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
Explore more from The Transmitter
Are computational complexity principles relevant for explaining brain activity?
Cristopher Moore discusses the nature of computation and whether we should think of neural activity as computing.
Are computational complexity principles relevant for explaining brain activity?
Cristopher Moore discusses the nature of computation and whether we should think of neural activity as computing.
By
Paul Middlebrooks
17 June 2026 | 1 min read
This paper changed my life: Learning the molecular rules of cell identity
A 1987 Cell paper showed that a single transcription factor could turn fibroblasts into muscle cells. The work inspired Ardem Patapoutian to think about the molecular codes that define neuronal subtypes.
This paper changed my life: Learning the molecular rules of cell identity
A 1987 Cell paper showed that a single transcription factor could turn fibroblasts into muscle cells. The work inspired Ardem Patapoutian to think about the molecular codes that define neuronal subtypes.
By
Ardem Patapoutian
17 June 2026 | 6 min read
Leucovorin saga, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 15 June.
Leucovorin saga, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 15 June.
By
Jill Adams
16 June 2026 | 2 min read