Elizabeth Fernandez
Writing on science and society, the nature of the universe, and what it means to be human.
Elizabeth Fernandez, Science Writer
Elizabeth Fernandez is an award-winning science writer who writes on the interface between science and society and the hard sciences. You can see her writing in Nautilus, Big Think, Physics Magazine, Sky & Telescope, the MIT Technology Review, Symmetry Magazine, Space.com, Forbes.com, Freethink, and BioLogos. She also has a PhD in astrophysics, hosted and produced six seasons (100 episodes) of SparkDialog Podcasts, a podcast on science and society, and has a passion for interfaith relations, working with people from many countries and backgrounds promoting dialog between faiths.
She can be contacted at Elizabeth (AT) SparkDialog (dot) com.
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The Latest Articles by Elizabeth Fernandez
The Bizarre Shape of our Universe
What is the shape of our Universe? What does such a question even mean? In my first YouTube script I wrote for the channel Up and Atom, I explore these questions.
A Time Standard for the Moon—Thanks to General Relativity
As part of an effort to establish a lunar time standard, researchers have used relativity to calculate time differences between Earth and the Moon. I discuss in Physics Magazine.
Authentic Faith in Medicine: A Call and Response
For BioLogos, I discuss physician Julia Wattacheril, and how she found a way to be authentic in her work with patients, her life, and her faith.
How Big can stars be?
Can stars get arbitrarily large, or is there some sort of fundamental limit? Can they be a thousand times the size of our sun? A million? I explore this question in this article in Sky and Telescope Magazine.
What is quantum gravity?
We still don't understand all of physics. Namely, our two pillars of physics, the Standard Model in quantum physics and general relativity, don't play well. Quantum gravity may be the answer, but what is it? Another reference piece for space.com.
Life Lessons from Hell-House Venus
Venus might have been a temperate oasis with oceans and seasonable temperatures. What changed? In Nautilus, I discuss some ideas on why Venus is the hell-house it currently is and how we can use this knowledge in our quest to find life elsewhere.
Lego bricks are making science more accessible
Scientists use the iconic colorful bricks to build everything from bioprinters to microscopes—increasing the accessibility of science in the process. I discuss how four teams around the world are using Legos in the lab.
How to Charge Up a Sliding Water Drop
In Physics Magazine, I discuss how moving water drops can become electrically charged, and the implications, from self-cleaning surfaces to semiconductor manufacturing.
Some White Dwarfs Might be Older than Previously Thought
White dwarfs were always assumed to be dead stars, slowly cooling by radiating away their remaining heat. But new research shows that an unusual process may heat up these stars once more. I discuss in Physics Magazine.
Dark Energy- A Brief History
25 years ago, the scientific community discovered that a mysterious force, dubbed dark energy, was pushing the Universe apart. In this article, which first appeared in the February 2024 issue of Sky & Telescope, I discuss the history of this dramatic finding.
Life beyond Earth may form in the coldest depths of space, Ryugu asteroid samples reveal
On space.com, I talk about findings from asteroid Ryugu: PAHs may be able to form in cold regions of space, affecting what scientists think about the origins of planets and possibility of alien life.
Historic magnetic storms help scientists learn what to expect when one hits
It's been a long time since Earth has been hit by a truly massive magnetic storm. On space.com, I discuss how we can turn to historic storms to understand how these events can affect us, from the power grid to satellite communications.
Four Night Sky Christmas Meditations
If you are willing to step outside on a December evening, there's plenty in the sky to draw your wonder. On BioLogos, I discuss ways to meditate on four celestial events this month.
Data science helps cross-check space discoveries 'across time and telescopes'
We are living in the age of information, and this sentiment also pertains to astronomy. How can astronomers know that they are looking at the same object, even from different surveys or wavelengths? I discuss on Space.com.
Watch this Jupiter moon lander handle harsh terrain it may face on Europa
On space.com, I discuss how engineers and scientists are testing a lander to touch down on the surface of Europa, which uses a combination of sky crane and insect-like legs.
