Emily Sohn is a freelance journalist in Minneapolis. She writes mainly about health, science, adventure and complex conservation questions. Her stories have appeared in Nature, the Washington Post, NPR, Aeon, bioGraphic and many other publications. See more at www.tidepoolsinc.com.
Emily Sohn
Contributing writer
From this contributor
Maiken Nedergaard’s power of disruption
The award-winning researcher’s discoveries have changed the way we think about the brain; that’s exactly what her critics dislike.
Maiken Nedergaard’s power of disruption
By
Emily Sohn
26 February 2024 | 26 min listen
Rising star: Ann Kennedy bridges gap between biology, computational theory
A theoretical neuroscientist, Kennedy uses a blend of computational modeling and real-world experiments to understand how brain activity shapes the behaviors of animals that model autism and other conditions.
Rising star: Ann Kennedy bridges gap between biology, computational theory
By
Emily Sohn
26 July 2022 | 5 min listen
Low standards corrode quality of popular autism therapy
Rapid growth and inadequate standards in the 'applied behavior analysis' industry may put vulnerable children in the hands of poorly prepared technicians.
Low standards corrode quality of popular autism therapy
By
Emily Sohn
28 October 2020 | 19 min listen
The blurred line between autism and intellectual disability
Doctors often conflate autism and intellectual disability, and no wonder: The biological distinction between them is murky. Scientific progress depends on knowing where the conditions intersect — and part ways.
The blurred line between autism and intellectual disability
By
Emily Sohn
15 April 2020 | 15 min read
How abuse mars the lives of autistic people
Many people with autism experience a triad of trauma: neglect at home, abuse from trusted adults and bullying at school or work.
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The big idea with Diego Bohórquez
His theories around the neuropod have challenged the boundaries of classic ideas regarding gut-brain communication.
The big idea with Diego Bohórquez
His theories around the neuropod have challenged the boundaries of classic ideas regarding gut-brain communication.
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Sydney Wyatt
20 June 2025 | 12 min read
Genetic background steers PTEN syndrome traits
People with the syndrome, caused by variants in the gene PTEN, often have autism or cancer, or both, but it depends on the genetic diversity encoded in the components of distinct cell signaling pathways, according to a new study.
Genetic background steers PTEN syndrome traits
People with the syndrome, caused by variants in the gene PTEN, often have autism or cancer, or both, but it depends on the genetic diversity encoded in the components of distinct cell signaling pathways, according to a new study.
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Holly Barker
19 June 2025 | 5 min read
Star-responsive neurons steer moths’ long-distance migration
Cells in the bogong moth brain respond to astral landmarks to orient the insects in the direction they need to go.
Star-responsive neurons steer moths’ long-distance migration
Cells in the bogong moth brain respond to astral landmarks to orient the insects in the direction they need to go.
By
Angie Voyles Askham
18 June 2025 | 5 min listen