Ingfei Chen is a writer and editor in Northern California who likes telling stories about medicine, science and the environment. Her articles have published in The New York Times, Science, KQED Mindshift, Scientific American and Smithsonian, among others.
Ingfei Chen
Freelance writer
From this contributor
What baby siblings can teach us about autism
Studies of infants at risk for autism have not yielded a test to predict who will eventually be diagnosed. But they have transformed our understanding of the condition.
The gene hunters
Criss-crossing the globe on a quest for unusual DNA, researchers have discovered a rare mutation that promises insights into both epilepsy and autism — and points to a treatment.
Wide awake: Why children with autism struggle with sleep
Half of children who have autism have trouble falling or staying asleep, which may make their symptoms worse. Scientists are just beginning to explore what goes wrong in the midnight hour.
Wide awake: Why children with autism struggle with sleep
By
Ingfei Chen
7 October 2015 | 15 min read
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Johannes Jaeger explains why we should care that brains and AI are not the same
From single cells to whole organisms, living beings must continuously regenerate themselves and judge what's important to continue living. Artificial intelligence does not and cannot.
Johannes Jaeger explains why we should care that brains and AI are not the same
From single cells to whole organisms, living beings must continuously regenerate themselves and judge what's important to continue living. Artificial intelligence does not and cannot.
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Paul Middlebrooks
1 July 2026 | 1 min read
What mosquitos lay bare about proprioception
By comparing the proprioceptive systems of mosquitos and fruit flies, Sweta Agrawal aims to uncover fundamental features of the ability to sense self-movement.
What mosquitos lay bare about proprioception
By comparing the proprioceptive systems of mosquitos and fruit flies, Sweta Agrawal aims to uncover fundamental features of the ability to sense self-movement.
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Calli McMurray
1 July 2026 | 5 min read
Recording warning: Common brain signal may be misunderstood
High gamma activity in electrophysiologic recordings reflects widespread neural activity, not merely local firing, as previously thought.
Recording warning: Common brain signal may be misunderstood
High gamma activity in electrophysiologic recordings reflects widespread neural activity, not merely local firing, as previously thought.
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Claudia López Lloreda
30 June 2026 | 5 min read