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. Life

    Thank insects and microbes that we aren’t over our knees in feces

    Ever wondered why you’re not drowning in poop? Scientists harnessed the power of citizen science to find the beetles and microbes we can thank for that.

  2. Psychology

    Do you want the good news or the bad news first?

    Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first? A new study purports to answer the question. But can we apply this to how we deliver news? Well, I have good news, and I have bad news.

  3. Animals

    The hottest guy guppies stand out in a crowd

    A new study shows that sexy male guppies are the ones who stand out the most, the rarest in the crowd. But what is the rare male effect for?

  4. Paleontology

    Oldest bug bonk

    Preserved as fossils, two insects remain caught in the act 165 million years later.

  5. Health & Medicine

    The future of the robotic leg

    While robotic legs have come incredibly far, the next step, integrating the function into the rest of the body, still has a way to go.

  6. Animals

    The reefs are alive with the sound of oysters

    How does an oyster figure out where to settle down in life? It listens for where the party’s at. A new study shows that oyster larvae can detect sound in the water.

  7. Animals

    Wag the dog: When left vs. right matters

    Most of us see a wagging dog’s tail and automatically think it’s a good sign. But are some wags more friendly than others? A new study says yes.

  8. Animals

    Making a snake spectacle

    Snakes have a thin layer over their eyes filled with blood vessels. A scientist has shown how snakes control those blood vessels to help them see.

  9. Neuroscience

    Mining mouse movements to make more meds

    Animal models are a great way to look at psychoactive drugs and how they work. A new paper purports to simplify it all down to one test.

  10. Animals

    Don’t mount so fast! That bug could be a boy

    Many insect males show same-sex mating behavior. What’s the cause? What’s the benefit? Is it real? Or are the bugs just in too much of a rush to stop?

  11. Humans

    What makes a face go round

    Genetic enhancers acting far away from their intended genes can help shape a face during development.

  12. Scicurious arrives!

    Blogger Bethany Brookshire has joined Science News as its science education writer. With her expertise she brings her popular blog Scicurious to SN.