Stars and Turning Points
Craft a personal essay on how a scientific phenomenon (e.g., the lifecycle of stars, evolution, or quantum mechanics) can be a metaphor for a personal experience or life phase. Detail the parallels between the science and your personal story, using scientific language to add depth to your personal narrative.
Suggested length: An essay or article: 800 to 2,500 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Include a counterargument and answer it fairly.
- Cut every sentence that only repeats the one before it.
- Find one surprising fact and build around it.
Writing science books
How the world works, explained by someone who loves it.
Popular science makes research readable: black holes, genes, the brain, the climate. It's written for curious people without the background, and it succeeds when they finish feeling smarter rather than lectured.
What readers expect
- Complex ideas made clear
- Wonder and curiosity
- Stories of discovery
- Accurate, current science
A tip before you start
Lead with a mystery or a person, then bring in the science. Curiosity will carry readers through the hard parts.
More Science prompts
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- Climate Change Efforts Since 2020Imagine it's the year 2100 and you are documenting the history of climate change efforts from 2020 to 2100. What worked, what failed, and what did…
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