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
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Funding for animal research alternatives reaches ‘inflection point’
The United States and Europe are dedicating hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to advance novel alternative methods, but not all neuroscientists see this as a positive step.
Funding for animal research alternatives reaches ‘inflection point’
The United States and Europe are dedicating hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to advance novel alternative methods, but not all neuroscientists see this as a positive step.
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‘Friction-maxxing’ in school: Students should read primary literature, not AI summaries
Trainees need to learn how to identify a neuroscience paper’s major takeaways and integrate them into their understanding. This skill doesn’t come from outsourcing the work to large language models.
‘Friction-maxxing’ in school: Students should read primary literature, not AI summaries
Trainees need to learn how to identify a neuroscience paper’s major takeaways and integrate them into their understanding. This skill doesn’t come from outsourcing the work to large language models.
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Nora Bradford
26 March 2026 | 5 min read
Head direction cells stably orient mice to outside world
The cells’ representations show little drift over time—unlike those of other navigation system neurons—and may provide a “rigid backbone” for more flexible sensory and cognitive responses.
Head direction cells stably orient mice to outside world
The cells’ representations show little drift over time—unlike those of other navigation system neurons—and may provide a “rigid backbone” for more flexible sensory and cognitive responses.
By
Angie Voyles Askham
25 March 2026 | 0 min watch