Meet the finalists – ABSW Awards 2026

At a time when misinformation and disinformation are rife it has never been more important to recognise and reward accurate, independent science reporting.

The ABSW awards are a showcase for UK and Irish journalists who produce excellent science writing for every imaginable medium, in every possible format, and for every community of interest here and around the world. 

For those that didn't make it as a finalist you are all commended for your contribution to science and technology journalism in 2025. I look forward to seeing your varied, vital and insightful work continue in 2026 and beyond.

Martin Ince, Chair of the Judging Panel 2026

Meet the Judges 2026

The ABSW would like to express its thanks to Martin Ince as he steps down as Chair of the Judges for the ABSW Awards after many years leading this key aspect of the ABSW's work.

The Dr Katharine Giles Award for best new academic voice – supported by the Dr Katharine Giles Fund

Vanessa Drevenakova, PhD student, Imperial College London

Good vibrations could nudge our ageing brain cells back into their youthful groove, The Observer

An uplifting example of science bringing hope for the future. Her enthusiasm drives a compelling story, and her uncomplicated style educates with a light touch. By the end of the article, we have learned more than could be expected about cell biology, a niche technology, and a determination to improve our lives one person at a time.

Alex Taylor, Senior Lecturer in Communications, University of Exeter

Underground data fortresses: the nuclear bunkers, mines and mountains being transformed to protect our ‘new gold’ from attack, The Conversation

Built around a first-hand account of visiting a bunker in southeast England, their article deftly moves between the worlds of personal data and intergovernmental secrets. It engages us like a thriller. But it is also a cautionary tale that asks: how much control do we really have on our personal information when the custodians are commercial companies that see storing our data as a new source of income?

Feature of the Year – General Audience

Kaya Burgess, The mystery of London’s Himalayan parakeets: myths v truth, The Times

With an online version that makes the reader feel like they’re discovering old newspaper clippings, this entertaining article dives into historical data from the Times archives to solve the mystery of how almost 38,000 Asian parrots ended up in London parks. A short yet satisfying story for all nature lovers.

David Robson, Why honing your sense of smell could keep you sharp as you age,  New Scientist

This piece on olfactory dysfunction stood out for its elegant, accessible writing on a genuinely emerging area of science. Brought vividly to life through rich sensory description, it lingers in the mind long after reading, and tells us things we simply didn't know in a beautiful way.

Feature of the Year – Specialist Audience

Margaret Harris, The physics Nobel prizes you've never heard of, Physics World

A refreshing angle to Nobel prize reporting. It was an eye-opener, told a great story and gave some deep historical context to the murky world of who wins the Nobels and why.

Chris Parr, How Europe’s defence boom could transform research, Research Professional News

With shifting geopolitical priorities, this story took a clear-headed look at the questions European funders and researchers are grappling with.

Helen Pearson, Autism is on the rise: what’s really behind the increase? Nature

At a time when misinformation around autism was snowballing, this in-depth feature unpicked the science that some in positions of power seem determined to ignore. 

The judges also wanted to commend the entry by Robert McSweeney and team from Carbon Brief for the sheer amount of work it involved: Factcheck: Trump’s climate report includes more than 100 false or misleading claims.

Newcomer of the Year – supported by Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)

Sophie Berdugo, Staff Writer, Live Science

Scientists claim 'Lucy' may not be our direct ancestor after all, stoking fierce debate, Live Science

Jane Goodall revolutionized animal research, but her work had some unintended consequences. Here's what we've learned from them, Live Science

'Puzzling' object discovered by James Webb telescope may be the earliest known galaxy in the universe, Live Science

Sophie’s career shows a strong early trajectory with work that is well-targeted at the intended audience.

Noa Leach, Special Projects Editor, BBC Science Focus (Our Media)

The world's biggest 'doomsday vault' has now been opened. Here's what's inside, BBC Science Focus

I've spent my career studying ageing. Here are the 7 ways I slow my biological clock, BBC Science Focus

We finally know how life on Earth started, staggering new asteroid discovery suggests, BBC Science Focus

We particularly enjoyed Noa's writing, which showed a good sense of place. 