Iceland earthquakes hint at a new era of increased volcanic activity
Iceland has seen a plethora of earthquakes in the past few weeks. Does this mean an eruption is imminent, or even that Iceland may be ushering in a new era of volcanic activity? I discuss on Big Think.
NASA's SPHEREx mission aims to map 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars
An amazing new NASA mission is under construction - SPHEREx - which will map hundreds of millions of stars and galaxies in unprecedented detail. I discuss on Space.com.
Celebrating Dark Matter Day in Latin America
Did you know that when some cultures celebrate Halloween, people around the world celebrate something even more mysterious - dark matter! This article in Symmetry Magazine is all about Dark Matter Day from Mexico to Brazil to Argentina.
How rocks and minerals play with light to produce breathtaking colors
Rocks and minerals don’t simply reflect light. In fact, understanding why rocks are the colors they are gives us a fantastic demonstration in physics. I discuss on Big Think.
Quantum biology: Your nose and house plant are experts at particle physics
On the Big Think, I discuss one of sciences' newest fields - quantum biology - and how entanglement, tunneling, and other feats of quantum physics occur everyday within living things.
Plants perform quantum mechanics feats that scientists can only do at ultra-cold temperatures
How does photosynthesis really work? It turns out that plants operate a lot like Bose-Einstein condensates - something scientists can only create at near-zero temperatures. I explain how on Big Think.
How plate tectonics shook life into existence
Things like earthquakes and volcanoes may seem destructive, but we owe them our existence. More on Big Think.
How life survived “Snowball Earth”
The Earth was once a frozen snowball. How did life survive? I explore on Big Think.
Life might exist between eternal day and eternal night on tidally locked planets
Like the moon to the Earth, there are planets that always have one side facing their parent star. These tidally locked planets could have a scorching hot day and frigid night. Could life exist on these planets? I explore the possibility on Big Think.
Rubble pile asteroids are really hard to break
Most asteroids are not a single rock, but a loose grouping of rocks. And they are tough. Some of them have survived the wilds of space for billions of years. More on Big Think.
MIT scientists design AI that could predict rare disasters, like bridge collapses and rogue waves
Catastrophes are difficult to predict because they are so rare. But AI using active learning can make predictions from very small data sets. I talk about this problem on Big Think.
Space travel will radically change human psychology and spirituality
We are traveling in a realm that once exclusively belonged to the gods. Space travel will force humanity to rethink everything. I explore this idea on Big Think.
We may not be alone in the Universe. Should we reach out?
A conversation with an advanced alien species is likely to be simple and to take 1,000 years. It might also be dangerous. I discuss why on Big Think.
How science changes the way we think, according to 10 leading scientists
I talk to ten prominent scientists who share how research has changed them on Big Think.
Earth’s magnetic field supports biblical stories of destruction of ancient cities
When battles raged in ancient cities, their rocks blazed so brightly that they could be reoriented according to Earth's magnetic field. More on Big Think.
Does consciousness change the rules of quantum mechanics?
Quantum mechanics starts getting really weird when you add in a conscious observer. Maybe our understanding of quantum entanglement is incomplete, or maybe there is something fundamentally unique about consciousness. More on Big Think.
Quantum sensors use “spooky” science to measure the world with unprecedented precision
Quantum entanglement may remain spooky, but it has a very practical side. I discuss quantum sensing in Big Think.
What Einstein and Bohr’s debate over quantum entanglement taught us about reality
Einstein and Bohr thought very different things about the nature of reality. In Big Think, I discuss if God really does play dice with the Universe.
Could we use quantum communication to talk to aliens?
Quantum communication offers a surer path to sending an interstellar message, as well as receiving one. But can we do it? I discuss in Big Think.
Tiktaalik: Bridging the Gap Between Water and Land
Hundreds of millions of years ago, a brave fish took that first step onto land. I discuss how the finding of the Tiktaalik fossil changed culture and how we thought about evolution in BioLogos.
How the biggest earthquake in world history nearly destroyed a local civilization
Scientists recently discovered evidence of the largest earthquake in history. How it affected the local population can help us survive similar disasters in the future. I discuss in Big Think.
