Jes Burns
Jes Burns is a science reporter and producer of the Northwest science show “All Science, No Fiction” for OPB's Science & Environment unit.
She previously worked for the NPR affiliate KLCC in Eugene as a reporter and the local "All Things Considered" host. Jes has also worked as an editor, host and producer for Free Speech Radio News and has produced radio and television stories for national news programs, including“Marketplace” and “PBS NewsHour.” She’s won many awards for her reporting, including a 2020 AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award.
Jes has a degree in English literature from Duke University and a master's degree from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications.
Latest Stories
Deep-sea volcano off the Oregon Coast helps scientists forecast eruptions
Northwest scientists are going to great distances – and great depths – hoping to help us understand our volcanic risk closer to home.
Northwest science news roundup: COVID-blocking sponges, pig ears and celestial photobombs
This month’s top five Pacific Northwest science stories from “All Science. No Fiction.”
Oregon scientists are 3D printing their way to a healthier future for us all
Researchers at OHSU have developed a way to 3D print cells that can be used to understand cancer and could eventually provide new organs to people who need them.
Northwest science news roundup: Really old humans, jellyfish jets, better cookies and winter slumber
In this monthly rundown from OPB, “All Science. No Fiction.” creator Jes Burns features the most interesting, wondrous and hopeful science coming out of the Pacific Northwest.
Science news roundup: COVID-detecting bubbles, bike safety, a vaccine for breast cancer
In this new monthly rundown from OPB, “All Science, No Fiction” creator Jes Burns features the most interesting, wondrous and hopeful science coming out of the Pacific Northwest.
High-altitude balloons over Oregon bring search for life on Mars one step closer
Oregon-based aerospace outfit tests equipment for space agencies around the world on the coast and in Central Oregon.
Oregon researchers propose innovative path forward for farming’s water woes
Oregon scientists say farmers can future-proof their livelihoods (and the planet) by pairing agriculture and solar power production in the same fields. They’ll save water and make money, all while feeding and electrifying the world.
Battling crabs 250 miles off the Oregon Coast, while studying an underwater volcano
The scientists aboard the research vessel Thompson are trying to answer complicated questions about what makes volcanos, specifically the Axial Seamount, tick. But sometimes the most serious scientific inquiry can face "crabotage."
It’s a moth, it’s a drone, it’s ‘Smellicopter’
No technology even comes close to the speed and sensitivity of insects and animals when it comes to detecting odors. Now, engineers in Washington have built a moth/drone cyborg called the “Smellicopter” to tap into that insect superpower. It combines the mobility of the drone with the scent sensitivity of moths to detect chemical leaks, explosive devices and even people buried under rubble.
The science of sleep: Pacific Northwest researchers explore secrets of a good night’s rest
What if we could harness brainwaves to get better sleep?