MARK STRAUSS

WRITER + EDITOR

I’m an award-winning writer and editor with twenty years’ experience in print and digital media.

My articles have been published in National Geographic, Smithsonian, Foreign Policy, Washington Post, Slate, Discover, io9.com, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, The New Republic and SPY magazine.

My writing covers a wide spectrum of topics, including politics, science, technology, travel, international security, religion and history. Over the years, I’ve appeared as a guest commentator on CNN, NPR and the BBC.

I’ve always been drawn to the power of ideas and in my writing I strive to break down the barriers between politics, science and popular culture.

 

SELECTED CLIPS:
INTERVIEWS
Command Performance: Interview with Patrick Stewart

The actor whose leading roles in Star Trek and X-Men have taken him into the far future, reflects on where present-day society is headed.

SCIENCE
How Will We Get Off Mars?

Landing on Mars will be easy compared to the task of getting back home.

Strange Radio Bursts Seen Coming From a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Astronomers have at last pinpointed the home galaxy of an extremely powerful radio blast, offering clues to what caused the enigmatic event.

12 Theories of How We Became Human, and Why They’re All Wrong

Killers? Hippies? Toolmakers? Scientists have trouble agreeing on the essence of humanity.

The 5,000-Year Secret History of the Watermelon

Ancient Hebrew texts and Egyptian tomb paintings reveal the origins of our favorite summertime fruit.

When Is It Okay To Dig Up The Dead?

Archaeologists are increasingly confronted with demands to let past generations rest in peace.

Space Archaeologists Search For Dead Alien Civilizations

Extraterrestrial life might exist, but there’s no guarantee that it hasn’t destroyed itself. Here’s how to detect an apocalypse on another world.

POLITICS
Will Marijuana for Sick Kids Get Government to Rethink Weed?

The drug’s ability to reduce seizures in some children has softened opposition to research.

Global Shootout

Why the NRA joined the United Nations.

A Key Reason Why U.S. Politicians Don’t Understand Science

The rise and fall of the Office of Technology Assessment—and why we need it more than ever.

Looking Back On “The Limits To Growth”

Forty years after the release of the groundbreaking study, were the concerns about overpopulation and the environment correct?

Will the Trump Administration Weed Out Medical Marijuana?

The president-elect previously has said that regulating cannabis is a state issue—but some of his closest advisers think otherwise.

Who Buys Ivory? You’d Be Surprised.

A new international survey reveals what’s really driving the demand side of the ivory market.

RELIGION
How Would Christianity Deal with Extraterrestrial Life?

For those who believe in the redemption of humanity through a singular event, the question poses an especially complex dilemma.

Anti-Globalism’s Jewish Problem

Anti-Semitism is again on the rise, as modern anxieties merge with old hatreds.

The Campaign to Eliminate Hell

A new generation of evangelical scholars are challenging the idea that sinners are doomed to eternal torment.

God’s Chosen Planet

Why creationists are praying we never find alien life.

NATIONAL SECURITY/ARMS CONTROL
It Seems Crazy, But the Neutron Bomb Was Intended To Be Humane

The weapon of not-as-much mass destruction proved to be a hard sell.

Nuking Hurricanes: The Surprising History of a Really Bad Idea

Why the myth of bombing Mother Nature into submission endures.

HISTORY
No, Really, There is No Secret Code in the Pyramids

Encoded mysteries have existed through history—especially imaginary ones.

Why Newton Believed a Comet Caused Noah’s Flood

In the 17th century, scientists used physics to explain the miracles described in the Bible.

Ten Inventions That Inadvertently Transformed Warfare

Some of the most pivotal battlefield innovations throughout history began as peacetime inventions.

Ten Notable Apocalypses That (Obviously) Didn’t Happen

We’re still here.

Want to Build a Strong Fortress? Set It On Fire

Ancient fortifications in Europe had melted stone walls—but it wasn’t battle damage.

SATIRE/HUMOR
The Untold Story of the Most Hated Workplace Clichés

Where did all this office jargon come from? Presenting a condensed etymology.

Definitive Proof That Nostradamus Predicted Star Wars

Were the prophecies of the French astrologer Nostradamus actually plot spoilers?

As an editor, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the world’s top writers and thinkers. In 2007, I won a National Magazine Award for General Excellence.

SELECTED COVER STORIES I’VE EDITED:

SMITHSONIAN
The Evolution World Tour

Around the world in 300 million years: Ten destinations spanning six continents that tell the story of life on Earth.

FOREIGN POLICY
The World’s Most Dangerous Ideas

Eight leading thinkers issue an early warning on the ideas they believe will be the most destructive in the coming years.

BULLETIN OF THE ATOMIC SCIENTISTS
Nuclear 9/11?

Graham Allison and William Arkin debate the likelihood of nuclear terrorism.