Carly Kay

Carly Kay is the Fall 2025 science writing intern at Science News. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a master’s degree in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

All Stories by Carly Kay

  1. Astronomy

    Against the odds, a burbling lava planet retains an atmosphere

    The James Webb Space Telescope detected an atmosphere on a lava-covered exoplanet, evidence that small planets close to stars can have atmospheres.

  2. Animals

    Science taught us a few new tricks about our pets in 2025

    Are we reading our dog’s moods right? Does TV really comfort them when we’re away? These pet stories were catnip to us this year.

  3. Humans

    Have a taste of our favorite food stories from 2025

    This year, researchers took a bite out of culinary innovation. Check out some of our favorite food-related stories from 2025.

  4. Animals

    These are our favorite animal stories of 2025

    From clever cockatoos to vomiting spiders, these cool critters captivated us this year.

  5. Animals

    This fly’s flesh-eating maggot is making a comeback. Here’s what to know 

    After a decades-long hiatus, new world screwworm populations have surged in Central America and Mexico — and are inching northward.

  6. Animals

    Deep Antarctic waters hold geometric communities of fish nests

    Scientists found thousands of patterned fish nests in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea, boosting calls for marine protected areas.

  7. Physics

    These simple knife tricks stop onion tears instantly

    With a high-speed camera and a tiny guillotine, scientists showed that chopping onions slowly and with sharper knives cuts down on tears.

  8. Life

    A rice weevil frozen in flight won the 2025 Nikon Small World photo contest

    From fluorescent ferns to sprawling neurons, this year’s winning photos reveal the structures and artistry of life seen through a microscope.

  9. Materials Science

    New wetsuit designs offer a layer of protection against shark bites

    By weaving Kevlar or polyethylene nanofibers into standard neoprene in wetsuits, researchers found ways to limit injury during rare encounters with sharks.

  10. Agriculture

    A grapevine bacteria may help douse wildfire-tainted wine’s ashy aftertaste

    Grape plant bacteria might help mitigate smoke taint in wine by breaking down chemicals that evoke an ashy taste.