Richard Fisher

Senior Editor, Aeon

Richard Fisher is a senior editor for Aeon, an honorary professor in science communication at University College London, and the author of the non-fiction book The Long View. Previously, he was an editor at the BBC and New Scientist, and a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT.

What I’m looking for: For Aeon, I commission essays about science and technology. I primarily focus on the physical sciences – geology, physics, cosmology, space, oceans, climate, paleontology, chemistry, mathematics etc. In technology, I’m looking for essays that offer a psychological, philosophical or historical lens on our relationship with tech. Most of the writers I work with are academics, expert professionals, or book authors. For more details about what Aeon is looking for in a pitch, visit aeon.co/pitch

Written by Richard Fisher

A mountain peak with a walking path and hikers, under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds.

The benefits of thinking about deep time

On a walk through the Welsh countryside, I travelled through 4.6 billion years of Earth history – and you can too

by Richard Fisher

A man stands in a modern room looking at a large pink sculpture of tentacles outside the window.

What style of curiosity do you practise?

New research shows that people satisfy their curiosity in different ways. Are you a hunter, a busybody or a dancer?

by Richard Fisher

A smiling runner in a yellow shirt high-fiving a cheering crowd on a street lined with buildings and trees.

What runners call the ‘pain cave’

Widely discussed in running circles, there’s a place you go when your body gives up and there’s only mental strength left

by Richard Fisher

Photo of a stone wall beside a sandy beach with calm sea under a cloudy sky sun peeking through a ship on the horizon.

How to do mental time travel

Feeling overwhelmed by the present moment? Find a connection to the longer view and a wiser perspective on what matters

by Richard Fisher

Edited by Richard Fisher

Photo of a person silhouetted against the Milky Way galaxy in a starry night sky, with a faint horizon glow.

The ‘panzoic effect’: the benefits of thinking about alien life

Reflecting on the potential for extraterrestrial life can inspire awe and have a profound effect on your worldview

by Graham Lau

Photo of a man sunbathing on a rooftop next to a large satellite dish.

Why it’s possible to be optimistic in a world of bad news

The original optimist, Leibniz, was mocked and misunderstood. Centuries later, his worldview can help us navigate modern life

by Sumit Paul-Choudhury