Simon J. Makin is an auditory perception researcher turned science journalist. Originally from Liverpool, he has a Ph.D. in computational auditory modeling from the University of Sheffield. His writing has appeared in Nature, Scientific American and New Scientist, among other places.
Simon Makin
Science writer
From this contributor
Optimized two-photon microscopy enables voltage imaging at multiple depths
The tool could reveal how information flows within and between cortical layers during neural processing.
Optimized two-photon microscopy enables voltage imaging at multiple depths
By
Simon Makin
11 August 2026 | 4 min read
Designer synapses edit brain circuits in living animals
The approach could help elucidate relationships between circuit structure and function, as well as the role of natural electrical synapses.
Designer synapses edit brain circuits in living animals
By
Simon Makin
23 June 2026 | 5 min read
From 0 to 60 in 10 years
After a decade of fast-paced discovery, researchers are racing toward bigger datasets, more genes and a deeper understanding of the biology of autism.
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Susana Carmona on the neurobiology of pregnancy
In a Q&A about her new book, “A Mother’s Brain,” Carmona shares key moments in her career that led her to study the neuroscience of motherhood and discusses some of the major questions the field still needs to address.
Susana Carmona on the neurobiology of pregnancy
In a Q&A about her new book, “A Mother’s Brain,” Carmona shares key moments in her career that led her to study the neuroscience of motherhood and discusses some of the major questions the field still needs to address.
By
Francisco J. Rivera Rosario
6 October 2026 | 8 min read
Aging biomarkers in autism; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 5 October.
Aging biomarkers in autism; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 5 October.
By
Jill Adams
6 October 2026 | 2 min read
Beyond wiring diagrams: Inside a $19 million effort to expand access to connectome technology
Davi Bock’s lab took the millions of images that led to the complete connectome of a fruit fly brain. Now he wants to apply “this high-throughput flashlight across all areas of biology.”
Beyond wiring diagrams: Inside a $19 million effort to expand access to connectome technology
Davi Bock’s lab took the millions of images that led to the complete connectome of a fruit fly brain. Now he wants to apply “this high-throughput flashlight across all areas of biology.”
By
Calli McMurray
6 October 2026 | 11 min read