Meghan Bartels
Science journalist
I’m currently a news reporter at Scientific American, where you can reach me via email.
Previously, I've worked as a senior writer at Space.com and as a news writer at Newsweek.
In 2016, I earned a masters in journalism from New York University’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program.
I enjoy writing about topics from the environment to infectious diseases, from archaeology to astronomy.
In previous lives, I worked at an environmental book publisher and majored in classics at Georgetown University.
At Scientific American:
How Long Will Wildfire Smoke Last, and Where Will It Spread?
June 7, 2023 (co-bylined)
How to Tell If a Photo Is an AI-Generated Fake
March 31, 2023
At Space.com:
This picture is from Mars. It's probably not what you think.
February 6, 2020
Why We Can't Depend on Robots to Find Life on Mars
August 22, 2018
At Newsweek:
March 9, 2018 issue
Cover story: The Alien Hunter's Guide to the Future
Companion story: What UFO 'Encounters' Can Tell Us About Fake News and Climate Change Denial
Flu Season 2017: CDC Reveals the Best Time to Get Your Shot
September 29, 2017
How 230 Endangered Parrots Survived Hurricane Irma in Puerto Rico
September 15, 2017
Featured Freelance Articles:
At Smithsonian:
Early tech adopters in ancient Rome had portable sundials — February 21, 2017
At Astronomy:
How Harvard’s vast collection of glass plates still shapes astronomy — February 1, 2017
Also read:
At Hakai Magazine: Rethinking the Resilience of Salt Marshes, December 15, 2022
At Science Careers: Saying 'yes, and' to science communication, June 12, 2017
At Broadly: A Futurist Consultant Explains How She Developed Terrifying Tech in 'The Circle,' April 29, 2017
At Mental Floss: How the Ancient Greeks Did Math With Letters, Not Numbers, April 5, 2017
At JSTOR Daily: Six Women in Science You Should Know, March 23, 2017
At Nautilus: Born Lucky: The Genetics of the Four-Leaf Clover, February 12, 2017
At Untapped Cities: Cities 101: The Secrets of Central Park’s Winter Routine, January 6, 2017
At Astronomy: The woman who named the moon and clocked variable stars, November 14, 2016
At Nautilus: New York City battles on against Dutch elm disease, July 26, 2016
At Popular Science: Why nor’easters can be so much worse than normal storms, March 18, 2016
At Audubon:
What Comes After Coal? Sometimes, the Answer Has Feathers
September 21, 2018
A Beginner’s Guide to Recording Bird Vocalizations
June 16, 2017
