Joe Spring
@joespring.bsky.social
Science journalist, Field and Lab Newsletter https://joespring.substack.com/ / Formerly Smithsonian Magazine, Outside Magazine, NOAA, USFWS, National Park Service / https://joespring.com/
Loved this chat with the talented KT Bryden. open.substack.com/pub/joesprin...
Environmental Filmmaker KT Bryden Shares the Story Behind “The Little Brown Bird”
The 31-year-old director, cinematographer, and producer talks about her moving documentary on the Florida grasshopper sparrow
open.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Loved this chat with the talented KT Bryden. open.substack.com/pub/joesprin...
Some recent classification changes gave me the chance to write about some of my favorite seabirds, the beautiful and quirky white-terns. joespring.substack.com/p/this-ether...
This Ethereal Seabird Recently Became Three Species
Scientists have changed the classifications of white terns, elegant seabirds that inspire awe and amusement
joespring.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Some recent classification changes gave me the chance to write about some of my favorite seabirds, the beautiful and quirky white-terns. joespring.substack.com/p/this-ether...
Reposted by Joe Spring
❗Reminder: The application deadline for the @theopennotebook.bsky.social early-career fellowship is this Friday, October 31. This fellowship is:
✅ Paid ($6,600)
✅ Part-time
✅ Remote
✅ Mentored
✅ Open to applicants anywhere in the world
Learn more here: www.theopennotebook.com/early-career...
✅ Paid ($6,600)
✅ Part-time
✅ Remote
✅ Mentored
✅ Open to applicants anywhere in the world
Learn more here: www.theopennotebook.com/early-career...
Early-Career Fellowship Program - The Open Notebook
Every year, The Open Notebook offers a paid, part-time fellowship program for early-career science journalists. This ten-month program offers fellows the opportunity to explore their career interests ...
www.theopennotebook.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:54 PM
❗Reminder: The application deadline for the @theopennotebook.bsky.social early-career fellowship is this Friday, October 31. This fellowship is:
✅ Paid ($6,600)
✅ Part-time
✅ Remote
✅ Mentored
✅ Open to applicants anywhere in the world
Learn more here: www.theopennotebook.com/early-career...
✅ Paid ($6,600)
✅ Part-time
✅ Remote
✅ Mentored
✅ Open to applicants anywhere in the world
Learn more here: www.theopennotebook.com/early-career...
A brief review of the best environmental documentary I've seen this year—which you can watch for free. joespring.substack.com/p/so-much-de...
So Much Depends on a Little Brown Bird
By working to save America’s most endangered songbird, a dedicated team is helping to protect Florida’s dry prairie
joespring.substack.com
October 22, 2025 at 7:48 PM
A brief review of the best environmental documentary I've seen this year—which you can watch for free. joespring.substack.com/p/so-much-de...
Reposted by Joe Spring
It's pub day for The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2025, and the whole Best American series. I'm so proud of this book and all the brilliant, beautiful writing @susanorlean.bsky.social selected for it. bookshop.org/p/books/the-...
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2025
Check out The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2025 - <p>“The best science and nature writing—which these stories represent—reminds us of the wide world and our connection to...
bookshop.org
October 21, 2025 at 1:49 PM
It's pub day for The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2025, and the whole Best American series. I'm so proud of this book and all the brilliant, beautiful writing @susanorlean.bsky.social selected for it. bookshop.org/p/books/the-...
Another great dispatch here from @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social fellow @amberonradio.bsky.social, on how native species can help Altadena recover after the fires. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
After the L.A. Fires, Locals Turn to Native Plants to Help Shield Homes From Flames and Clean Contaminated Soil
Scientists and community members in Altadena are testing ways that California species can assist efforts to rebuild
www.smithsonianmag.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Another great dispatch here from @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social fellow @amberonradio.bsky.social, on how native species can help Altadena recover after the fires. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
So cool to see @rudymolinek.bsky.social's @smithsonianmag.bsky.social piece on the long, strange history of Teflon on the notable list for The Best American Science and Nature Writing. Thanks @jaimealyse.bsky.social jaimealyse.beehiiv.com/p/basnw25
Coming soon! The Best American Science & Nature Writing 2025
Discover the 2025 Best American Science & Nature Writing anthology, curated by Susan Orlean and featuring exceptional science writing that explores the wonders of our natural world.
jaimealyse.beehiiv.com
October 1, 2025 at 6:34 PM
So cool to see @rudymolinek.bsky.social's @smithsonianmag.bsky.social piece on the long, strange history of Teflon on the notable list for The Best American Science and Nature Writing. Thanks @jaimealyse.bsky.social jaimealyse.beehiiv.com/p/basnw25
Reposted by Joe Spring
Sometime around the turn of the 20th century, the sea mink disappeared from Maine's coastal waters. Its loss came during a rush of North American extinctions, but many today have never even heard of it.