The strange under-ice lakes of Antarctica
In Big Think, I discuss giant lakes and rivers that lie under the ice of Antarctica, and how studying them reveals information about our planet's past and future.
Why is Titan’s landscape so Earth-like despite its different composition?
On the surface, Titan has a lot of similarities between Earth. And this puzzles scientists, because the composition is so different. I discuss some ideas that may indicate why these two bodies are so similar in Big Think.
Cryovolcanoes: How ice volcanoes reshaped the surface of Pluto
Some of the largest and strangest cryovolcanoes, or ice volcanoes, were recently found on Pluto. I talk about them in my latest in Big Think.
How general relativity could help predict volcano eruptions
General relativity has been measured on large scales, but recently, scientists were able to measure how time changes in the gravitational field of the Earth over only a height difference of one millimeter. This may be a step to understanding how gravity and quantum physics might unite. I discuss more on Big Think.
Volcano-triggered mass extinction paved the way for the dinosaurs
Massive volcanic eruptions have been responsible for many of the Earth's mass extinctions. But how exactly this works has been contested. In Big Think, I discuss how exactly the extinction that ushered in the age of the dinosaurs caused the climate to change enough to kill off three-fourths of Earth's life.
What leaking helium-3 gas can tell us about Earth’s origin
An isotope of helium is leaking from the Earth. Where exactly it is originating from may tell us about the formation of the Earth. I discuss on Big Think.
Gravitational waves could be “pushing” the Moon
On Freethink, I talk about how gravitational waves distort all of space around us when they pass, and how we may be able to detect waves from the beginning of time using our moon.
Why did dinosaurs go extinct while other animals survived?
In some of the worst mass extinction events in history, some species die while others survive. In Big Think, I discuss reasons why, that range from the season to genetic variation within the species.
“Supermountains” may have influenced the course of life on Earth
Gigantic ranges called "supermountains" formed twice in Earth's history, and they may have had a profound influence on evolutionary history. I discuss how on Big Think.
How Mars lost its magnetic field — and then its oceans
Chemical changes inside Mars' core caused it to lose its magnetic field. This, in turn, caused it to lose its oceans. But how? I discuss in the Big Think
Earth’s mantle: how earthquakes reveal the history and inner structure of our planet
In the Big Think, I discuss how we can probe the interior of the Earth's mantle and find previously undiscovered structures using Earthquakes.
How astronomers piece together surfaces of invisible alien worlds
In the Big Think, I discuss how astronomers figure out what the surface of rocky alien worlds are like, even when we can't see them directly.
Benefits Of “Deepfaking” The Mind In Creating Brain-Computer Interfaces
On Forbes.com, I discuss how by simulating thought, people with disabilities can benefit from "deepfakes" of the mind.
How To Not Be Fooled When Looking For Life On Mars
Finding evidence of life on another planet may be the biggest scientific discovery ever. So it's important to get it right.
Don’t Underestimate Local Knowledge Of Agriculture In Dealing With Climate Change
On Forbes.com, I discuss indigenous knowledge of how crops respond to weather, and how that knowledge can be key in forming climate change policies.
Politics And Religion Unite On The Eve Of The COP26 Summit
Climate change is not just a scientific and political issue - it is also a religious, spiritual, and moral one. On Forbes.com, I discuss the dialoging between the world's religions that is necessary to aid our environment and the poor and marginalized, who suffer the most from climate change.
By 2500, Climate Change May Completely Transform The World
If we do little to mitigate greenhouse emissions, wheat would no longer grow in the American Mid-West, India would be uninhabitable, and the Amazon would be barren, scientists say. I discuss on Forbes.com
Signal From The XENON1T Experiment May Be A Hallmark Of Dark Energy
A group of scientists suggests that an unexplained signal from the XENON1T experiment could originate from dark energy particles formed within the sun. I discuss on Forbes.com.
AI May Have A Thing Or Two To Learn From Our Imperfect Brains
By making neural nets imperfect, just like our brains, researchers show that AI can learn faster and more robustly. I discuss on Forbes.com
A Massive Meteor May Have Destroyed The Biblical City Of Sodom
The ruins of the city of Tall el-Hammam leave clues that the city was destroyed in an Earth-shattering event. Recent research points to a likely culprit - a meteor. I tell the story in Forbes.com.
