Erika K. Carlson

Erika K. Carlson is a freelance science writer and editor in New York. Her work has appeared in Discover, Quanta Magazine, Physics, and other publications in print and online. Her background is in physics and astronomy, and she is a former AAAS Mass Media Fellow as well as a graduate of the UC Santa Cruz Science Communication Program.

Science

This Neptune-sized world could be the weirdest moon astronomers have ever seen

Meet Kepler-1708 b and its not-so-little friend (that may or may not exist).

ByErika K. Carlson
Phaethon

A volatile element may explain a weird asteroid and a glorious meteor shower

“We knew that it was weird.”

ByErika K. Carlson
Team Venus

New study disputes the theory of alien life existing in the clouds over Venus

If microbes live in the Venusian skies, they must be able to survive with far less water than any known life found on Earth.

ByErika K. Carlson
spiraling out

This massive, super-bright galaxy rewrites the history of the universe

A large galaxy with a distinct structure emerged at a time when it shouldn't have.

ByErika K. Carlson
Science

The ingredients for alien life were found in a planet system still forming

Complex organic molecules exist in planet-forming disks even around hot stars, astronomers find — promising for alien life arising in these systems.

ByErika K. Carlson
it came from outer space

An alien rock on Earth reveals our solar system's violent history

A chunk of Vesta, a large object in the asteroid belt, has a harried story to tell.

ByErika K. Carlson
sunsets

Aliens could exist on worlds weirdly similar to a classic Star Wars planet

A new study suggests aliens could exist on Tatooine-like planets which orbit binary stars.

ByErika K. Carlson