Erika Check Hayden is an award-winning, San Francisco-based science and technology reporter. She writes for Nature, and on a freelance basis for a variety of publications, and is a lecturer in the University of California, Santa Cruz Science Communication Program.
Erika Check Hayden
Freelance writer
From this contributor
For studies, size matters: Let us count the ways
In autism research, as in other fields, small sample sizes can lead to false findings. The size of the sample needed for statistical significance depends on the type of study.
For studies, size matters: Let us count the ways
By
Erika Check Hayden
17 October 2018 | 6 min read
Preprint server bioRxiv gets boost from Facebook billionaire
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has pledged to provide financial support for bioRxiv, a website where researchers can share manuscripts before peer review.
Preprint server bioRxiv gets boost from Facebook billionaire
By
Erika Check Hayden
28 April 2017 | 5 min read
Book review: ‘Rigor Mortis’ reveals rampant sloppiness in science
In his new book, journalist Richard Harris writes that lack of reproducibility in research poses a serious threat to science.
Book review: ‘Rigor Mortis’ reveals rampant sloppiness in science
By
Erika Check Hayden
4 April 2017 | 5 min read
Rising star: Somer Bishop fine-tunes autism diagnosis
Somer Bishop is launching a revolution in autism diagnosis, creating faster, more precise tools that speed research and better capture the full spectrum of autism symptoms.
Rising star: Somer Bishop fine-tunes autism diagnosis
By
Erika Check Hayden
28 April 2016 | 8 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Exon-skipping approach boosts levels of key Rett syndrome protein
Deleting a small region of the MECP2 gene partially restored function in neurons derived from people with Rett-associated variants.
Exon-skipping approach boosts levels of key Rett syndrome protein
Deleting a small region of the MECP2 gene partially restored function in neurons derived from people with Rett-associated variants.
By
Giorgia Guglielmi
20 March 2026 | 5 min read
Frameshift: How Caitlin Vander Weele made science communication her business
Her favorite part of research was talking about it. So she left academia and turned that passion into a successful company.
Frameshift: How Caitlin Vander Weele made science communication her business
Her favorite part of research was talking about it. So she left academia and turned that passion into a successful company.
By
Katie Moisse
19 March 2026 | 6 min read
Signs of aging vary across brain cells
Senescence presents differently depending on the cell type, toxic trigger and neighboring cells, two new studies find.
Signs of aging vary across brain cells
Senescence presents differently depending on the cell type, toxic trigger and neighboring cells, two new studies find.
By
Claudia López Lloreda
18 March 2026 | 4 min read