Particles Change Identities In The First Potentially Observed “Triangle Singularity”
On Forbes.com, I talk about how scientists may have seen a four-quark particle in the Compass data at CERN - or they may have seen something more bizarre - where particles switch identities and the laws of math break down. The results may help us understand the strong force more clearly.
CHRISTIAN LEADERS UNITE TO WARN AGAINST THE DANGERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
The leaders of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches speak out for sustainability and action on climate change on the eve of the COP26 Climate Change Conference this fall. By Elizabeth Fernandez on Forbes.com.
What Stars Host Planets That Would Be Able To See Earth?
What would it take for aliens to find us? If the Earth passes in front of the Sun from their point of view, they may be able to tell the Earth is there - and that it hosts life. On Forbes.com.
Republicans And Democrats Can Agree When It Comes To Climate Change
Becoming engaged with the narrative of climate change helps people to care - and to do something - independent of political leaning. More on Forbes.com.
Now Time Travel Can Be Paradox-Free, Thanks To Math
What would happen if a time traveler killed her own grandfather? A physics undergraduate student may have come up with a way to avoid such a time-traveling paradox. My article on Forbes.com.
Do Birds Have A Subjective Reality? A New Experiment Suggests So
A new study shows that birds may have consciousness - arising from a completely different part of their brain than primates. Find out more on Forbes.com.
What Would It Mean For Life On Earth If There Is Life On Venus?
Earlier this week, scientists announced the discovery of a biomarker in the clouds of Venus. If there is a second Genesis of life, how will it change our understanding of the origin of life, our place in the cosmos, religion, and philosophy? I discuss on Forbes.com.
Is Consciousness Continuous, Like A Movie, Or Discrete, Like A Flipbook?
On Forbes.com, I discuss that we may not be conscious every moment, and this may help us deal with the vast amount of information in the world around us.
Quantum Physics May Upend Our Macroscopic Reality In The Universe
If a tree falls in the forest and someone is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Perhaps not. Things get weird on Forbes.com.
New World Temperature Record Set - Is Climate Change To Blame?
We set a record for high temperature this week. But this is just the latest of a string of records worldwide. What is to blame? More on Forbes.com.
Universe May Have Started In A Big Bounce Rather Than A Big Bang, Scientists Say
Our current models of physics aren't consistent with what we observe. So what are we missing? Loop Quantum Cosmology may be the answer - and could suggest that our Universe rose from the ashes of a previous universe. More on Forbes.com.
Facial Recognition Violates Human Rights, Court Rules
Facial discrimination has been called discriminatory. People fear it will strip our privacy. The latest court ruling from the UK goes as far to say it violates human rights. I discuss on Forbes.com.
How Quantum Entanglement Can Help You Win At Blackjack
Can researchers from MIT and Caltech use quantum entanglement to take down the house? Find out on Forbes.com.
New Experiment Shows How To Get Energy From A Black Hole
For 50 years, it was predicted that you could gain energy by dropping objects into a black hole. On June 22nd, scientists found a way to test this in the lab - and were able to extract energy. More on Forbes.com.
Scientists Move To Find Alien Civilizations Using “Technosignatures”
There are specific marks on a planet that intelligent life may leave. To find technological civilizations among the stars, we just need to know what to look for. I discuss on Forbes.com.
How Will Climate Change Affect Biodiversity? For Clues, Look To The Past
The Permian Extinction, which killed off almost all life on Earth, dramatically changed which parts of the world were filled with life, and which weren't. We may see the same pattern if climate change continues. I discuss on Forbes.com.
Twitter Now Encourages Users To Read Articles Before Retweeting
In the continued battle to fight misinformation, Twitter is asking users to think about what they are posting. Some say the measure goes too far - other say it doesn't do enough. More on Forbes.com.
New Studies Shed Light On The Origins Of Life On Earth
Scientists don't know how that spark of life first started on our planet, but two studies this week show how RNA and DNA - the building blocks of life - could have first formed on Earth. More on Forbes.com.
