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. When a naked mole-rat meets a sneaky sea worm

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute discusses how stories make it into the news section of Science News magazine.

  2. Should corporations get access to our brains?

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute reflects on how reader feedback shaped the cover story about privacy and neurotechnology. She also highlights the next theme in our Century of Science project.

  3. When data shed light on societal challenges

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute reflects on how data can shed light on societal challenges. She also discusses how pandemic conditions can lead to vulnerability to conspiracy theories and misinformation.

  4. For 100 years, bringing you the latest in science

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute reflects on a century of science news as the 100th anniversary of Science News arrives.

  5. After a year like no other, new challenges and hope

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute reflects on covering COVID-19, the things we've learned along the way, and some of the stories that sparked joy this year.

  6. Amid winter’s darkness, flashes of brilliance

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute writes about the celestial conundrums of the Geminids meteor shower, the dimming of Betelgeuse and STEVE (the sky glow that is not an aurora).

  7. With a pandemic, impatience can be deadly

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute writes about pandemic fatigue and the importance of patience in the face of uncertainty.

  8. In praise of serendipity — and scientific obsession

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute writes about the role of serendipity and scientific obsession played in this month's feature stories.

  9. Seeing a bright future for science in these innovators

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute writes about the process of finding and profiling the scientists who make up the SN10.

  10. When the human body outwits a deadly virus

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute writes about triumphs of the human immune system over HIV.

  11. Where do we draw the line between life and death?

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute writes about the challenges of defining brain death and the first GM mosquitoes in the United States.

  12. When science doesn’t yet have the answers

    Editor in chief Nancy Shute writes about going back to school in the midst of a pandemic.