Alison Pearce Stevens is a former duck wrangler, beekeeper and forever science geek who specializes in writing about science and nature for kids. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two kids and a small menagerie of cuddly (and not-so cuddly) critters. She writes for Science News Explores, Highlights, ASK (Arts and Sciences for Kids) magazine and National Geographic Kids' Books. Her next book, Rhinos in Nebraska, comes out in 2021. She is also an avid gardener who can often be found in her yard, checking out the critters that call it home.
All Stories by Alison Pearce Stevens
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Tech
Ocean energy could be the wave of the future
Energy systems that turn the power of ocean waves into electrical energy could be on the horizon — or pumping away near the sea floor.
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Psychology
Art can make science easier to remember
Students who learn science using art remember what they learned longer than those in regular classes.
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Chemistry
Shape-shifting chemical is key to new solar battery
Storing solar energy is a challenge. A new, shape-shifting molecule may provide a solution.
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Health & Medicine
Teens who play violent video games aren’t any more violent
A careful new study shows that teens who play violent video games are no more aggressive than other teens.
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Psychology
What part of us knows right from wrong?
Our conscience may have evolved from our need to cooperate. Scientists are learning where the brain’s moral centers are, and how they make us human.
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Animals
Some male hummingbirds wield their bills as weapons
The shape of some hummingbird bills may reflect a trade-off between drinking nectar and fighting off the competition.
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Environment
Renewable energy might be able to green a desert
Computer models show that placing wind turbines and solar farms in deserts could increase how much rain falls in nearby areas.
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Health & Medicine
Chigger ‘bites’ may trigger an allergy to red meat
Some people develop a food allergy to red meat, and researchers suspect chiggers bites are to blame.
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Health & Medicine
Here’s what puts teen drivers at greatest risk of a crash
Most teen car crashes trace to distraction and a driver’s inexperience. New studies point to how easily we can be distracted and by which activities.
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Psychology
Smartphones may serve as digital security blankets
In a new study, students in awkward social situations experienced less stress if they had — but didn’t use — their smartphones.
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Psychology
Phones in the classroom hurt everyone’s grades
When students use electronic devices in the classroom, their school performance may suffer. And so might their classmates’ grades, a new study finds.
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Psychology
2016 election stressed out some teens and young adults
Some teens and young adults felt stress, anxiety and fear during the 2016 election — no matter what political candidates they tended to prefer.