I am a freelance science journalist. I have written and edited articles on all areas of science, with a particular focus on life and environmental sciences. My work has been published in New Scientist, the BBC, the Guardian/Observer, Nature, Spectrum and the Telegraph. I have also written science fiction criticism and am a former Forbes contributor. You can find a list of my articles on my contently page. More about my journalism
My first book The Genesis Quest will be published in August 2020. The UK publishers are Weidenfeld & Nicolson and the US publishers are the University of Chicago Press. The book tells the story of the century-long scientific effort to understand how life began on Earth. More about my book
I have edited a book for New Scientist on the science of human evolution. Part of their Instant Expert series, Human Origins: 7 million years and counting was published in 2018.
I am also available to write and/or edit reports and white papers. In 2019 I co-authored Industrial Transformation 2050, which explored how to decarbonise EU heavy industry, for Material Economics. In 2020 I wrote The Cost of Doing Nothing for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. More about reports
If you would like to commission me, please get in touch.
Employment
Freelance writer and editor
June 2017 – present
Acting editor
BBC Earth
October 2014 – June 2017
Environment news editor
New Scientist
January-September 2014
Environment reporter
New Scientist
July 2010 – December 2013
Online editorial assistant
New Scientist
June 2007 – June 2010
Education
MSc Science Communication
Imperial College London
2005-2007
MPhil Experimental Psychology
University of Cambridge
2002-2003
BA Natural Sciences
University of Cambridge
1999-2002
My first book The Genesis Quest will be published in August 2020. The UK publishers are Weidenfeld & Nicolson and the US publishers are the University of Chicago Press. The book tells the story of the century-long scientific effort to understand how life began on Earth. More about my book
I have edited a book for New Scientist on the science of human evolution. Part of their Instant Expert series, Human Origins: 7 million years and counting was published in 2018.
I am also available to write and/or edit reports and white papers. In 2019 I co-authored Industrial Transformation 2050, which explored how to decarbonise EU heavy industry, for Material Economics. In 2020 I wrote The Cost of Doing Nothing for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. More about reports
If you would like to commission me, please get in touch.
Employment
Freelance writer and editor
June 2017 – present
Acting editor
BBC Earth
October 2014 – June 2017
Environment news editor
New Scientist
January-September 2014
Environment reporter
New Scientist
July 2010 – December 2013
Online editorial assistant
New Scientist
June 2007 – June 2010
Education
MSc Science Communication
Imperial College London
2005-2007
MPhil Experimental Psychology
University of Cambridge
2002-2003
BA Natural Sciences
University of Cambridge
1999-2002