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
Digitization of ‘breathtaking’ neuroanatomy slide collection offers untapped research gold mine
Thousands of histological sections of vertebrate brains—including from spiny dogfish, turtles and more—are newly available online.
Digitization of ‘breathtaking’ neuroanatomy slide collection offers untapped research gold mine
Thousands of histological sections of vertebrate brains—including from spiny dogfish, turtles and more—are newly available online.
By
Shaena Montanari
22 January 2025 | 3 min read
Personalized medicine; astroglia organoids; fast track for fragile X drug
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 20 January.
Personalized medicine; astroglia organoids; fast track for fragile X drug
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 20 January.
By
Jill Adams
21 January 2025 | 2 min read
Neuroscientists need to do better at explaining basic mental health research
The knowledge gap between scientists, health-care professionals, policymakers and people with mental health conditions is growing, slowing the translation of basic science to new treatments. Like lawyers learning to present a case to the court, scientists should learn to educate nonscientists about their findings.
Neuroscientists need to do better at explaining basic mental health research
The knowledge gap between scientists, health-care professionals, policymakers and people with mental health conditions is growing, slowing the translation of basic science to new treatments. Like lawyers learning to present a case to the court, scientists should learn to educate nonscientists about their findings.
By
Omar Abubaker, Karla Kaun, Eric J. Nestler
21 January 2025 | 7 min read