Kathiann Kowalski

Freelance Writer

Kathiann Kowalski loves talking with scientists and engineers about their work and why it matters. And she loves getting into the field — whether that’s at a lab, in a research forest, at a drilling site or on a research boat. She has written more than 700 articles, plus 25 books for young people. “There’s always something new happening — and something new to learn,” she says.

 

Kathi graduated from Hofstra University in New York and got her law degree from Harvard Law School in Massachusetts. She previously practiced environmental law with a large firm. Kathi enjoys hiking, sewing, reading and travel.

All Stories by Kathiann Kowalski

  1. Health & Medicine

    Warning: Wildfires might make you itch

    Western wildfires are on the rise due to climate change and land use. Now a study adds eczema to the list of health risks that smoke might trigger.

  2. Health & Medicine

    Simpler, easier COVID-19 test developed with kids in mind

    Designed by moms, it avoids any need to stick an uncomfortable swab up the nose. Instead, people just swish a dental roll around their mouths.

  3. Health & Medicine

    Cool Jobs: Saliva offers a spitting image of our health

    Scientists are using this secretion to study our body’s functions, to test for disease and even to diagnose injury.

  4. Psychology

    Too much sitting could hurt your mental health

    As inactivity increases, so does risk of depression and other mental health problems, new studies show. But breaks for even light activity can help.

  5. Health & Medicine

    Six tips to build more movement into your day

    Most people don’t move enough. The trick is to do what you can whenever you can, even if it’s just standing up more than once an hour and walking a bit.

  6. Materials Science

    Super-absorbent swab could curb errors in COVID-19 testing

    A new super-absorbent swab could cut down on false negatives from COVID-19 testing. And that could help slow spread of the disease.

  7. Science & Society

    How to fight online hate before it leads to violence

    Counter-speech, artificial intelligence and other tools can help spot online hate — and maybe thwart it. New studies show how.

  8. Chemistry

    A soil-based ‘concrete’ could make buildings green, even on Mars

    A new soil-based material offers an alternative to concrete for 3-D printing environmentally friendly buildings.

  9. Environment

    Why today’s ‘fast fashions’ can be bad for the planet

    The constant buy-wear-toss cycle of fast fashion isn’t sustainable. It hurts the environment and takes a toll on our wallets, too.

  10. Environment

    Old clothes soon may be recycled, not trashed

    One day, clothes may be recycled almost as much as plastics and glass are now. See how chemists are moving us in that direction.

  11. Chemistry

    Here’s how to make flip-flops biodegradable

    Innovative flip-flops made from an algae-based plastic decompose in soil or compost. The comfy shoes also avoid use of fossil fuels.

  12. Chemistry

    How to recycle ‘nonrecyclable’ plastics

    A new process can convert some nonrecyclable plastics into a type that now can be reused. That could greatly cut down on wastes sent to landfills.