photo of Aina Abell

Aina Abell

Editorial Assistant

Aina Abell is the editorial assistant at Science News. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Southern California. Before joining the staff in October 2020, she was the assistant editor at Pharmacy Today, a publication of the American Pharmacists Association, and a freelance writer for the American Heart Association. She has also taught English in Rouen, France. When she’s not nerding out about bonobos and ancient humans, she’s probably learning Arabic or attempting to make her favorite Filipino meals.

All Stories by Aina Abell

  1. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, scientists suspected that lost sense of smell could be restored

    Cells responsible for humans’ sense of smell can regenerate. Now, research spurred on by the pandemic could help answer questions about the process.

  2. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, scientists thought coffee might treat hyperactivity

    Decades of follow-up research into whether caffeine can treat the symptoms of kids with ADHD has come up with more questions than answers.

  3. Science & Society

    Sea life offers a lens for self-exploration in ‘How Far the Light Reaches’

    In a collection of essays profiling 10 marine animals, author Sabrina Imbler mixes in stories of their own family, self-discovery, sexuality and healing.

  4. 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.

  5. Anthropology

    Tina Lasisi wants to untangle the evolution of human hair

    Tina Lasisi is pioneering studies of human variation in an ethical and scientifically sound way.

  6. Earth

    Jacky Austermann looks to the solid earth for clues to sea level rise

    Jacky Austermann’s work could help inform practical climate change solutions for at-risk coastal cities.

  7. Tech

    50 years ago, the future of solar energy looked bright

    In the 1970s, scientists and engineers were coming around to the idea of “farming” the sun’s energy on a large scale.

  8. Humans

    50 years ago, freezing sperm faced scientific skepticism

    In 1972, scientists debated the long-term viability of frozen sperm. Fifty years later, children have been conceived with sperm frozen for decades.

  9. Space

    These discoveries from 2021, if true, could shake up science

    Discoveries in 2021, from hidden subatomic particles to the oldest animal fossils, could shake up science. But more evidence is needed to confirm them.

  10. Neuroscience

    50 years ago, scientists were on the trail of ‘memory molecules’

    In the 1970s, scientists found the first “memory molecule.” Several other candidates have popped up in the decades since.

  11. Science & Society

    The spoken word album ‘Experimental Words’ weaves rhyme with reason

    The spoken word album Experimental Words, a collaboration between researchers and poets, explores the intersection between science and art.

  12. Environment

    50 years ago, chemical pollutants were linked to odd animal behavior

    Fifty years after studies hinted that pollution interferes with how aquatic creatures communicate, scientists are still unraveling its myriad effects.