Jackson Ryan

Jackson Ryan

Contributing Writer

Jackson Ryan is a science journalist hailing from Adelaide, Australia, with a focus on longform and narrative non-fiction work. He currently serves as the President of the Science Journalists Association of Australia. Between 2018 and 2023, he was the science editor at CNET. In 2022, he won the Eureka Prize for Science Journalism, which Aussies dub the "Science Oscars." Before all that, he got his doctorate in molecular biology and once hosted a kids TV show on the Disney Channel, called "GameFest." (Good luck finding it.) He lives with a collection of more than 70 Christmas sweaters and zero pets, the latter of which he hopes to rectify one day.

Latest articles by Jackson Ryan

a golden spacecraft rests on its nose on the lunar surface

NASA moon probe plays laser tag with Japanese lunar lander

By Jackson Ryan published

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter bounced a laser off Japan's SLIM lander recently, showcasing tech that could aid future moon exploration.

The moon
illustration of debris in orbit around Earth

Space is becoming an 'unsustainable environment in the long term,' ESA says

By Jackson Ryan published

"Overall, the report is full of bad news that is good news."

Satellites
A series of deepfake eyes showing inconsistent reflections in each eye.

The key to detecting deepfakes may lie within deep space

By Jackson Ryan published

Using methods typically applied to the study of galaxies, researchers have been able to reliably spot the difference between real faces and deepfakes.

Tech
a model of a cross-shaped space station in a glass case in a museum

Russia unveils timeline for building its new space station, starting in 2027

By Jackson Ryan published

Russia has unveiled a comprehensive roadmap for building its newest space station and associated ground infrastructure, with the first modules expected to launch within three years.

Human Spaceflight
a rendered image of a man standing on the rocky grey surface of an asteroid, a space probe hovers in the distance behind him against a starry sky of space.

Jumping on an asteroid: How VR is being used to visit worlds we can never reach

By Jackson Ryan published

At the 2024 Astronomical Society of Australia's Annual Scientific Meeting, I got to walk on an asteroid in virtual reality. Here's what I found in Ryugu World.

Asteroids
A white and red rocket at the bottom of the screen. A building in the background is mostly covered by trees.

Journey to JAXA: Why I skipped Mount Fuji and went straight to the Japanese space agency

By Jackson Ryan published

To this day, I regret not trying the Space Curry.

Missions
A gif showing a yellow-wrapped spacecraft with solar-panel wings in space.

'Absolutely gutted': How a jammed door is locking astronomers out of the X-ray universe

By Jackson Ryan published

With Chandra's fate uncertain, XRISM carries the hopes of X-ray astronomers across the globe — but a technical issue is holding it back from achieving its full potential.

Missions