McKenzie Prillaman

Staff Writer, Life Sciences

McKenzie Prillaman is a science and health journalist based in Washington, DC, who interned at Science News in spring 2023. She holds a degree in neuroscience from the University of Virginia and studied adolescent nicotine dependence at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. After figuring out she’d rather explain scientific research than conduct it, she worked at the American Association for the Advancement of Science and then earned a master’s degree in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her work has appeared in Nature, Scientific American, The Cancer Letter and The Mercury News, among other publications.

All Stories by McKenzie Prillaman

  1. Plants

    Watch live plant cells build their cell walls

    Imaging wall-less plant cells every six minutes for 24 hours revealed how the cells build their protective barriers.

  2. Animals

    Gray seals may sense their own blood oxygen levels

    The seals’ ability to detect the amount of oxygen in their blood may help them make diving decisions and avoid drowning.

  3. Space

    Two astronauts stuck in space for 9 months have returned to Earth

    Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore’s extended stay in the International Space Station will add to what we know about how space affects health.

  4. Health & Medicine

    Measles is spreading. Here’s what experts say you should know

    The uptick in measles cases has left many people wondering about early signs of measles, whether they need an updated vaccine and treatment options.

  5. Animals

    Narwhals may use their iconic tusks to play

    Videos show narwhals using their tusks in several ways, including prodding and flipping a fish. It’s the first reported evidence of the whales playing.

  6. Neuroscience

    Parenthood may help the brain stay young

    A study of nearly 38,000 adults shows that the number of kids correlates with coordination of brain regions’ activities — regardless of parents’ sex.

  7. Science & Society

    5 years after COVID-19 became a pandemic, are we ready for what’s next?

    We’ve learned a lot about COVID-19 over the last five years, but big questions remain. Recent federal actions may hinder the disease’s management.

  8. Health & Medicine

    These scientists have a plan to demystify the vaginal microbiome

    Vaginal microbes play a huge role in overall health, but researchers know relatively little about them. Citizen science could help change that.

  9. Science & Society

    Fired federal workers share the crucial jobs no longer being done

    Thousands of probationary federal employees received termination notices. Many were doing crucial work at science-related agencies.

  10. Health & Medicine

    NIH research grant cuts could deal a biting blow to crucial support staff

    The funding agency aims to cap “indirect costs” in biomedical research grants. But this behind-the-scenes work is crucial to making research happen.

  11. Animals

    A fungus named after Sir David Attenborough zombifies cave spiders

    The new fungus species Gibellula attenboroughii forces reclusive cave spiders to exposed areas, likely to benefit spore dispersal.

  12. Animals

    Cuttlefish ink may overwhelm sharks’ sense of smell

    The main component of common cuttlefish ink — melanin — strongly sticks to shark smell sensors, possibly explaining why the predators avoid ink.