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Carolyn Wilke

Staff Writer, Science News for Students

Carolyn Wilke recently 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. Prior to working at Science News for Students, Carolyn 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. Brain

    Slower brain development ups a teen’s risk of getting into a car accident

    Lack of driving experience isn't the only factor in whether a teen gets into a car crash. Crash risk in young drivers is also related to development of their brains’ working memory.

  2. Life

    Scientists Say: RNA

    This is a molecule that helps cells make proteins from the instructions encoded in DNA.

  3. Chemistry

    Scientists Say: Periodic table

    The periodic table is a chart showing all the known chemical elements. An element’s location in the table reveals a lot about its chemistry.

  4. Animals

    Could Wednesday Addams really jolt a frog back to life?

    A spark that recalls some science history brings a dead frog to life in The Addams Family. Scientists are now using electricity to build the body.

  5. Health & Medicine

    Scientists Say: Lymph

    Lymph is a colorless fluid that bathes the body’s tissues and mops up bacteria, viruses and wastes.

  6. Tech

    This robot catches jellyfish with a gentle ‘hug’

    A soft robotic hand gently catches jellyfish by trapping the creatures within its silicone fingers.

  7. Materials Science

    Scientists Say: Crystal

    The atoms or molecules in crystals take on a particular, repeatable pattern.

  8. Archaeology

    Scientists Say: Mummy

    Mummies are dead bodies that don’t rot. They can form under natural conditions or because of chemicals that stop decay.

  9. Space

    Could humans build a tall tower or giant rope to space?

    The movie Ad Astra shows a space antenna, a spindly structure reaching up into the stars. We look at what it would take to build something that big.

  10. Life

    Scientists Say: Zooxanthellae

    Algae called zooxanthellae live in the tissue of coral and provide the coral with food and its color.