Niko McCarty was Spectrum’s data reporter from 2021 to 2022. He has an M.A. from New York University’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. He also has an M.Res. in systems and synthetic biology from Imperial College London, where he was a Fulbright Scholar, and an M.Sc. in bioengineering from the California Institute of Technology. His prior research focused on engineered microbial communities and building CRISPR-Cas technologies.
Niko McCarty
Former data reporter
Spectrum
From this contributor
Neuroscience journal retracts 13 papers at once
The papers were flagged by a method that has now been called into question.
DNA unwinder tied to social behaviors in mice, zebrafish
Blocking the enzyme, called TOP2A, in embryos makes the animals less inclined to seek companionship later in life.
DNA unwinder tied to social behaviors in mice, zebrafish
By
Niko McCarty
16 December 2022 | 4 min read
Microscopy mash-up quantifies, maps neural circuits
A new method that merges tissue expansion, light-sheet microscopy and automated image segmentation can reconstruct neural circuits in about a week.
Microscopy mash-up quantifies, maps neural circuits
By
Niko McCarty
7 December 2022 | 5 min read
Autism brain signature most pronounced in sensory areas
An analysis of 11 cortical regions shows anterior-to-posterior shifts in gene expression linked to autism.
Autism brain signature most pronounced in sensory areas
By
Niko McCarty
2 November 2022 | 6 min read
New tool transforms, compares dissimilar brain maps
The open-source software makes it possible to overlay disparate datasets and potentially accelerate hypothesis generation.
New tool transforms, compares dissimilar brain maps
By
Niko McCarty
1 November 2022 | 4 min read
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Leucovorin saga, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 15 June.
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Jill Adams
16 June 2026 | 2 min read
Models at the speed of thought: How AI coding is reshaping theoretical neuroscience
Agentic coding makes it possible to specify a neuroscience model in hours instead of months. Six neuroscientists weigh in on what that tectonic change may bring to the field.
Models at the speed of thought: How AI coding is reshaping theoretical neuroscience
Agentic coding makes it possible to specify a neuroscience model in hours instead of months. Six neuroscientists weigh in on what that tectonic change may bring to the field.
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Brian DePasquale
16 June 2026 | 17 min read
Writing science that humans and machines can read
Large language models are now routinely used to search, summarize and synthesize the literature at scales impossible for any individual researcher—yet scientific publishing has not adapted to that reality.
Writing science that humans and machines can read
Large language models are now routinely used to search, summarize and synthesize the literature at scales impossible for any individual researcher—yet scientific publishing has not adapted to that reality.
By
Rachel Parkinson
15 June 2026 | 7 min read