Why “Fatherhood” Is Unique To Humans Among The Primates
It seems that primates who mate with as many females as possible would dominate the gene pool. So what made fatherhood, or being a male who cared for his young, emerge in humankind? More on Forbes.com.
Your Eyes May Betray What Decision You Are About To Make
The direction of your gaze and the dilation of your pupils can give away what decision you are about to make - and this knowledge can be used to manipulate you. I discuss on Forbes.com.
Our Universe Is Expanding In Strange Ways - And This New Type Of Dark Matter Could Help Explain It
Local measurements of the Hubble Constant and measurements from the Cosmic Microwave Background don't agree. Adding a new type of dark matter might solve the problem, scientists say. I talk about it on Forbes.com.
Think Our Sun Is A Nice, Constant Star? Changes Might Be Coming.
Other stars vary a lot more than our Sun. Is our Sun just going through a period of quiet, and will it become more active in the future? On Forbes.com.
Privacy And Contact Tracing Apps - Google And Apple Debate With World Governments
Apps can help you tell if you've been in contact with someone with COVID-19. But it's a fine line between tracking the virus and surveillance. I discuss the ethics at Forbes.com.
Under One Sky, We’re Never Alone
It's International Dark Sky Week, and these fun ways to participate will connect us to the sky, to our ancestors, and to each other. #LookUpTogether On Forbes.com.
You Can’t Look Someone In The Eye On A Video Chat - And That Changes How We Interact
In this era of social distancing, we need to resort to video calls. But on video, we lose the ability to look someone in the eye - and it changes everything from how we connect to our self-esteem. On Forbes.com.
How Can We Responsibly Return To Work And End Social Distancing?
>We all want to get out of the house. But we need to do it the right way in order to prevent a catastrophic amount of deaths. More on Forbes.com.
The US Comes One Step Closer To Producing Commercial Fusion Power
A near 200-page report outlines steps that the US should take. But is fusion the answer to the energy crisis? More on Forbes.com.
Our Brains Are Just Making It Up As We Go Along
Our brains are lying to us all the time, and the things we see might not actually be there at all. I talk about this more on Forbes.com.
The COVID-19 Coronavirus Is Now A Pandemic - Can We Ethically Deal With Lockdowns?
Done wrongly, it can take our rights and freedoms away. But done correctly, it can dramatically reduce the spread and mortality rate of this disease. More on Forbes.com.
Scientists Measured An Exact Moment In Quantum Time - And It Was Fuzzy
Recently, a team of researchers designed a clever experiment to watch how quantum systems become classical systems - and in the process, found that time is not as precise as we thought it was. On Forbes.com.
The VLA And SETI Team Up To Find Advanced Life In The Universe
They will scan almost the entire sky, and may answer once and for all - are we alone? I discuss it on Forbes.com.
Is The Empathetic Brain Inherently Different?
Scientists try to understand where empathy comes from, and if it changes how the brain works. More on Forbes.com.
Echoes Could Show Black Holes Have A Quantum Side, Changing Physics As We Know It
As these neutron stars merged to form a black hole, they show scientists on Earth that the physics might be different than we thought. More on Forbes.com.
Google’s CEO Calls For Regulation Of AI
Without regulation, we may lose trust in AI applications, and without trust, we'll stop using technologies that use them. I discuss on Forbes.com.
Who Is Responsible In A Crash With A Self-Driving Car?
It's not just the car manufacturers. It turns out that people take advantage of conservative self-driving cars to act more reckless. On Forbes.com.
The Doomsday Clock Is Closer Than Ever To Midnight - Is Anyone Listening?
The board named a triple threat of nuclear proliferation, climate change, and cyber-based disinformation. But what good is the clock if no one listens? On Forbes.com.
Scientists Make A Leap Forward In Understanding Cognition
How can one design an experiment that shows what neurons fire when we make complex decisions? These scientists may have figured out a way. On Forbes.com.
The Multiverse And Eastern Philosophy
Buddhist and Hindu philosophy have given us ideas about the multiverse, the nature of time, and the beginning (and end) of the universe that seem to be remarkably consistent with modern physics. I discuss on Forbes.com.
