Alumni Notes: The Earth, the Moon, and Everything Between A recurring roundup of news about former KSJ Fellows, featuring Federico Kukso's compendium of what the fellows have been writing.

How much do you know about the moon? In “Our Moon: How Earth’s Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are,” Rebecca Boyle (’22) curates the story of the moon, considering its role in shaping life on Earth and the reality we live in today. From stabilizing the Earth’s orbit to marking the passage of time for early civilizations, the moon has been an ever-present character in the narrative of our planet. Over time, human relationships with the moon have shifted. Once, humans were lured by the possibility of a visit to our rocky neighbor. As motivation for exploration turns to motivation for profit, trips to the moon raise new questions. At this pivotal time in the moon’s relationship with Earth, Boyle “shows us that the Moon belongs to everybody, and nobody at all.”

While Boyle’s book takes a fresh look at the Moon in the sky, another former KSJ fellow has published a book exploring the earth beneath our feet.

In “Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life,” Ferris Jabr (’22) considers Earth not just as an inanimate object inhabited by life forms, but as a planet that is alive itself. Looking deeper at the interconnected systems that support each other’s existence on the planet, from forests and water to creatures and landscapes, Jabr considers the coevolution of the planet through the lens of living things and poses a new way to look at Earth, as “a planet that breathes, metabolizes, and regulates its climate.” Jabr spends time with people who have made it their life’s work to protect the ecology and balance of the planet, offering the reader the opportunity to imagine humanity in its duality: both with the unique ability to kill the Earth and to understand and appreciate what there is to protect. 

Another Addition to the KSJ Bookshelf

Federico Kukso (’20): “Dinosaurios de América del Sur” (Dinosaurs of South America), Penguin Libros. From the publisher’s page: “Dare to travel through time to discover why South America was the perfect setting for the development of species with unique characteristics and learn everything about these fascinating prehistoric creatures.”

Accolades

Tasmiha Khan (’22) was announced a 2023 grantee from the Center for Health Journalism’s Impact Fund for Reporting on Health Equity and Health Systems. Khan’s project will explore experiences of Muslim women during childbirth in America

Valeria Román (’05) won the Journalism Award from the Azara Foundation for her coverage of science, environment, and health news.

Animals Worth Appreciating

Often considered gross or scary, spiders and vultures aren’t usually the first animals people consider when thinking about species conservation. But, for two former KSJ fellows, these creatures are top of mind. Betsy Mason (’16) wrote about the frightening prospect that many spider species may be in decline in an October 2023 piece for Knowable Magazine titled, “Everyone should start counting spiders.” Later in January 2024, Meera Subramanian (’17) published “Consider the Vulture” in the New Yorker, writing about the importance of “nature’s recyclers” and detailing threats facing vultures worldwide. Both journalists emphasize that human affinity for a species can drastically alter the funding landscape, leaving spiders (often considered scary) and vultures (often viewed as gross) overlooked and understudied.” 

In the News

Here’s what KSJ alumni are writing, a compendium by Federico Kukso (’16):

Zack Colman (’16): “‘It’s a scary time’ as world shatters temperature record,” Politico.

Tim De Chant (’19): “Is the latest near-room-temperature superconductor legit? Don’t count on,” TechChrunch.

Olga Dobrovidova (’15): “Scientists in Russia struggle in a world transformed by its war with Ukraine,” Science.

Rene Ebersole (‘22): “Old-School Hair Analysis Is Junk Science. But It Still Keeps People Behind Bars,” The Marshall Project.

Andrada Fiscutean (’20): “How the EU AI Act regulates artificial intelligence: What it means for cybersecurity,” CSO.

Richard Fisher (’20): “Should we geoengineer volcanoes?” BBC.

Giovana Girardi (’15): “Climate racism and the insanity of polarization on social networks,” Agência Pública (in Portuguese).

Jessica Hamzelou (’24): “The hunter-gatherer groups at the heart of a microbiome gold rush,” MIT Technology Review.

Tasmiha Khan (‘22): “Faith and fear: The impact of gun violence on Muslim communities,” Amsterdam News.

Federico Kukso (’16): “The taxonomic wars: when species names confront scientists,” Agencia SINC (in Spanish).

Rod McCullom (’16): “Do Video Doorbells Really Help to Deter Crime?” Undark.

Valeria Román (’05): “Seagulls against whales in Patagonia: why they harass them,” Infobae (in Spanish). 

Mary-Rose Abraham (’23): “Tractor Rollovers Kill Dozens on Farms Each Year—and a Prevention Program Is at Risk,” Civil Eats. 

Yves Sciama (’14): “Greenland lost 20% more ice than expected,” Mediapart (in French).

Meera Subramanian (’17): “An Amazing 200 Million Year-Old Race,” Orion Magazine. 

Eva Wolfangel (’20): “Spying via iPhone: Probably sloppiness. Maybe also a back door for the NSA,” Die Zeit (in German).