Bethany Brookshire

Staff Writer, Science News for Students, 2013–2021

Bethany Brookshire was the staff writer at Science News for Students from 2013 to 2021. She has a B.S. in biology and a B.A. in philosophy from The College of William and Mary, and a Ph.D. in physiology and pharmacology from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She is also a host on the podcast Science for the People, and a 2019-2020 MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellow.

All Stories by Bethany Brookshire

  1. Science & Society

    This study of hype in press releases will change journalism

    A survey of press releases and their related scientific studies shows that hype may creep from press releases to news coverage. But this doesn’t give anyone at any stage of the news cycle a pass.

  2. Health & Medicine

    Electric detection of lung cancer

    In 1964, researchers hoped to improve lung cancer diagnosis by measuring the skin’s electrical resistance.

  3. Neuroscience

    Cocoa antioxidant sweetens cognition in elderly

    Very high doses of antioxidants found in cocoa may prevent some types of cognitive decline in older adults. But that’s not an excuse to eat more chocolate.

  4. Animals

    ‘Tis the season for white-nose syndrome in bats

    While bats are active, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome stays put in the caves the bats call home in winter. New findings show how the fungus varies through the seasons.

  5. Science & Society

    Compassionate colleagues can help labs restart after disaster

    Scientists plan for many things, but often not for disaster. Two scientists share their story of recovery after Superstorm Sandy.

  6. Neuroscience

    The molecular path of best resilience

    Many studies focus on susceptibility to stress and how it triggers depression. But a new study highlights a protein important in resilience, showing that resisting stress takes work, too.

  7. Health & Medicine

    Add high-fat diet to the ‘don’t’ list for pregnant moms

    There’s always controversy over what to eat while pregnant. Four animal studies at this year’s Society for Neuroscience meeting bring together negative effects of high-fat diets.

  8. Neuroscience

    After injury, estrogen may shield the brain

    Estrogen helps to prevent some of the chronic inflammation that occurs after brain injury.

  9. Neuroscience

    Mold may mean bad news for the brain

    Living with mold isn’t good for your lungs. A study in mice shows that mold exposure may also cause inflammation that is bad for the brain.

  10. Neuroscience

    Serotonin lies at the intersection of pain and itch

    Serotonin may help relieve pain, but it also causes itch. A study shows why scratching just makes it worse.

  11. Neuroscience

    For a friendlier zebra finch, just add stress

    Adding stress hormones to the diet of developing zebra finches produced birds that were social butterflies.

  12. Climate

    Melting ice forces walrus detour

    Warming temperatures and shrinking summer ice cover have forced the animals to seek solid ground during feeding season.