Lauren Gravitz is a freelance writer and editor in Hershey, Pennsylvania, who covers health, medicine, science and the environment. Her stories have appeared in Nature, Aeon, The Economist, Technology Review, O, The Oprah Magazine and Discover, among others.
Lauren Gravitz
Freelance Writer
From this contributor
A brief history of precision self-scanning
When a researcher solved a logistical problem by going rogue, the idea proved remarkably infectious.
A brief history of precision self-scanning
By
Lauren Gravitz
21 January 2026 | 13 min read
At the intersection of autism and trauma
Autism and post-traumatic stress disorder share many traits, but the connection between them was largely overlooked until now.
Autism’s drug problem
Many people on the spectrum take multiple medications — which can lead to serious side effects and may not even be effective.
Lack of DNA modification creates hotspots for mutations
The absence of a chemical alteration called methylation on some stretches of DNA makes them especially prone to mutations, according to a paper published in PLoS Genetics in May.
Lack of DNA modification creates hotspots for mutations
By
Lauren Gravitz
28 June 2012 | 4 min read
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When autistic kids grow up
An autistic researcher’s paper called attention to a huge disparity in autism funding research between children and adults. It nearly derailed her life.
When autistic kids grow up
An autistic researcher’s paper called attention to a huge disparity in autism funding research between children and adults. It nearly derailed her life.
By
Brady Huggett
20 May 2026 | 2 min listen
The ‘secretly awesome’ side of a teaching career
The freedom to do “wacky” research projects that interest you is a major perk of the teaching stream, says Suzanne Wood, a teaching professor at the University of Toronto.
The ‘secretly awesome’ side of a teaching career
The freedom to do “wacky” research projects that interest you is a major perk of the teaching stream, says Suzanne Wood, a teaching professor at the University of Toronto.
By
Katie Moisse
20 May 2026 | 7 min read
Manifestantes argentinos denuncian el recorte al financiamiento científico
Manifestantes alrededor del país exigieron al gobierno que aumente los salarios de las universidades públicas y el financiamiento para la investigación científica.
Manifestantes argentinos denuncian el recorte al financiamiento científico
Manifestantes alrededor del país exigieron al gobierno que aumente los salarios de las universidades públicas y el financiamiento para la investigación científica.
By
Claudia López Lloreda, Natalia Mesa, Anita Pouchard Serra
19 May 2026 | 4 min read