Meghan Rosen headhsot

Meghan Rosen

Staff Writer, Biological Sciences

Meghan Rosen is a staff writer who reports on the life sciences for Science News. She earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology with an emphasis in biotechnology from the University of California, Davis, and later graduated from the science communication program at UC Santa Cruz. Prior to joining Science News in 2022, she was a media relations manager at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Her work has appeared in Wired, Science, and The Washington Post, among other outlets. Once for McSweeney’s, she wrote about her kids’ habit of handing her trash, a story that still makes her (and them) laugh.

All Stories by Meghan Rosen

  1. Health & Medicine

    When it comes to physical activity, every bit counts

    Biking to the store. Raking leaves. Playing with your kids. Scientists are getting a clearer picture of all the activities that offer health benefits.

  2. Animals

    When do cats play fetch? When they feel like it 

    Most cats that play fetch picked it up on their own, a study of cat owners suggests. The felines tend to dictate when a fetching session begins and ends.

  3. Health & Medicine

    Why weight-loss drugs became more popular than ever this year

    Ozempic and related drugs can drastically reduce body weight, and more potent versions are on the way. But questions remain about who should take them.

  4. Health & Medicine

    A gene editing technique shows promise for lowering LDL cholesterol 

    In a trial of 10 people with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic medicine reduced levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood by up to 55 percent.

  5. Health & Medicine

    The weight-loss drug Wegovy lowered heart attack risk in a large trial

    Among 17,000 adults, those on semaglutide were less likely to experience nonfatal heart attacks and strokes or death due to cardiovascular disease.

  6. Health & Medicine

    Brain tissue may be fuel for marathon runners

    Myelin, fatty tissue that insulates nerve cells in the brain, may be a renewable energy source for marathon runners and other endurance athletes.

  7. Health & Medicine

    Newly identified stem cells can lure breast cancer to the spine

    A new type of stem cell discovered in mice and humans might explain why cancer that spreads to other body parts preferentially targets the spine.

  8. Health & Medicine

    A monkey survived two years with a miniature pig’s kidney

    A new study is the latest in a string of efforts seeking to use other animal species to solve the global organ shortage in people.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Early mRNA research that led to COVID-19 vaccines wins 2023 medicine Nobel Prize

    Biochemists Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman devised mRNA modifications to make vaccines that trigger good immune responses instead of harmful ones.

  10. Animals

    Seen Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster? Data suggest the odds are low

    Floe Foxon is a data scientist by day. But in his free time, he applies his skills to astronomy, cryptology and sightings of mythical creatures.

  11. Health & Medicine

    Mouth taping may be a trending sleep hack, but the science behind it is slim

    Mouth taping is big on social media, but few studies have evaluated it. Some evidence suggests that sealing the lips shut may help people with sleep apnea.

  12. Health & Medicine

    Doctors found a live python parasite in a woman’s brain

    The infection is the first known case of the worm Ophidascaris robertsi in a person. It’s not the only type of worm that can infect human brains.