Derek Smith

Writer

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I am a new science writer that has been writing for about one year. With my writing, I aim to instil my readers with a sense of wonder and connection to the natural world, to make scientific research more accessible to a wider audience, and to empower and encourage audiences to become stewards of the environment.

In addition to the ScienceBites family of blogs, my writing has been featured in Massive Science and AGU’s Eos. Regarding microbiology, I write about how microbes interact with each other and their environment and how microbial activity can benefit or harm the health of humans and wildlife. I also write about broader topics in earth science, biology, and environmental science. This includes topics like the restoration of desert soil crusts, the potential origins of organic compounds in Martian meteorites, and the ecology and evolution of macroorganisms.

My articles

• An Abundant Marine Microbe Makes its Own Oxygen April 13, 2022