Siri Carpenter is an award-winning science writer and editor based in Madison, Wisconsin. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, O: the Oprah Magazine, Science, Scientific American Mind, Science News, and many other publications. She’s first author on the psychology textbook Visualizing Psychology (John Wiley & Sons, 2007). She is also co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Open Notebook, a nonprofit organization and website that provides resources to help science journalists improve their skills.
Siri Carpenter
Freelance Writer
Spectrum
From this contributor
The children who leave autism behind
Some children shed the symptoms of autism and eventually lose their diagnosis. What sets them apart?
Explore more from The Transmitter
Two neurobiologists win 2026 Brain Prize for discovering mechanics of touch
Research by Patrik Ernfors and David Ginty has delineated the diverse cell types of the somatosensory system and revealed how they detect and discriminate among different types of tactile information.
Two neurobiologists win 2026 Brain Prize for discovering mechanics of touch
Research by Patrik Ernfors and David Ginty has delineated the diverse cell types of the somatosensory system and revealed how they detect and discriminate among different types of tactile information.
Shifting neural code powers speech comprehension
Dynamic coding helps explain how the brain processes multiple features of speech—from the smallest units of sounds to full sentences—simultaneously.
Shifting neural code powers speech comprehension
Dynamic coding helps explain how the brain processes multiple features of speech—from the smallest units of sounds to full sentences—simultaneously.
Astrocytes orchestrate oxytocin’s social effects in mice
The cells amplify oxytocin—and may be responsible for sex differences in social behavior, two preprints find.
Astrocytes orchestrate oxytocin’s social effects in mice
The cells amplify oxytocin—and may be responsible for sex differences in social behavior, two preprints find.