical

    The feds articulate how much exercise we should consider as healthy.

  8. Humans

    Arctic warming chills interest in fishing

    Featured blog: An October 7 accord could put U.S. Arctic waters off-limits to fishing.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Smokers May Benefit from Red Wine

    Smokers: Red wine may be the prescription for you.

  10. Chemistry

    Trapping Compact Fluorescents’ Toxic Gas

    New nanomaterials may offer a solution to mopping up a toxic pollutant associated with fluorescent lighting.

  11. Chemistry

    Oops! A Fluorescent Light Breaks

    Toxic mercury will be released whenever a fluorescent lamp breaks.

  12. Chemistry

    Fluorescent bulbs offer mercury advantage

    Featured blog: Switching to light bulbs that contain mercury might, surprisingly, reduce overall mercury releases to the environment. Plus, what to do when you break your fluorescent bulb.