Sara Kiley Watson

News Editor

Highlights

Editor and writer with a drive to hold industry and government accountable for their roles in the climate crisis—and helping ordinary people navigate a climate-changed future.
History and art nerd at heart, always excited to look into the past to see how we can challenge today’s problems.
Previous reporting experience on science, health, technology, and environment at NPR, Insider, and Durham, NC’s IndyWeek.

Favorite weird science fact

Back in the 1950s, cats were literally parachuted onto a remote island as a form of public health intervention. She talked about it on PopSci’s podcast The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week.

About

Sara Kiley Watson is a News Editor at Popular Science, where she has led sustainability coverage since 2021. She started her tenure at PopSci as an intern in 2017 before joining the team full time as an Editorial Assistant in 2019.

Experience

Sara Kiley started freelancing as a science and tech journalist in her home state of North Carolina while a junior in college and hasn’t slowed down since. Beyond journalism, Sara Kiley has studied energy policy and technology in the US, Spain, Germany and the UK. While glad to investigate the wonkiest energy policy and EPA regulations, she is happiest when making climate solutions make sense for ordinary people—and calling out greenwashing across all sectors. She has been featured on podcasts such as “American Innovation” and “The Right Time with Bomani Jones.”

Education

Sara Kiley holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and a Master of Arts in Journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill.

More from Sara Kiley Watson

Robots

Sara Kiley Watson

Favorite weird science fact

About

Experience

Education

More from Sara Kiley Watson

Disney’s new bipedal robot could have waddled out of a cartoon Disney’s new bipedal robot could have waddled out of a cartoon

All-knowing toilets and taste-testing rocks amongst 2023 Ig Nobel winners All-knowing toilets and taste-testing rocks amongst 2023 Ig Nobel winners

This ‘gnarly-looking beast’ terrorized Brazil 265 million years ago This ‘gnarly-looking beast’ terrorized Brazil 265 million years ago

A rare fish with ‘hands’ is spotted in a surprising place A rare fish with ‘hands’ is spotted in a surprising place

Turmeric may help stomach aches, study shows Turmeric may help stomach aches, study shows

This US astronaut will have spent an entire year in orbit This US astronaut will have spent an entire year in orbit

Almost every place on Earth was affected by extreme temperatures this summer Almost every place on Earth was affected by extreme temperatures this summer

These crow relatives put food over friendship These crow relatives put food over friendship

Life after death never looked so beautiful Life after death never looked so beautiful

This archaic arrowhead might be made from iron that fell from space This archaic arrowhead might be made from iron that fell from space

This giant sea cow-like whale may have been the heaviest creature to ever live on Earth This giant sea cow-like whale may have been the heaviest creature to ever live on Earth

MIT develops an at-home mammogram alternative that fits in a bra MIT develops an at-home mammogram alternative that fits in a bra

7 automakers team up to cover the US and Canada with fast EV chargers 7 automakers team up to cover the US and Canada with fast EV chargers

US climate efforts look promising, but there’s more to do US climate efforts look promising, but there’s more to do

This art installation will tell time and produce solar energy This art installation will tell time and produce solar energy

This fungi-based substance might protect homes from ever-worsening wildfires This fungi-based substance might protect homes from ever-worsening wildfires

The 👍 emoji counts as a contract agreement, Canadian court rules The 👍 emoji counts as a contract agreement, Canadian court rules

Solar panels are getting more efficient, thanks to perovskite Solar panels are getting more efficient, thanks to perovskite

NYC will require audits of AI hiring tools for bias NYC will require audits of AI hiring tools for bias

You can now join Meta’s Twitter rival, Threads You can now join Meta’s Twitter rival, Threads