Catherine Caruso is a freelance science journalist based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her work has appeared in Scientific American, MIT Technology Review and Hakai Magazine. She has a master’s degree in zoology from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s degree in science writing from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Catherine Caruso
From this contributor
Diagnostic odyssey; breaking through; leading role
A doctor decodes a rare genetic condition, burnout is a big problem in science, and an actor with autism will play the lead in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”
Diagnostic odyssey; breaking through; leading role
By
Catherine Caruso
19 May 2017 | 5 min read
Collaborative conference; drug danger; autism map
Autism researchers and advocates gather in San Francisco, nearly one-third of drugs approved in the United States are later linked to safety issues, and an interactive map lays out locations of U.S. autism clinics.
Collaborative conference; drug danger; autism map
By
Catherine Caruso
12 May 2017 | 4 min read
Network television; facing forward; warm welcome
Researchers captured networks of neurons lighting up in a small aquatic animal, facial recognition software can flag genetic conditions, and a Muppet with autism makes her debut on “Sesame Street.”
Network television; facing forward; warm welcome
By
Catherine Caruso
14 April 2017 | 4 min read
Funding free fall; mending mutations; film focus
Donald Trump’s budget blueprint calls for considerable cuts to science agencies, CRISPR corrects mutations in human embryos, and a documentary highlights the challenges faced by an adult with autism.
Funding free fall; mending mutations; film focus
By
Catherine Caruso
17 March 2017 | 4 min read
Behavior boost; double data; common interests
Neuroscientists should not forget that brains have owners, a new genetic database makes its debut, and the intense interests of people with autism offer opportunities.
Behavior boost; double data; common interests
By
Katie Moisse, Catherine Caruso
3 March 2017 | 4 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Null and Noteworthy: Downstream brain areas read visual cortex signals en masse in mice
The finding contradicts a theory that the regions prioritize neurons that are adept at identifying specific stimuli. Plus, a response to a study that questioned immune memory in astrocytes.
Null and Noteworthy: Downstream brain areas read visual cortex signals en masse in mice
The finding contradicts a theory that the regions prioritize neurons that are adept at identifying specific stimuli. Plus, a response to a study that questioned immune memory in astrocytes.
By
Laura Dattaro
31 July 2025 | 4 min read
Poor image quality introduces systematic bias into large neuroimaging datasets
Analyses that include low-quality MRI data underestimate cortical thickness and overestimate cortical surface area, according to new findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.
Poor image quality introduces systematic bias into large neuroimaging datasets
Analyses that include low-quality MRI data underestimate cortical thickness and overestimate cortical surface area, according to new findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.
By
Natalia Mesa
31 July 2025 | 7 min listen
Babies, bees and bots: On the hunt for markers of consciousness
To truly understand consciousness, we need new methods to measure it and detect it in other intelligent systems.
Babies, bees and bots: On the hunt for markers of consciousness
To truly understand consciousness, we need new methods to measure it and detect it in other intelligent systems.
By
Tim Bayne
30 July 2025 | 6 min read