How Did Language Originate? Charades Might Offer A Clue
Preschoolers were able to create their own language in under 30 minutes. Their simple game may offer clues to how human language arose. I discuss on Forbes.com.
No Surprise Here - Boys And Girls Have Equal Math Ability
A recent study shows that at the brain-level, there is no difference between the genders in math ability. On Forbes.com.
Is A New Geologic Epoch Beginning - The Anthropocene?
It may be un-geologic of us to say humans have started a new epoch in such a short time. Nonetheless, it may be true. On Forbes.com.
Understanding AI Could Hold Up A Mirror To How We Think
In a recent paper in Minds and Machines, David Watson summarizes three ways that supervised learning methods can make predictions in similar ways to the human mind. More on Forbes.com.
Human Participants In Experimentation On The Brain? They Better Be Treated Well.
BRAIN’s working group recently developed a set of ethical guidelines, some of which have not been widely considered before. More on Forbes.com.
Are The Past And Future Real? The Physics And Philosophy Of Time
If my now is different than your now, does "now" even exist? Physicist Carlo Rovelli asks us to think of time in a new way. On Forbes.com.
Stress Isn’t Just In Your Mind - It’s Also From Your Body
Feeling stressed? If you're just treating your brain, you may be missing the source of the problem. More on Forbes.com.
To Combat Climate Change, We Also Need To Understand Our Black Carbon Footprint
Black carbon, the sooty particulate matter from the burning of fossil fuels, isn't taken into account in our carbon footprint. Let's fix that. More on Forbes.com.
A Newly Seen Quantum Symmetry Can Lead To Insights To The Workings Of The Universe
If you work up from first principles, much of what we understand about the Universe and how it works is through symmetries. This newly observed symmetry may lead to insights in quantum computing. On Forbes.com.
EthicalGEO Winners Show How We Can Use Geospatial Technology For The Good Of All
Winners of this contest, sponsored by the American Geographical Society, focused on how location data and geospatial technology can be used for social justice and to empower people to take control of their data and to improve their communities. On Forbes.com.
We’ll Keep Disagreeing, Even If We Calmly Listen To One Another
Argue as much as you want on Facebook. Here's the science why people will still disagree. More on Forbes.com.
Yes, People Can Edit The Genome In Their Garage. Can They Be Regulated?
Anyone who wants to start biohacking in their garage can buy a DIY CRISPR kit for less than $200. Can we even hope for regulation when access is that easy? On Forbes.com.
A New App Seeks To Reduce Vandalism And Privacy Issues In Augmented Reality
An intuitive interface lets any user protect their content, prevent virtual vandalism, and could even reduce cyber bullying. More on Forbes.com.
Could Quantum Gravity Allow Us To Time Travel?
Some of the leading theories of quantum gravity prohibit it, while in others, time travel happens all the time. More on Forbes.com.
How Would Society React If The Europa Clipper Discovered Life In Our Cosmic Backyard?
Would people riot, would there be a surge of suicides, would society be rocked and world religions crumble if we discovered life on another world? More on Forbes.com.
Fake News Could Cause Fake Memories, New Study Finds
People may have false "memories" associated with fake news, especially when the news is reporting something unfavorable about the other side. On Forbes.com.
Would You Trust Anyone With Your Genetic Information? This Company Wants You To
This company does privacy differently, and may have figured out a way to earn your trust in storing your genetic data. More on Forbes.com.
From Apps On Your Phone To Satellites In The Sky, A New Program Looks Into The Ethics Of Mapping
In new program called EthicalGEO, sponsored by the American Geographical Society (AGS) and Omidyar Network, encourages people to start dialoging about the ethics of the geospatial technologies present in our lives. On Forbes.com.
How Could We Decode A Message From Extraterrestrials?
Would it be possible to interpret a message and a language not only from a different species, but from entities from another planet? On Forbes.com.
With The Anniversary Of The Moon Landing, Should Laws Governing Space Be Changed?
On the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, we should reconsider space law: from mining the moon to towing asteroids to the protection of microbial life on other worlds. On Forbes.com.