Mason Wakley, Science Correspondent, Chemistry World

30-year-old solar panels still going strong, Chemistry World

Sailing towards recycling composite textiles, Chemistry World

What could the future of nanoscience look like? Chemistry World

Mason’s portfolio displayed impressive variety. The feature on recycled sailing textiles was especially memorable. 

News Analysis of the Year

Anjana Ahuja, The Science of Starvation, Financial Times

A measured, sobering look at studies since the 1940s investigating the effects of starvation on the human body, published as Gaza was on the brink of famine. 

Emilie Steinmark, Natasha Loder, Why autism should not be treated as a single condition. A better understanding of its biology will lead to better interventions, The Economist

A synoptic overview of recent research into possible causes and varieties of autism and an important corrective to the unfounded claims of politicians.

Mark Peplow, How should ‘mirror life’ research be restricted? Debate heats up, Nature

A balanced, well-crafted, in-depth look at the research behind one of the more dramatic science stories of the year.

News Item of the Year

Clare Carlile, Ellie O'Donnell & Crispin Dowler, Staff Shortages Have Forced Major Cuts to Environment Agency Water Quality Monitoring, Internal Documents Reveal, DeSmog/Unearthed

A detailed and determined investigation resulting in a scoop that holds its subject accountable.

Robert Hart, Chatbots are struggling with suicide hotline numbers, The Verge

A difficult but important subject, well investigated and reported with real-world impact that will have continued relevance.

Cathleen O'Grady, Papers based on open health data face bans, Science

Thoroughly researched, well-reported, highlighting a sure-to-be continuous issue.

Opinion Piece or Editorial of the Year

Alok Jha, America’s assault on science, The Economist

Well crafted - great clarity, logical structure and persuasive language throughout. The important topic of how the expert brain-drain will hurt the US.

Michael Le Page, Analysing Hitler's DNA for a TV gimmick tells us nothing useful, New Scientist

Original, entertaining yet substantial, this piece raises issues that are relevant to our current era of strong-man politics and the factors that allow want-to-be dictators to thrive. This op-ed could have been published anywhere, for a wide audience.

Natasha Loder, RFK’s loopy approach to vaccines endangers Americans, The Economist

Important, data-rich and cleverly crafted, this piece on RFK's vaccine policy has the potential to reach a wide readership across the political divide.

Research Policy of Funding Story of the Year

Deborah Cohen & Margaret McCartney, Our Future Health: consent, clinical risk, and commercial influences in the UK’s largest health research programme, The BMJ

A powerful, yet balanced, investigative piece. The article probes the structure of the ‘Our Future Health’ project, the ethics of its methods of collection, and its overall transparency. Provides the reader with maximum room to take a view.

Jack Leeming, Vera Nienabar & Simon Baker, What research might be lost after the NIH’s cuts? Nature trained a bot to find out, Nature

Original in its approach. The authors have delivered powerful empirical evidence of the damage to original science from the Trump Administration’s current funding policies.

Chris Parr, Research culture element of REF 2029 set to be shrunk, Research Professional News

This piece of investigative journalism exposes how the UK's largest public research funding body plans to change the criteria for future funding. This story is an example of important public interest journalism from the specialist media.

Michael Peel, Hannah Kuchler & Ian Bott, The cost of Trump’s attacks on American science, Financial Times

Written just three months into President Trump’s second term, this article gives a detailed account of the administration’s attack on funding for science. The article has a broad scope whilst delivering a single, consistent message: these policies are likely to significantly undermine the scientific enterprise by their capriciousness.

The Royal Society Audio Award – supported by The Royal Society

Sandra Kanthal, Natasha Loder, Gemma Newby & Nico Raufast, Science under siege, The Economist

With great access to those directly affected, we admired the way this documentary got to the heart of the human impact of the US administration’s swingeing cuts of research funding at Harvard University.  

