headshot of Shafaq Zia

Shafaq Zia


Shafaq Zia is a science journalist and a graduate student in the Graduate Program in Science Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Previously, she was a reporting intern at STAT, covering the COVID-19 pandemic and the latest research in health technology.

From this contributor

Spectrum

Spotted around the web: COVID-19 during pregnancy, sleep problems, eugenics

By Jill Adams, Angie Voyles Askham, Peter Hess, Shafaq Zia
10 June 2022 | 3 min read
Nighttime crowded Shanghai street scene with illumination from electric and neon signs.
Spectrum

New resource tracks genetic variations in Han Chinese populations

By Shafaq Zia
9 December 2021 | 3 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

A crow looking at a screen showing a circle of white dots on a black background.
Behavior

Crows have brains ‘in the fast lane’

The birds accurately complete decision-making tasks twice as fast as primates, although their endbrains look considerably different.

By Sarah Thau
22 October 2026 | 4 min read
A boy manipulates blocks at a table while sitting across from a woman taking notes.
Spectrum

Prevalence of profound autism declines with new definition

The updated, more precise definition used in a CDC study includes adaptive scores.

By Brianna Abbott
22 October 2026 | 5 min read
By clicking to watch this video, you agree to our privacy policy.
Brain Inspired Microphone

Is it time for neuroscience to shift its focus from a computational mind to a navigating mind?

Andrea Hiott explains her navigational approach to the mind, and why now is the time to embrace seemingly paradoxical findings in neuroscience.

By Paul Middlebrooks
21 October 2026 | 1 min read