Eleanor Cummins
Ideas Contributor
Eleanor Cummins is a freelance science journalist writing about death, disaster, and bowling balls. She is an adjunct professor at New York University’s Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting Program.
The Creepy TikTok Algorithm Doesn’t Know You
The uncanny, addictive AI has turned math into a mystical force—and flattened humanity into a series of codes.
Bodies Are Canceled
It's almost inevitable that Instagram forces us to see ourselves as objects—so why not opt out of the human image?
How ‘Big Funeral’ Made the Afterlife So Expensive
It's time to reevaluate the cost of death care—and its environmental impact.
Environmental Law Is Getting in the Way of Climate Action
The path forward requires a new understanding of our burning world.
Museums Are Ready for the Next Natural Disaster. Are You?
After Sandy, climate-resilient design is on the rise. Museums, seeking to protect their priceless art, are on the cutting edge.
Rooftop Solar Panels Are Great for the Planet—But Terrible for Firefighters
New training and fire codes are supposed to make firefighters safer when they run into solar panels, but they’re inconsistently applied.