Hannah Kuchler, Michael Peel, Josh Gabert-Doyon & Edwin Lane, Defying Death - The Origins of Ageing, Financial Times 

We felt this podcast provided a good insight into what some scientists are doing to understand the ageing process and help us live longer lives.

Marijke Peters, Sasha Feachem & Melanie Brown, A Question of Science: Who Owns Space?, The Francis Crick Institute and BBC Studios

An effective and accessible format in which a panel of experts at the forefront of their fields tackled questions from the public on timely subjects.  

Martin Smith, Marnie Chesterton & Anand Jagatia, What is Quantum, BBC Radio 4

An entertaining and informative feature that helped the Radio 4 audience gain an understanding of what quantum physics means, in its centenary year, presented by the ever-enthusiastic Marnie Chesterton and her producer, Anand Jagatia.

Steve Connor Award for investigative science journalism – in memory of science journalist Steve Connor

Madlen Davies, Hristio Boytchev, Rafael Cabrera & Raquel Rutledge, Grünenthal pushed its latest opioid as a safer option. People around the world got hooked, The Telegraph, The Lancet, The Examination's website

A well-written investigation into the shocking practices of pharmaceutical companies that destroy the lives of millions of vulnerable patients around the world. The story reminds us that science itself is susceptible to fraud and that seemingly respectable actors can be powered by purely self-serving motives.

Paul Eccles, Andjela Milivojevic, Rachel Schraer & Fiona Walker, The new snake oil: antivenoms that are as useless as water, TBIJ, The Guardian, El País, Mail & Guardian, The Cabler (Nigeria), Tanzanian Guardian

A beautifully written, narrative piece and an in-depth investigation into an underreported problem that each year needlessly kills tens of thousands and ruins the lives of many more in the developing world. The story skilfully weaves the human impact of the lacking snake antivenom regulations with fact-based reporting. A true eye-opener.

Karl Mathiesen, Corbin Hiar & Katelyn Fossett, The Strange and Totally Real Plan to Blot Out the Sun and Reverse Global Warming, POLITICO Magazine

A deep dive investigation into the development of a technology that could, in the not-so-distant future, be deployed with little-understood consequences for the entire planet. The narrative structure of the piece and the character arc make for an immersive and revealing read.

Ellie O'Donnell & Zach Boren, ‘No Plan B’: Water companies fear pollution crackdown will stop them spreading sewage sludge on farmland, Unearthed/BBC

A very well-reported story obtained through targeted FOI-requests. This investigation built on the publication's previous work and had significant impact, leading directly to a government commitment for legal change — showing that sticking on a story can make a real difference.

Video of the Year

Jonathan Brodie, Hannah Madsen & Tristan Davis, Can we talk to plants?, An Angel Sharp Media Ltd production broadcast on YouTube

Meet an engineer trying to communicate with plants. It’s low budget but looks and feels glossy. It’s not laden with content, and indeed its length, approach and narrative are designed for the Youtube  generation. Best of all, centre-stage is the researcher telling her own story. A walnut whip for the brain.

Shamini Bundell, Would ChatGPT hire you? Your age and gender matter, Nature.com/YouTube

Smart, witty and entertaining. The narrative is cleverly crafted, the graphics delightful and it’s engagingly produced. The script and presentation elevate the story with sparks of humour that entertain and reinforce its message. High production values create an approachable charm.

Alfredo Carpineti, Russell Moul, Eleanor Higgs & Dominic Grose, IFLScience Investigates The Loch Ness Monster: The Science, Story, And Power Of Belief, IFLScience/YouTube

The co-hosts on a road trip to Drumnadrochit explore the visceral excitement we humans have for finding a large cryptid round the corner. They talk to local people, tourists and scientists each of whom has a different angle on Nessie. It’s a low-budget, whimsical way to explore the scientific method through pop culture.