Carolyn is the Earth & Climate writer at Science News. Previously she worked at Science magazine for six years, both as a reporter covering paleontology and polar science and as the editor of the news in brief section. Before that she was a reporter and editor at EARTH magazine. She has bachelor’s degrees in Geology and European History and a Ph.D. in marine geochemistry from MIT and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. She’s also a former Science News intern.

All Stories by Carolyn Gramling

  1. Climate

    Climate change made 2024 the hottest year on record. The heat was deadly

    Heat waves fueled by climate change killed scores of people and upended daily life. Here are some of those stories.

  2. Paleontology

    China’s famously rich dinosaur fossil beds get a new origins story

    Cave-ins and floods may have buried the Cretaceous creatures of the fossil Jehol Biota rather than volcanic eruptions, a new study claims.

  3. Climate

    From electric cars to wildfires, how Trump may affect climate actions

    Trump’s first term, campaign pledges and nominees point to how efforts to address climate change and environmental issues may fare.

  4. Climate

    Satellite space junk might wreak havoc on the stratosphere

    Hundreds of defunct satellites plunge toward Earth every year. Scientists are studying how the chemical stew left in their wake impacts the atmosphere.

  5. Climate

    Meet Chonkus, the mutant cyanobacteria that could help sink climate change

    The mutant of the lab-studied Synechococcus elongatus has traits good for ocean carbon storage.

  6. Climate

    Fans may not keep older adults cool during heat waves

    Older adults are at higher risk of suffering health consequences during heat waves. Fans may not do enough to prevent that.

  7. Science & Society

    The ‘Does It Fly?’ podcast separates fact from science fiction

    The podcast ‘Does It Fly?’ asks whether the technology of Star Trek, Doctor Who and other popular sci-fi shows could really work.

  8. Climate

    Climate change fueled the fury of hurricanes Helene and Milton

    Two new studies find climate change amped up sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, fueling the hurricanes' intensity.

  9. Climate

    How rapid intensification spawned two monster hurricanes in one week

    New maps of wind impacts beyond Helene’s ‘cone of uncertainty’ track highlight how a hurricane’s power extends far inland.

  10. Paleontology

    Some of Earth’s extinct giants may have been smaller than thought

    Evolving techniques and data indicate some ancient giants like Dunkleosteus and Megalodon may have been smaller than initial estimates suggested.

  11. Climate

    Earth’s ancient ‘greenhouse’ conditions were hotter than thought

    A timeline of 485 million years of Earth’s surface temperatures shows ancient greenhouse conditions were hotter than scientists thought.

  12. Climate

    Summer-like heat is scorching the Southern Hemisphere — in winter

    Warmer winters are fast becoming a global phenomenon and can affect everything from the food we grow to the spread of diseases.