Amber Dance is an award-winning freelance science writer and editor based in Southern California. She is a contributor at Knowable Magazine, program director for the New Horizons in Science briefings at the ScienceWriters annual conference for the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing, and a science writing instructor UCLA Extension. She is also a Fictionary StoryCoach Certified Editor.
Amber Dance
Science writer and editor
From this contributor
Maternity induces lasting gene-expression changes in mouse brains
The findings add to a small but growing body of research on neurological changes linked to pregnancy, birth and parenting.
Maternity induces lasting gene-expression changes in mouse brains
By
Amber Dance
12 June 2026 | 5 min read
Levels of autism severity in diagnostic manual track with intelligence
A rating of high severity of autism from the DSM-5, the latest version of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” tracks with low intelligence scores.
Levels of autism severity in diagnostic manual track with intelligence
By
Amber Dance
26 March 2018 | 4 min read
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Early experience reshapes zebrafish retinal cells, alters behavior
The cells undergo a classic form of plasticity previously thought to occur only in downstream visual circuits.
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Loss of interneuron plasticity may be shared hallmark of neurodevelopmental conditions
Restoring an experience-dependent interneuron plasticity gene in adulthood improves memory and cuts seizures in CNTNAP2 knockout mice, a new study shows.
Loss of interneuron plasticity may be shared hallmark of neurodevelopmental conditions
Restoring an experience-dependent interneuron plasticity gene in adulthood improves memory and cuts seizures in CNTNAP2 knockout mice, a new study shows.
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Claudia López Lloreda
12 August 2026 | 5 min read
Neuropsychiatric MRI brain signatures fail reproducibility test
Small neuroimaging studies are unlikely to capture consistent anatomical changes related to conditions such as autism, schizophrenia and mood disorders, according to a new “wake-up call” study.
Neuropsychiatric MRI brain signatures fail reproducibility test
Small neuroimaging studies are unlikely to capture consistent anatomical changes related to conditions such as autism, schizophrenia and mood disorders, according to a new “wake-up call” study.
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Holly Barker
12 August 2026 | 5 min read