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. Chemistry

    Earth’s ‘boring billion’ years blamed on sulfur-loving microbes

    A new study suggests these organisms could have kept oxygen levels low and waters toxic, stalling the evolution of complex life.

  2. Life

    Enter the Virosphere

    As evidence of the influence of viruses escalates, appreciation of these master manipulators grows.

  3. Chemistry

    The element tin does what carbon will not

    New bonding suggests scientists may need to rethink heavy metal chemistry.

  4. Ecosystems

    Eels on the move

    Study tracks European eels for the first 1,300 kilometers of their migration.

  5. Chemistry

    Changing charges make for squid rainbow

    Study finds how proteins self assemble in the cells of Loligo squid to reflect different wavelengths of light

  6. Ecosystems

    Venom attracts decapitating flies

    New study may help scientists improve control of invasive fire ants

  7. Chemistry

    Nose knows noxious gases

    Dyes on a new sensor react to correctly identify toxic chemicals, scientists find.

  8. Health & Medicine

    Swine flu vaccination should target children first

    A new analysis finds that, as long as it peaks this winter, the H1N1 flu outbreak could be curtailed with a vaccination program that targets children first.

  9. Chemistry

    New bond in the basement

    Scientists identify a sulfur-nitrogen link, never before seen in living things, critical to holding the body together.

  10. Earth

    A trip to the garbage patch

    Scientists bring back samples from the oceanic garbage patch off the coast of California.

  11. Life

    Domesticated silkworms’ secrets

    After mapping the genetic book of instructions for wild and domesticated silkworms, scientists identify changes associated with the taming of these caterpillars.

  12. Chemistry

    Styrofoam degrades in seawater

    Study suggests besides the visible plastic, smaller bits are fouling the waters