Nancy Shute

Editor in Chief

Nancy Shute joined the staff in February 2018 as the editor in chief of Science News. Shute is a science journalist in print, digital and broadcast, and a lecturer and trainer in science writing and multimedia journalism.  She is a past president of the National Association of Science Writers, the United States’ largest and oldest science writing membership organization. Before joining Science News, Shute was cohost of NPR’s health blog, Shots, and contributed news coverage and radio features to NPR’s All Things Considered and Morning Edition.  She also has written for national publications, including National Geographic and Scientific American. While serving as assistant managing editor at U.S. News & World Report, Shute led the magazine’s award-winning coverage of science and technology.  As a senior writer for U.S. News, she led group investigations and reporting projects, and authored dozens of cover stories. Shute trains journalists and scientists in the uses of social media and other new media technologies. She taught science writing at Johns Hopkins University’s Advanced Academic Programs. Additionally, Shute has been a science writer in residence at the University of Wisconsin, and guest lecturer at major universities, including Columbia, NYU, the University of Maryland, Georgetown and the University of California, Santa Cruz.

All Stories by Nancy Shute

  1. Good with tools? You may be a cockatoo

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute talks about smart animals, from tool-using cockatoos to "self-aware" fish.

  2. How the science of rocks is like the science of humans

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute examines how a simple question can lead to a complex search for answers in both geology and human psychology.

  3. So much is lost when fossil treasures go private

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute discusses how science and the public lose when fossils are privately sold.

  4. Yes, we can meet the climate change challenge

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute discusses the first installment of our new climate change solutions series.

  5. Seeking the elements that make modern life possible

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute discusses the importance of rare earth elements to society.

  6. This was a year of both triumphs and challenges

    Science News editor in chief Nancy Shute reviews the scientific advancements from the past year.

  7. Farewell to one of the greats of Science News

    Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses the legacy of former Science News editor Kendrick Frazier.

  8. Forever chemicals’ health risks are getting attention

    Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses the health dangers of PFAS chemicals with freelance journalist Melba Newsome.

  9. Long COVID brings another huge challenge to science

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute discusses the challenges of long COVID and what it takes to report on it.

  10. Next-gen science as told by next-gen journalists

    With the release of Science News' "SN 10: Scientists to Watch" list, editor in chief Nancy Shute discusses the bright future of science and science journalism.

  11. So much of science is looking and seeing

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute discusses the marvels of looking and seeing in science, from peeks into outer space to 3-D visualizations of protein structures.

  12. Science is global, so our coverage should be too

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute discusses Science News' efforts to report on science happening around the globe