Carolyn Wilke

Contributing Editor, Science News Explores

Carolyn Wilke earned her Ph.D. in environmental engineering at Northwestern University, where her research drew on the fields of environmental chemistry, materials science and toxicology. She got her start in science writing by blogging for HELIX, Northwestern’s science magazine and wrote as a AAAS Mass Media Fellow at The Sacramento Bee. Now a freelance science writer. Carolyn worked as a staff writer at Science News Explores and interned at Science News and The Scientist. When not delving into a new scientific discovery, you might find Carolyn behind her sewing machine or trying to amuse her cat. 

All Stories by Carolyn Wilke

  1. Earth

    Analyze This: Tropical forests have gotten patchier

    Although many of the world's forests have gotten less fragmented since 2000, tropical forests have gotten more chopped up, putting animals at risk.

  2. Animals

    Analyze This: White wing spots may help monarch butterflies fly far

    Monarchs with more white on their wings are more successful migrants, new research shows

  3. Materials Science

    Analyze This: A new fabric mimics polar bears’ pelts for warmth

    With layers that work like polar bears’ skin and fur, a material absorbs light and keeps it from escaping.

  4. Plants

    Analyze This: Plants sound off when they’re in trouble

    When dry or cut, tomato and tobacco plants make sounds too high for humans to hear. Such sounds could provide a way to snoop on crops.

  5. Animals

    Analyze This: Puppies naturally mimic human actions

    Unlike cats, whose ancestors hunted alone, dogs evolved from a species that hunted in packs. Being social might explain why pups copy humans.

  6. Materials Science

    Analyze This: Algae behind blue-glowing waves light up a new device

    Some algae glow blue when they experience forces. Held in transparent plastic, they now make devices light up in response to gentle pushes and tugs.

  7. Earth

    Analyze This: Salt may quash lightning over the sea

    Bits of airborne salt may help raindrops form, removing water from clouds before it can freeze as part of the process that makes lightning.

  8. Earth

    Analyze This: Wildfires are pumping more pollution into U.S. skies

    Researchers wanted to study the health effects of wildfire smoke. But they realized they didn’t know where it was and how much exposure people had.

  9. Animals

    Analyze This: Octopuses may use favorite arms for grabbing meals

    Understanding how octopuses control all their arms could provide clues for engineers building soft robots.

  10. Animals

    Analyze This: Bulky plesiosaurs may not have been bad swimmers after all

    Long-necked plesiosaurs were thought to be slow swimmers. But new research suggests the animals’ large size helped them overcome water resistance.

  11. Planets

    Analyze This: Some 5,000 planets orbit stars other than our sun

    A new cache of confirmed exoplanet discoveries marks a milestone in planets found beyond our solar system.

  12. Materials Science

    This new fabric can ‘hear’ sounds or broadcast them

    With special fibers that convert tiny vibrations to voltages, a new fabric senses sound. Someday, such fabrics could monitor the body or aid hearing.