Joelle Renstrom is a science writer whose work has appeared in Slate, The Guardian, Aeon, Undark and other publications. She also wrote the essay collection "Closing the Book: Travels in Life, Loss, and Literature." She teaches at Boston University.
Recently published
Moltbook wants you to believe its AI acts independently. It doesn’t
Moltbook is a social media platform, like Facebook or Reddit, but for AI bots only. Moltbook's AI system is agentic, which means it functions like an independent agent instead of...
AI makes us overestimate our knowledge and performance
What happens when massive numbers of people think they know more about a subject or are better at something than they actually are? Joelle Renstrom says we're about to find...
What the race back to the moon says about Trump's priorities on Earth
Changes to space policies and projects indicate an administration’s bigger goals, writes Joelle Renstrom. Which is why the public should pay attention to NASA’s decisions to shut down climate-related satellites...
AI teaching assistants are no match for human beings
Morehouse College will introduce AI teaching assistants in some classes this fall. Replacing human TAs with AI that uses the same technology many schools and teachers prohibit seems hypocritical at...
Why a private mission to the moon is still a win for America
A successful moon landing by Odysseus Thursday would be the first by a private company, writes Joelle Renstrom. It would also be a victory for the U.S., which hasn’t landed...
Support WBUR
You think AI could write 'Shake It Off?' As if
The artificial intelligence behind Anna Indiana recycles music’s most overused rhymes and tropes, writes Joelle Renstrom. The result? More mediocre music.
What Jupiter’s icy moons might tell us about our universe
A recently launched spacecraft will orbit three moons of Jupiter that are thought to harbor the ingredients necessary for life, writes Joelle Renstrom.
Artemis finally launched. But we’ll need humility to return to the moon
Despite 50 years of technological advance, going to the moon is still hard, writes Joelle Renstrom.
Why sending a Native American into space is a big deal
Indigenous people have lost far too much on Earth, and we need to prevent that from happening in space, writes Joelle Renstrom.
What the Webb telescope might tell us about ourselves
The telescope represents the same fundamental desire that lies behind the creation of other advanced technology: the desire to understand humanity and where we come from, writes Joelle Renstrom.