How Android phones became an earthquake warning system
The system uses phones' accelerometers to trigger warnings ahead of the shaking.
John Timmer
–
|
12
John Timmer
Senior Science Editor
[email protected]
John is Ars Technica's science editor. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. John has done over a decade's worth of research in genetics and developmental biology at places like Cornell Medical College and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. His research has been published in journals including Development, Nature, and PNAS. He has also taught scientists how to communicate with each other and the public at Cornell Medical College and Stony Brook University.
At Ars, John has covered nearly every area of science, from astronomy to zoology, and has written authoritatively on subjects such as climate change, quantum computing, and renewable energy. When physically separated from his keyboard, he tends to seek out a bicycle, or a scenic location for communing with his hiking boots. To see more of what's on his mind, you can follow him on Bluesky.
Recent stories by
John Timmer
There could be “dark main sequence” stars at the galactic center
Dark matter particle and antiparticle collisions could make some stars immortal.
John Timmer
–
|
32
Ars Live recap: Climate science in a rapidly changing world
We talked with climate scientist Zeke Hausfather about recent temperature records.
John Timmer
–
|
17
“Things we’ll never know” science fair highlights US’s canceled research
Congressional Democrats host scientists whose grants have been canceled.
John Timmer
–
|
85
Judge: You can’t ban DEI grants without bothering to define DEI
A written ruling details why a judge restored funding for many NIH grants.
John Timmer
–
|
384
New evidence that some supernovae may be a “double detonation”
It may be possible to blow up a white dwarf before it reaches a critical mass.
John Timmer
–
|
62
Researchers develop a battery cathode material that does it all
A mix of iron, chlorine, and lithium is conductive, stores lithium, and self-heals.
John Timmer
–
|
131
Today! Ars Live: What’s up with the sudden surge in temperatures?
Zeke Hausfather of the Berkeley Earth project joins us to talk climate science.
John Timmer
–
|
90
Most Read
Researchers get viable mice by editing DNA from two sperm
Altering chemical modifications of DNA lets the DNA from two sperm make a mouse.
John Timmer
–
|
85
Microsoft lays out its path to useful quantum computing
Its platform needs error correction that works with different hardware.
John Timmer
–
|
34
Spanish blackout report: Power plants meant to stabilize voltage didn’t
The Iberian blackout was a consequence of grid management, not any power source.
John Timmer
–
|
205
IBM now describing its first error-resistant quantum compute system
Company is moving past focus on qubits, shifting to functional compute units.
John Timmer
–
|
84
Startup puts a logical qubit in a single piece of hardware
Nord Quantique's plan for error correction involves far less hardware.
John Timmer
–
|
31
US science is being wrecked, and its leadership is fighting the last war
Facing an extreme budget, the National Academies hosted an event that ignored it.
John Timmer
–
|
217
Analysis: Trump’s “Gold Standard Science” is already wearing thin
FDA head uses great-sounding science standards to dismiss COVID vaccine benefits.
John Timmer
–
|
115
Enigmatic hominin species studied using 2 million-year-old proteins
We weren't even sure if Paranthropus remains come from a single species.
John Timmer
–
|
24
Trump signs executive orders meant to resurrect US nuclear power
Plan calls for three new reactors to reach criticality in about a year.
John Timmer
–
|
627
US solar keeps surging, generating more power than hydro in 2025
Continued rising demand still outpacing growth of renewables in the US.
John Timmer
–
|
217
New data confirms: There really is a planet squeezed in between two stars
The planet may have formed from material transferred between the stars.
John Timmer
–
|
53
Trump admin lifts hold on offshore wind farm, doesn’t explain why
Reasons for the hold were never backed up, and nobody's explaining why it ended.
John Timmer
–
|
109
CERN gears up to ship antimatter across Europe
A portable containment device that can be dropped on a truck.
John Timmer
–
|
194
Renewable power reversing China’s emissions growth
It's the country's first one-year emissions decline that's not linked to economic issues.
John Timmer
–
|
202
Beyond qubits: Meet the qutrit (and ququart)
It's relatively easy to store multiple quantum values in one piece of hardware.
John Timmer
–
|
24
Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard
Agency by agency, Harvard is losing all of its federal research dollars.
John Timmer
–
|
168
A star has been destroyed by a wandering supermassive black hole
Second supermassive black hole is a long way from the galaxy's core.
John Timmer
–
|
77
Genetically engineered bacteria break down industrial contaminants
Five clusters of genes from different organisms put into a single bacterial strain.
John Timmer
–
|
37
Trump administration cuts off all future federal funding to Harvard
Odd letter ostensibly about funding asks Harvard "why is there so much HATE?"
John Timmer
–
|
328
Find my… bicycle?
Knog's Scout gives bikes a motion-sensitive alarm and Bluetooth tracking.
John Timmer
–
|
84
Trump’s 2026 budget proposal: Crippling cuts for science across the board
Budget document derides research and science-based policy as "woke," "scams."
John Timmer
–
|
122
DNA links modern pueblo dwellers to Chaco Canyon people
People in Picuris Pueblo wanted to know how they got there, contacted researchers.
John Timmer
–
|
52
Trump’s National Climate Assessment: No funding and all authors cut loose
The assessment is required by law, but the administration is not noted for caring.
John Timmer
–
|
101
Spain is about to face the challenge of a “black start”
Major power facilities require power to operate, and there's lots of unmet demand.
John Timmer
–
|
267
New study: There are lots of icy super-Earths
"Microlensing" lets us find planets at much greater distances from their star.
John Timmer
–
|
32
Can the legal system catch up with climate science?
New estimate: Fossil fuel companies have caused trillions of dollars in damages.
John Timmer
–
|
105
Harvard sues to block government funding cuts
Suit claims the funding freeze violates First Amendment, Title VI procedures.
John Timmer
–
|
122
To regenerate a head, you first have to know where your tail is
Planaria can't replace a missing head until after the tail develops sufficiently.
John Timmer
–
|
26