Stephanie Pappas
Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Space.com sister site Live Science, covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Latest articles by Stephanie Pappas
Planet Earth Wobbles As It Spins, and Now Scientists Know Why
By Stephanie Pappas published
Turns out, humans are shifting the planet's spin.
Typhoon Mangkhut Bears Down on the Philippines with 165-Mph Winds
By Stephanie Pappas published
A monster storm is poised to hit the Philippines.
Giant Waves Nearly Half a Million Miles Across Seen on the Sun for the First Time
By Stephanie Pappas published
Huge, slow-moving waves that drive Earth's weather and shape the swirls in Jupiter's atmosphere also exist on the sun, new research reveals.
Earth's Magnetic Field Is Drifting Westward, and Nobody Knows Why
By Stephanie Pappas published
Weird, slow-moving waves in the planet's core could explain the mysterious drifting.
This Horrifying AI Thought Experiment Got Elon Musk a Date
By Stephanie Pappas published
SpaceX founder Elon Musk is dating musician Grimes, apparently because of a shared love of nerdy puns.
Gooey, Magma Ocean May Have Once Roiled Inside the Moon
By Stephanie Pappas published
The ancient moon may have had a gooey interior that likely triggered the lunar magnetic field.
Why Earth's Magnetic Field Might Not Flip After All
By Stephanie Pappas published
The magnetic field is likely to recover without major disruption, new research finds.
Why We Might Miss Extraterrestrial Life Even If It's Staring Us in the Face
By Stephanie Pappas published
Researchers use a cosmic gorilla to uncover the dangers of inattention in the search for alien life.
Wait For It...The First 'April 23rd Doomsday' Was Predicted in 1843
By Stephanie Pappas published
A Third of Young Millennials Are Confused About This Incontrovertible Fact
By Stephanie Pappas published
Younger people seem perplexed about whether Earth is round or flat.
What Will Happen to China's Tiangong-1 As It Falls Through the Atmosphere?
By Stephanie Pappas published
Heat and friction will destroy the space station.
Weirdly Dimmable 'Alien Megastar' Darkens Again
By Stephanie Pappas published
One of the biggest dips in the brightness of Tabby's star points to a possible source for its dusty light-blocker.
Declassified Military Video Shows 'UFO' Off East Coast
By Stephanie Pappas published
One former official said the government is turning away from its responsibilities.
An Electro-Blob Under Africa May Be 'Ground Zero' for Earth's Magnetic Field Reversal
By Stephanie Pappas published
Minerals locked in clays burnt by ancient African farmers reveal the history of Earth's magnetic field.
An Even-Weirder-Than-Usual Tardigrade Just Turned Up in a Parking Lot
By Stephanie Pappas published
The world's newest species of water bear has eight legs and eggs covered with tentacles.
Are Supermassive Black Holes Going to Eat the Universe?
By Stephanie Pappas published
The largest black holes grow faster than their galaxies, according to new research.
These Are the Most Out-of-This-World Photos Ever Taken — Literally
By Stephanie Pappas published
The photos don't look like much: blurry green splotches against pixelated blue. But they're arguably among the most amazing photographic images ever.
Yup, Flat-Earthers Think the Falcon Heavy Launch Was a Conspiracy
By Stephanie Pappas published
Surprise: They don't believe it.
Will Astronauts Someday Feast on Poop-Grown Microbes?
By Stephanie Pappas published
It's an extreme version of trash into treasure: New research finds that microbes can transform poop into fuel for edible bacteria.
Tractor Beam Levitates Large Orbs with Sound
By Stephanie Pappas published
Scientists are figuring out how to make larger and larger objects float on sound waves.
Is America's Spy Plane Back — and Hypersonic?
By Stephanie Pappas published
The SR-71 Blackbird hypersonic spy plane may be back and faster than ever.
Out-of-This-World Diamond-Studded Rock Just Got Even Weirder
By Stephanie Pappas published
The mysterious Hypatia stone fits no known profile.
Stephen Hawking Is Worried About Humanity's Future
By Stephanie Pappas published
In a new episode of "Favorite Places," Hawking wonders if humans will understand existence before destroying themselves.