Sid Perkins

Sid Perkins is a freelance science writer based in Crossville, Tenn.

All Stories by Sid Perkins

  1. Astronomy

    Andromeda’s and the Milky Way’s black holes will collide. Here’s how it may play out

    Supermassive black holes in the Milky Way and Andromeda will engulf each other less than 17 million years after the galaxies merge, simulations show.

  2. Space

    ‘Alien Oceans’ argues the search for E.T. should include the outer solar system

    In Alien Oceans, a NASA scientist explores the evidence that ice-covered moons host hidden oceans, where life could evolve and thrive.

  3. Life

    A new book captures how genetics fills in the story of life’s evolution

    In Some Assembly Required, paleontologist Neil Shubin explores how genetic analyses complement paleontological research.

  4. Paleontology

    Small ‘cousins’ of T. rex may actually have been growing teenagers

    Fossil analyses suggest that Nanotyrannus wasn’t a diminutive relative of the more famous behemoth Tyrannosaurus rex.

  5. Space

    ‘Imagined Life’ envisions the odd critters of other planets

    The authors of ‘Imagined Life’ rely on science to sketch out what kind of organisms might exist on exoplanets.

  6. Science & Society

    ‘The Nature of Life and Death’ spotlights pollen’s role in solving crimes

    In ‘The Nature of Life and Death,’ botanist Patricia Wiltshire recounts some of her most memorable cases.

  7. Chemistry

    Carbon plays a starring role in the new book ‘Symphony in C’

    In Symphony in C, geophysicist Robert Hazen explores carbon’s ancient origins, its role in life and its importance in the modern world.

  8. Animals

    ‘Skeleton Keys’ unlocks the history and mysteries of bones

    From fish to dinosaurs to King Richard III, ‘Skeleton Keys’ surveys the scientific and cultural history of bones.

  9. Ecosystems

    Beavers are engineering a new Alaskan tundra

    Climate change has enabled the recent expansion of beavers into northwestern Alaska, a trend that could have major ecological consequences for the region in the coming decades.

  10. Climate

    ‘18 Miles’ is full of interesting tales about Earth’s atmosphere

    The new book ‘18 Miles’ takes readers on a journey through the atmosphere and the history of understanding climate and weather.

  11. Animals

    ‘Spying on Whales’ dives into the story of true leviathans

    "Spying on Whales" retraces the evolution of cetaceans, explaining how they came to be some of Earth’s largest creatures.

  12. Life

    Skeletons come in many shapes and sizes

    In Skeletons, two paleobiologists recount how and why skeletons evolved, as well as the variety of forms they take and the many purposes they serve.