Rachel Ehrenberg

Previously the interdisciplinary sciences and chemistry reporter and author of the Culture Beaker blog, Rachel has written about new explosives, the perils and promise of 3-D printing and how to detect corruption in networks of email correspondence. Rachel was a 2013-2014 Knight Science Journalism fellow at MIT. She has degrees in botany and political science from the University of Vermont and a master’s in evolutionary biology from the University of Michigan. She graduated from the science writing program at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

All Stories by Rachel Ehrenberg

  1. Music of the hemispheres

    Playing instruments gives brains a boost.

  2. Take two stanzas and call me in the morning

    From poets to politicians, people have long described music as medicine for the heart and soul. Now scientists are taking a literal look at such musings, investigating music as a means to alleviate pain and enhance recovery. Though some studies are still in the early stages, your favorite soundtrack may one day accompany a prescription. […]

  3. Ecosystems

    Gut first

    A crawling caterpillar’s gut moves forward before the rest of its body does.

  4. Chemistry

    Smelling the menu

    Mouse breath triggers special cells in the nose that help send a safe-to-eat message.

  5. Space

    The incredible shrinking proton

    If the subatomic particle really is smaller than thought, a cherished theory may need tweaking.

  6. Computing

    Machine versus manhole

    Computer scientists take on one of New York’s weirder quality-of-life issues: which will be the next to explode?

  7. Computing

    Circling the square

    The scientist who scanned the first digital image aims to smooth the pixel.

  8. Life

    Baby’s first bacteria depend on birth route

    C-section newborns may harbor fewer helpful microbes than infants born vaginally.

  9. The Truth Hurts

    Scientists question voice-based lie detection.

  10. Ecosystems

    Parasite brood gets help from nearby microbes

    A critical interaction between whipworm and E. coli suggests a new way to battle the common gut infection.

  11. Life

    Marine creature cooks up chemical defense from food

    The sea hare transforms a benign algal pigment into a noxious molecule to help ward off crabs and other predators, new studies show.

  12. Chemistry

    Vodka’s bonds may influence taste

    Differences in vodka brands reflect structural variations in cages of water molecules encasing ethanol, new research suggests.