Lisa Grossman is the astronomy writer for Science News. Previously she was a news editor at New Scientist, where she ran the physical sciences section of the magazine for three years. Before that, she spent three years at New Scientist as a reporter, covering space, physics and astronomy. She has a degree in astronomy from Cornell University and a graduate certificate in science writing from UC Santa Cruz. Lisa was a finalist for the AGU David Perlman Award for Excellence in Science Journalism, and received the Institute of Physics/Science and Technology Facilities Council physics writing award and the AAS Solar Physics Division Popular Writing Award. She interned at Science News in 2009-2010.

All Stories by Lisa Grossman

  1. Space

    Meet Porphyrion, the largest pair of black hole jets ever seen

    The two plasma fountains, spanning 23 million light-years, could shape cosmic structures far beyond their home galaxy.

  2. Space

    How a dying star is similar to a lava lamp

    In a first, astronomers captured how convective forces power the quick bubbling movement of gas cells on the surface of a distant, massive star.

  3. Planetary Science

    Scientists find a long-sought electric field in Earth’s atmosphere

    The Earth’s ambipolar electric field is weak but strong enough to control the shape and evolution of the upper atmosphere.

  4. Health & Medicine

    What is ‘Stage 0’ breast cancer and how is it treated?

    Actress Danielle Fishel's diagnosis has raised awareness of a condition that affects about 50,000 U.S. women annually.

  5. Space

    The historic ‘Wow!’ signal may finally have a source. Sorry, it’s not aliens

    One of the best possible signs of extraterrestrial communication may have an astrophysical explanation — albeit a weird one.

  6. Space

    Astronauts actually get stuck in space all the time

    Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams join more than a dozen astronauts who’ve been stranded in space by mechanics, weather or geopolitics since the 1970s.

  7. Astronomy

    Some meteors leave trails lasting up to an hour. Now we may know why

    A new survey of meteors that leave persistent trails found that speed and brightness don’t matter as much as atmospheric chemistry.

  8. Space

    Moonquakes are much more common than thought, Apollo data suggest

    The discovery of 22,000 previously unseen moonquakes, plus a new idea of what causes them, could help us better prepare for trips there.

  9. Planetary Science

    NASA’s Perseverance rover finds its first possible hint of ancient life on Mars

    The NASA Mars rover examined a rock containing organic compounds and “leopard spots” that, on Earth, are associated with microbial life.

  10. Space

    A planet needs to start with a lot of water to become like Earth

    Rocky planets around fiery stars could hide their water for later use, but it takes 3 to 8 times the amount in our world’s oceans to end up Earthlike.

  11. Astronomy

    A middleweight black hole has been spotted for the first time in our galaxy

    The rare find, discovered in the star cluster Omega Centauri, could offer clues to how black holes and galaxies evolve.

  12. Astronomy

    JWST’s hunt for distant galaxies keeps turning up surprises

    In its first year, the James Webb Space Telescope has found many galaxies from the early universe that are bigger, brighter and more mature than expected.