SN 10

Space

Clara Sousa-Silva seeks molecular signatures of life in alien atmospheres

Quantum astrochemist Clara Sousa-Silva studies how molecules in space interact with light, offering clues to what distant objects are made of.

Humans

Lauren Schroeder looks beyond natural selection to rethink human evolution

Paleoanthropologists studying the fossil record have long focused on natural selection, but other processes play a big role too.

Genetics

Daphne Martschenko is a champion for ethical, inclusive genomics research

A bioethicist focused on the genomics revolution, Daphne Martschenko fosters open discussion through “adversarial collaboration”

Ecosystems

Marjorie Weber explores plant-protecting ants and other wonders of evolution

Cooperation across the tree of life is an understudied driver of evolution and biodiversity, Marjorie Weber says.

Health & Medicine

With tools from Silicon Valley, Quinton Smith builds lab-made organs

Tissues made with 3-D printing and other techniques could offer insights into diseases such as fatty liver disease and preeclampsia.

Tech

Deblina Sarkar is building microscopic machines to enter our brains

The ultratiny devices can communicate wirelessly from inside living cells and may one day help cure brain diseases.

Chemistry

Josep Cornella breaks boundaries to make new and better catalysts

Josep Cornella reinvents chemical reactions essential for agriculture and the pharmaceutical industry.

Computing

Huijia Lin proved that a master tool of cryptography is possible

Cryptographer Huijia Lin showed that the long-sought “indistinguishability obfuscation” is secure from data attacks.

Life

Marcos Simões-Costa asks how cells in the embryo get their identities

Marcos Simões-Costa combines classic studies of developing embryos with the latest genomic techniques.

Neuroscience

Emily Jacobs wants to know how sex hormones sculpt the brain

Emily Jacobs studies how the brain changes throughout women’s reproductive years, plus what it all means for health.

Health & Medicine

Christopher Barnes is on a quest for a universal coronavirus vaccine

Christopher Barnes wants to stop the viruses that cause COVID-19, the common cold and more.

Planetary Science

Robin Wordsworth re-creates the atmosphere of ancient Mars

Robin Wordsworth studies the climates of Mars and other alien worlds to find out whether they could support life.