My latest for Smithsonian:
#wildlife #maine #extinction
www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
My latest for Smithsonian:
#wildlife #maine #extinction
www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
The Life, Loss and Lore of the Sea Mink
It might be among the first mammals to go extinct in North America after colonization. But can scientists prove it was even a distinct species?
www.smithsonianmag.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Sometime around the turn of the 20th century, the sea mink disappeared from Maine's coastal waters. Its loss came during a rush of North American extinctions, but many today have never even heard of it.
My latest for Smithsonian:
#wildlife #maine #extinction
www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
My latest for Smithsonian:
#wildlife #maine #extinction
www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
Great dispatch here by @jessicaleighhester.bsky.social on how researchers are studying seagull upchuck to learn about human pollution. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
Gulls’ Spit-Up Gunk Can Help Ecologists Understand Human Pollution
Researchers and student volunteers pick up what seabirds throw up, then examine it for clues about our impact on the environment
www.smithsonianmag.com
September 30, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Great dispatch here by @jessicaleighhester.bsky.social on how researchers are studying seagull upchuck to learn about human pollution. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
After a fun 5+ years, I'm ending my run as digital science features editor at Smithsonian. I’m so thankful to the talented editors and writers I worked with. I’ll be freelancing, writing a newsletter (below), and more. Please reach out if you have any writing or editing needs. joespring.substack.com
Field and Lab | Joe Spring | Substack
Dispatches on science, sports, adventure, and exploration. Click to read Field and Lab, by Joe Spring, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.
joespring.substack.com
September 29, 2025 at 5:52 PM
After a fun 5+ years, I'm ending my run as digital science features editor at Smithsonian. I’m so thankful to the talented editors and writers I worked with. I’ll be freelancing, writing a newsletter (below), and more. Please reach out if you have any writing or editing needs. joespring.substack.com
What are the environmental impacts of data centers? @amberonradio.bsky.social answers that question as A.I. increases the demand for more and more of them. @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
A.I. Is on the Rise, and So Is the Environmental Impact of the Data Centers That Drive It
The demand for data centers is growing faster than our ability to mitigate their skyrocketing economic and environmental costs
www.smithsonianmag.com
September 29, 2025 at 5:01 PM
What are the environmental impacts of data centers? @amberonradio.bsky.social answers that question as A.I. increases the demand for more and more of them. @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
A lone orca has been sighted several times swimming in the North Atlantic. @bybencassidy.bsky.social reports on what scientists know about the strange occurrence. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
The Curious Case of 'Old Thom,' an Orca Traveling Alone in the North Atlantic
Sightings of the marine mammal captivate the public and baffle scientists
www.smithsonianmag.com
September 24, 2025 at 1:22 PM
A lone orca has been sighted several times swimming in the North Atlantic. @bybencassidy.bsky.social reports on what scientists know about the strange occurrence. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
In a prison program in Ohio, inmates are rehabilitating injured animals. Olivia Young reports on their efforts. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
In Prisons Across Ohio, These Inmates Are Finding Meaning by Saving Orphaned and Injured Animals
The Ohio Wildlife Center’s hospital sends critters to five facilities for care before eventual release
www.smithsonianmag.com
September 22, 2025 at 1:35 PM
In a prison program in Ohio, inmates are rehabilitating injured animals. Olivia Young reports on their efforts. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
It's been 166 years since a powerful geomagnetic storm created dazzling auroras and knocked out communications around the world. @danfalk.bsky.social reports on what could happen if the sun triggers another such event. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
How Prepared Are We for a Rare and Powerful Solar Event?
A coronal mass ejection could knock out power and disrupt communication on Earth
www.smithsonianmag.com
September 18, 2025 at 2:11 PM
It's been 166 years since a powerful geomagnetic storm created dazzling auroras and knocked out communications around the world. @danfalk.bsky.social reports on what could happen if the sun triggers another such event. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
One of the best new science books I’ve read this year is The Explorer’s Gene. I had a chance to chat with its author, Alex Hutchinson, about why we explore. joespring.substack.com/p/why-do-we-...
Why Do We Explore? And Should We Do It More?
In the new book, The Explorer’s Gene, author Alex Hutchinson expertly answers these questions
joespring.substack.com
September 17, 2025 at 9:12 PM
One of the best new science books I’ve read this year is The Explorer’s Gene. I had a chance to chat with its author, Alex Hutchinson, about why we explore. joespring.substack.com/p/why-do-we-...
In North to the Future, Ben Weissenbach vividly chronicles how Alaska is changing as the climate warms. I called the author up to learn more about the best field research book I've read this year. joespring.substack.com/p/this-vivid...
This Vivid Account of a Changing Alaska Brings a Remote Landscape to Life
In the book “North to the Future,” Ben Weissenbach reports on a rapidly transforming environment
joespring.substack.com
September 13, 2025 at 8:25 PM
In North to the Future, Ben Weissenbach vividly chronicles how Alaska is changing as the climate warms. I called the author up to learn more about the best field research book I've read this year. joespring.substack.com/p/this-vivid...
