Maris Fessenden is a freelance journalist and illustrator based in Bozeman, Montana. They report and write about scientific methods, genetics, health, wildlife and ecology, and the intersection of science and art.

Maris Fessenden
Contributing writer
Freelance
From this contributor
Lightweight system captures brain activity while mice jump
A thin “micro-tether” and rotating connector facilitate uninterrupted, hours-long neural population recordings as the animals freely explore their environment.
Lightweight system captures brain activity while mice jump
Atlas of developing brain reveals rainbow of cell types
An online resource reveals all major cell types in the developing human brain during the period in which autism is thought to arise.

Atlas of developing brain reveals rainbow of cell types
New method dramatically scales up mapping of active genes in cells
A new technique enables scientists to isolate, and chart gene expression in, tens of thousands of cells at once.

New method dramatically scales up mapping of active genes in cells
Online platform offers one-stop shop for studying brain circuits
A browser-based platform simulates functional neuronal circuits in the brain regions of several species.

Online platform offers one-stop shop for studying brain circuits
Database, lab tricks may crack secrets of the synapse
Two new resources may aid the study of synapses, the junctions between neurons.

Database, lab tricks may crack secrets of the synapse
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Expediting clinical trials for profound autism: Q&A with Matthew State
Aligning Research to Impact Autism, a new initiative funded by the Sergey Brin Family Foundation, wants to bring basic science discoveries to the clinic faster.

Expediting clinical trials for profound autism: Q&A with Matthew State
Aligning Research to Impact Autism, a new initiative funded by the Sergey Brin Family Foundation, wants to bring basic science discoveries to the clinic faster.
This paper changed my life: Shane Liddelow on two papers that upended astrocyte research
A game-changing cell culture method developed in Ben Barres’ lab completely transformed the way we study astrocytes and helped me build a career studying their reactive substates.

This paper changed my life: Shane Liddelow on two papers that upended astrocyte research
A game-changing cell culture method developed in Ben Barres’ lab completely transformed the way we study astrocytes and helped me build a career studying their reactive substates.
Dean Buonomano explores the concept of time in neuroscience and physics
He outlines why he thinks integrated information theory is unscientific and discusses how timing is a fundamental computation in brains.
Dean Buonomano explores the concept of time in neuroscience and physics
He outlines why he thinks integrated information theory is unscientific and discusses how timing is a fundamental computation in brains.