
Alan was all set on majoring in biology, but then he realized he liked writing about science more than doing research, so he left Hong Kong and went to study journalism in the U.S. After interning at NPR and WBEZ in Chicago, he has never wanted to work anywhere outside of public radio. He covers space and all other kinds of innovation. He enjoys comic books, LEGO, and dragon boating.
More from the Contributor
A biological debate: is birdsong music?
Biologists and musicians are still wondering a question that goes back more than a century.
7 years ago
Listen 5:41U.S. mortality rate not falling as quickly as other countries, partly because of obesity
When it comes to lowering the mortality rate, the U.S. is behind other developed countries like Canada, Norway, the U.K., and Australia.
7 years ago
How animals adapt (and maybe even evolve) to live in cities
Mice, rats, mosquitoes, lizards, and other animals are adapting to live in environments created by humans.
7 years ago
Listen 8:29Pennsylvania, other Northeast states sue EPA over Midwest pollution
Northeast state attorneys general say Midwest states should be subject to the same tough ozone standards.
7 years ago
Poker-winning AI might soon help consumers call companies’ bluff
Computer scientists say the artificial intelligence could be used for everything from getting cheaper plane tickets to cybersecurity.
7 years ago
Should we talk about science like it’s magic?
We struggled to balance information and entertainment back in science TV shows to the '50s and '60s. In some ways, we still do.
7 years ago
Listen 7:47Princeton scientists win $3 million for early pictures of the universe
The research uses billion-year-old radiation to confirm the universe's age and how quickly it expanded after the Big Bang.
7 years ago
Listen 1:58Grad students in Philly, Newark plan to join nationwide walkout to protest GOP tax plan
The tax plan passed by the House could increase taxes on graduate students by thousands of dollars, when many make less than $20,000 a year.
7 years ago
More than $300K raised for homeless man who gave N.J. woman his last $20
Now, the homeless man who helped a New Jersey woman when her car ran out of gas in Philadelphia might not stay homeless much longer.
7 years ago
Penn launches clinical trial for uterine transplants
Eight babies have been born in Sweden after their mothers received uterine transplants, but this has yet to be done in the U.S.
7 years ago
How online gaming communities kept two veterans from suicide
The military has a long history of using games in training, but troops also enjoy playing video games during their downtime, and some military gaming communities even help
7 years ago
Listen 6:48FDA approves gene therapy to treat cancer in white blood cells
Some say this is a turning point in using these treatments for cancer, and expect more developments in the future.
7 years ago