Elizabeth Preston is a science writer and editor in the Boston area. She has written for The Atlantic, Wired, Jezebel and the Boston Globe, among other publications. Her blog, Inkfish, is published by Discover.
Elizabeth Preston
From this contributor
Test paints quick picture of intelligence in autism
A picture-based test is a fast and flexible way to assess intelligence in large studies of people with autism.
Test paints quick picture of intelligence in autism
By
Elizabeth Preston
24 March 2017 | 3 min read
New atlases chart early brain growth in monkeys
A collection of brain scans from monkeys aged 2 weeks to 12 months reveals how their brain structures and nerve tracts develop over time.
New atlases chart early brain growth in monkeys
By
Elizabeth Preston
3 March 2017 | 2 min read
Work in progress: An inside look at autism’s job boom
Splashy corporate initiatives aim to hire people with autism, but finding and keeping work is still a struggle for those on the spectrum. Can virtual avatars and for-profit startups help?
Work in progress: An inside look at autism’s job boom
By
Elizabeth Preston
20 July 2016 | 16 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
The three-banded panther worm is rewriting the story of brain evolution
The animal has a brain structure all its own, according to a 2026 preprint. The finding hints that brains could have evolved centralization before regionalization.
The three-banded panther worm is rewriting the story of brain evolution
The animal has a brain structure all its own, according to a 2026 preprint. The finding hints that brains could have evolved centralization before regionalization.
By
Sarah DeWeerdt
4 November 2026 | 7 min read
Does cognition happen in brain areas or between them?
Michael Cole explains how "brain flows" are the fundamental units of brain function and cognition.
Does cognition happen in brain areas or between them?
Michael Cole explains how "brain flows" are the fundamental units of brain function and cognition.
By
Paul Middlebrooks
4 November 2026 | 1 min read
‘Brain Flows: How Network Dynamics Compose the Human Mind,’ an excerpt
In his new book, published today, Michael W. Cole examines how the movement of neuronal activity between neuronal populations shapes free will, intelligence and creativity. In this excerpt from Chapter 1, Cole explores why activity flows could unify efforts to map brain functions and connectivity.
‘Brain Flows: How Network Dynamics Compose the Human Mind,’ an excerpt
In his new book, published today, Michael W. Cole examines how the movement of neuronal activity between neuronal populations shapes free will, intelligence and creativity. In this excerpt from Chapter 1, Cole explores why activity flows could unify efforts to map brain functions and connectivity.
By
Michael W. Cole
3 November 2026 | 9 min read