Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science, covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthlymagazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Articles by: Stephanie Pappas
Near-indestructible moss can survive gamma rays and liquid nitrogenByStephanie Pappas published 2 July 24This little moss withstands deadly blasts of radiation, extreme cold and dehydration — and could probably survive on Mars.
Predator or prey? This 'switch' in the brain toggles when you're hunting or being huntedByStephanie Pappas published 27 June 24The hypothalamus, a brain region that helps control our hormones and sleep cycles, is also responsible for our ability to switch between predator- and prey-like behavior.
Boiling rocks from Earth's crust tore an ocean into Mongolia 410 million years agoByStephanie Pappas published 26 June 24An ocean that opened up in what is now Mongolia 410 million years ago was created by a hot upwelling of rock known as a mantle plume.
New RSV shots tied to rare nervous system disorder — should you worry?ByStephanie Pappas published 13 June 24There's been some reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome in older adults who got the vaccines. But health officials still recommend that this population get the shots, in consultation with their doctors.
Enormous deposit of rare earth elements discovered in heart of ancient Norwegian volcanoByStephanie Pappas published 12 June 24The Fen Carbonatite Complex may be Europe's key to a secure rare-earth-element supply chain following the discovery of a huge deposit at the site.
'The difference between alarming and catastrophic': Cascadia megafault has 1 especially deadly section, new map revealsByStephanie Pappas published 7 June 24The Cascadia subduction zone is more complex than researchers previously knew. The new finding could help scientists better understand the risk from future earthquakes.
Rare-earth elements could be hidden inside coal minesByStephanie Pappas published 6 June 24Rare earth elements are necessary for modern technology, including green energy, but they only come from a few sources around the globe. New research has discovered them hiding in coal mines in the U.S.
'Increased evidence that we should be alert': H5N1 bird flu is adapting to mammals in 'new ways'ByStephanie Pappas published 5 June 24New research in marine mammals suggests the virus is increasingly adapting to mammalian hosts.
STEVE — the bizarre purple ribbon in the sky — has a 'secret twin' that appears only before dawn, study findsByStephanie Pappas published 4 June 24An atmospheric phenomenon known as STEVE has a secret twin that appears before the break of dawn and flows in the opposite direction, new research finds.
Newfound autoimmune syndrome tied to COVID-19 can trigger deadly lung scarringByStephanie Pappas published 18 May 24A surge in cases of a rare autoimmune disease during COVID-19 waves in England led to the discovery of a new syndrome.
Odd earthquake swarm in Central Europe hints at magma bubbling below the surfaceByStephanie Pappas published 10 May 24An odd earthquake swarm has struck the region between the Czech Republic and Germany, far from any tectonic plate boundary.
Weird blobs lurking near Earth's core may have been dragged from the surfaceByStephanie Pappas published 10 May 24A new study of seismic data from Antarctica finds that the mantle may be stranger and more variable than previously believed, with pieces of ancient crust that have been dragged down by tectonic forces.
Collapse of Earth's magnetic field may have fueled evolution of life 600 million years agoByStephanie Pappas published 9 May 24The planet's magnetic field may have collapsed around 600 million years ago, enabling a major oxygenation event and perhaps supercharging evolution.
30,000 years of history reveals that hard times boost human societies' resilienceByStephanie Pappas published 9 May 24Human societies that experience downturns do a better job of recovering from later disasters, new research finds.
Epic NASA video takes you to the heart of a black hole — and destroys you in secondsByStephanie Pappas published 7 May 24What would it be like to fall past the event horizon of a black hole? A new NASA simulation provides a peek into the bizarre physics of spaghettification.
'Frankenstein' mice with brain cells from rats raised in the labByStephanie Pappas published 1 May 24In recent experiments, rat brain cells filled in for lost neurons in mouse brains, raising new possibilities for growing donor tissues across species.
Hundreds of black 'spiders' spotted in mysterious 'Inca City' on Mars in new satellite photosByStephanie Pappas published 25 April 24Every spring, creepy black 'spiders' sprout up on Mars as buried carbon dioxide ice releases dusty geysers of gas. New ESA images show the phenomenon has begun in the strange Inca City formation.
Earth's magnetic field formed before the planet's core, study suggestsByStephanie Pappas published 24 April 24The oldest firm age yet for Earth's magnetic field suggests that it developed before a solid planetary core, 3.7 billion years ago.
An extra moon may be orbiting Earth — and scientists think they know exactly where it came fromByStephanie Pappas last updated 23 April 24The near-Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa, which orbits alongside our planet as a 'minimoon,' may have originated from Giordano Bruno crater on the far side of the moon, new research suggests.
Scientists may have pinpointed the true origin of the Hope Diamond and other pristine gemstonesByStephanie Pappas published 21 April 24Researchers suggest that the famed Golconda diamonds, including the Hope Diamond and Koh-i-noor, may have originated from a volcanic outcrop nearly 200 miles from where they were mined.
NASA reveals 'glass-smooth lake of cooling lava' on surface of Jupiter's moon IoByStephanie Pappas published 21 April 24The volcanic surface of Jupiter's huge moon Io got a stunning close-up thanks to NASA's Juno mission.
'Uncharted territory': El Niño to flip to La Niña in what could be the hottest year on recordByStephanie Pappas published 20 April 24A quick flip from El Niño to La Niña is coming soon, but what does that mean for the U.S.?
Purple bacteria could be key to finding extraterrestrial life on exoplanetsByStephanie Pappas published 18 April 24On many exoplanets, the best clue that life is present may be a purple hue. New research into some of Earth's most extreme bacteria explains why.
Pluto's huge white 'heart' has a surprisingly violent origin, new study suggestsByStephanie Pappas published 16 April 24Tombaugh Regio — the large, pale heart that dominates Pluto's terrain — is made of nitrogen ice that accumulated after a huge, slow-motion impact, new research suggests.
Mass die-off half a billion years ago caused by shifting tectonic plates, ancient rocks revealByStephanie Pappas published 12 April 24A large extinction in the midst of the expansion of life during the Cambrian period was caused by the tectonics of a supercontinent, new research argues.
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