Tom Chivers is a London-based science writer. He grew up in Oxford, before graduating from the University of Liverpool with a first-class degree in philosophy; he then took a Master’s degree at the King’s College London Centre of Medical Law and Ethics. He worked for the Daily Telegraph for seven years from 2007 to 2014, and was a science writer at BuzzFeed UK from 2015 to 2018. He has received several awards for his journalism, including the ‘Explaining the facts’ category in the Royal Statistical Society’s Statistical Excellence in Journalism awards, and was nominated for the British Journalism Award in science writing in 2017. His first book, The Rationalists: Artificial intelligence and the geeks who want to save the world, will be published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in summer 2019.
Tom Chivers
From this contributor
Studying genetics in the age of big data
New biomedical techniques, like next-generation genome sequencing, are creating vast amounts of data and transforming the scientific landscape.
![lab slides on pink background form a pattern.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/232_Algorithms_Genomics_davidbiro_mosaic_01v2.jpg)
Studying genetics in the age of big data
Explore more from The Transmitter
New connectomes fly beyond the brain
Researchers are mapping the neurons in Drosophila’s ventral nerve cord, where the central nervous system meets the rest of the body.
![Research image of neurons in the fly’s ventral nerve cord.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/lede-motormodules-1200-1024x692.webp)
New connectomes fly beyond the brain
Researchers are mapping the neurons in Drosophila’s ventral nerve cord, where the central nervous system meets the rest of the body.
Building an autism research registry: Q&A with Tony Charman
A purpose-built database of participants who have shared genomic and behavioral data could give clinical trials a boost, Charman says.
![Illustration of researchers talking to laypeople amidst strands of DNA.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1200_Charman-1024x687.webp)
Building an autism research registry: Q&A with Tony Charman
A purpose-built database of participants who have shared genomic and behavioral data could give clinical trials a boost, Charman says.
Cerebellar circuit may convert expected pain relief into real thing
The newly identified circuit taps into the brain’s opioid system to provide a top-down form of pain relief.
![](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/paincircuit-1200-1024x692.webp)
Cerebellar circuit may convert expected pain relief into real thing
The newly identified circuit taps into the brain’s opioid system to provide a top-down form of pain relief.