Animal life took on a stunning variety of new forms and behaviors during the Cambrian. @restingdinoface.bsky.social explores why in this illuminating essay. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
What Led Life to Flourish Roughly 520 Million Years Ago?
Changes to the world’s oceans and the rise of certain predators may have driven diversification
www.smithsonianmag.com
September 12, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Animal life took on a stunning variety of new forms and behaviors during the Cambrian. @restingdinoface.bsky.social explores why in this illuminating essay. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
Can scrolling on your mobile phone really cause "brain rot"? @amberonradio.bsky.social digs into the science in this in-depth feature. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu... @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social
Can You Really ‘Rot’ Your Brain by Scrolling Too Much on Your Smartphone?
While that message has been spread on social media, researchers are just beginning to understand how the devices affect the mind
www.smithsonianmag.com
September 12, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Can scrolling on your mobile phone really cause "brain rot"? @amberonradio.bsky.social digs into the science in this in-depth feature. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu... @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social
How do animals react to our noise? Sometimes in quirky ways, but often in ways that indicate they're stressed. @oliviaferrari.bsky.social reports on some notable responses. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
Five Dramatic Ways Animals Respond to Human Noise, From Mimicking Car Alarms While Wooing Mates to Calling Higher Over the Din of Traffic
As human-caused sound gets louder around the world, some animals change their behavior and many creatures suffer health issues
www.smithsonianmag.com
September 10, 2025 at 7:24 PM
How do animals react to our noise? Sometimes in quirky ways, but often in ways that indicate they're stressed. @oliviaferrari.bsky.social reports on some notable responses. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
How did dinos woo each other? @restingdinoface.bsky.social takes a look at the fossils offering clues. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
From Dinosaur Scratches to Insects in Amber, How Paleontologists Uncover Prehistoric Courtship
Researchers have found fossil evidence of varied creatures wooing and mating, as they continue to search for the telltale signs of dinosaurs copulating
www.smithsonianmag.com
September 4, 2025 at 8:39 PM
How did dinos woo each other? @restingdinoface.bsky.social takes a look at the fossils offering clues. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
Reposted by Joe Spring
In my latest for @smithsonianmag.bsky.social, I visit the largest uninhabited island in the South Pacific and tell the story of how its descendants have fought to keep it mostly untouched.
Big thanks to @joespring.bsky.social for the collaboration and edits!
bit.ly/4n9r0uV
Big thanks to @joespring.bsky.social for the collaboration and edits!
bit.ly/4n9r0uV
Why Is Tetepare the South Pacific’s Largest Uninhabited Island?
Descendants of the island’s former inhabitants struggle to balance environmental conservation with sustaining their community’s livelihoods
bit.ly
August 29, 2025 at 3:02 PM
In my latest for @smithsonianmag.bsky.social, I visit the largest uninhabited island in the South Pacific and tell the story of how its descendants have fought to keep it mostly untouched.
Big thanks to @joespring.bsky.social for the collaboration and edits!
bit.ly/4n9r0uV
Big thanks to @joespring.bsky.social for the collaboration and edits!
bit.ly/4n9r0uV
The South Pacific island of Tetepare hasn’t held a permanent human settlement for most of the past 160 years. @zachtheiler.bsky.social reports on what that has meant for the island and its former inhabitants. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
Why Is Tetepare the South Pacific’s Largest Uninhabited Island?
Descendants of the island’s former inhabitants struggle to balance environmental conservation with sustaining their community’s livelihoods
www.smithsonianmag.com
August 25, 2025 at 3:25 PM
The South Pacific island of Tetepare hasn’t held a permanent human settlement for most of the past 160 years. @zachtheiler.bsky.social reports on what that has meant for the island and its former inhabitants. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
Once upon a time, whales walked on land. @restingdinoface.bsky.social reports on some of the most notable species among them. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
Before Whales Took to the Sea, These Ten Species Walked on Land
The creatures, which ranged in size from that of a fox to more than 50 feet long, divided their time between the coast and the water
www.smithsonianmag.com
August 19, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Once upon a time, whales walked on land. @restingdinoface.bsky.social reports on some of the most notable species among them. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
If you're looking for a good book... joespring.substack.com/p/the-25-bes...
The 25 Best Science and Nature Books of the 21st Century
My favorite nonfiction books about animals, medicine, space travel, and more
joespring.substack.com
August 14, 2025 at 3:06 AM
If you're looking for a good book... joespring.substack.com/p/the-25-bes...
Can cannabis cause schizophrenia? Researchers haven't found a direct causal relationship, but they are conducting some interesting studies exploring possible connections. Lillian Ali reports. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
Inside the Quest to Understand the Link Between Cannabis and Schizophrenia
Recent studies have examined the relationship between the drug and psychoses and looked at how the brain responds to the substance
www.smithsonianmag.com
August 12, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Can cannabis cause schizophrenia? Researchers haven't found a direct causal relationship, but they are conducting some interesting studies exploring possible connections. Lillian Ali reports. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...