An evolution enthusiast, he finds the subject a rich hunting ground: recent stories include the origins of the sabre tooth tiger\u2019s tooth, the intellectual capacity of Neanderthals, the evolution of extreme longevity in some animals and why hermit crabs only smell their favourite peanut snacks when it\u2019s wet. \u201cScientists are creative people and it is not a surprise to find engaging stories \u2013 we are surrounded by them,\u201d he explains. \u201cOf course discussions over theories and ideas can get heated, but this is part of what makes these stories so absorbing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When studying for his master\u2019s degree in the Bork group at EMBL Heidelberg, Brouwers kept a blog in his spare time as well as taking on other writing projects. When it came to reflecting on his future \u2013 and deciding to go for it \u00ad\u2013 he had a portfolio of diverse articles to showcase. \u201cI started an internship with NRC Handelsblad<\/em> \u2013 I thought I had a good grip on science, but then I came here and discovered I had been working on just a slither of highly specialised knowledge,\u201d he says. \u201cIt was necessary to take a step back and see the bigger picture. But I got some stories published \u2013 they liked them and eventually took me on as a full time biology and medicine editor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the best things about this job is that you get a flavour of what life is like for scientists in many different areas of life and often in extraordinary situations<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
A typical week involves juggling article writing with planning, interviewing or time out in the field. On one assignment Brouwers scrambled over icy rocks, with Ad\u00e9lie penguins looking on curiously, at a research station in the Antarctic. In another he interviewed his own grandmother after she had taken a direct-to-consumer genetic test as a means of exploring what can and cannot be deduced from them. \u201cOne of the best things about this job is that you get a flavour of what life is like for scientists in many different areas of life and often in extraordinary situations,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLucas Brouwers getting up close and personal with some Adelie penguins. PHOTO: LUCAS BROUWERS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
He urges those wanting to break into science writing to follow his curiosity-driven philosophy. \u201cIf you get excited every time you read an embryology paper, that will be a great subject to write about,\u201d he points out. \u201cIt is also important to practice: at first it might come out horribly, but persist and you will improve \u2013 and even if you decide it is not for you, writing can also help you as a researcher \u2013 it encourages you to organise thoughts and to reason.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Scientist-turned-writer Lucas Brouwers follows his instincts to find interesting stories<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":294,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,3],"tags":[80,59,58,60],"embl_taxonomy":[],"class_list":["post-285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-lab-matters","tag-alumni","tag-careers","tag-pathway","tag-science-and-society"],"acf":{"article_intro":"
To uncover a good science story, journalist and blogger Lucas Brouwers suggests a simple formula: \u201cFollow your instincts,\u201d he says, smiling.<\/p>\n","related_links":[{"link_description":"Read Brouwers' science writing blog on Scientific American","link_url":"http:\/\/blogs.scientificamerican.com\/thoughtomics\/"},{"link_description":"EMBL Alumni Association","link_url":"http:\/\/www.embl.org\/alumni"}],"article_sources":false,"vf_locked":false,"featured":false,"color":"#007B53"},"embl_taxonomy_terms":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"Lucas](\"http:\/\/news.embl.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/2014_07_Science_Writing_1-e1404068629821.jpg\")