Melinda Wenner Moyer (@Lindy2350) is a science writer based in New York’s Hudson Valley. She is a visiting scholar at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and an Alicia Patterson fellow. Moyer writes a column for Slate and is a contributing editor at Scientific American. Her work has also appeared in the New York Times, Mother Jones, and a number of women’s magazines.
Melinda Wenner Moyer
From this contributor
When autistic people commit sexual crimes
Many first-time sex offenders on the spectrum may not understand the laws they break. How should their crimes be treated?
When autistic people commit sexual crimes
By
Melinda Wenner Moyer
17 July 2019 | 19 min read
How pregnancy may shape a child’s autism
Autism is predominantly genetic in origin, but a growing list of prenatal exposures for mother and baby may sway the odds.
How pregnancy may shape a child’s autism
By
Melinda Wenner Moyer
5 December 2018 | 17 min read
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Oligodendrocytes need mechanical cues to myelinate axons correctly
Without the mechanosensor TMEM63A, the cells cannot deposit the appropriate amount of insulation, according to a new study.
Oligodendrocytes need mechanical cues to myelinate axons correctly
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Calli McMurray
11 February 2026 | 5 min read
Modern AI is simply no match for the complexity likely required for harboring consciousness, says Jaan Aru
He argues that our brain’s computations are of a completely different nature than any artificial intelligence because they take place across many spatial and temporal scales and are inextricably entwined with biological materials.
Modern AI is simply no match for the complexity likely required for harboring consciousness, says Jaan Aru
He argues that our brain’s computations are of a completely different nature than any artificial intelligence because they take place across many spatial and temporal scales and are inextricably entwined with biological materials.
By
Paul Middlebrooks
11 February 2026 | 1 min read