Stories by Damien Pine

Damien Pine is a freelance journalist and ex-NASA engineer. Find Pine on Bluesky @pinebyline.com.

Several illustrated droplets contain city skylines; the closest has a microbe leaning out of a skyscraper window and waving.

MicrobiologyMay 15, 2026

Microbe ‘cities’ may solve a key ocean mystery

Some of Earth’s tiniest life-forms inhabit slowly sinking particles of fish poop and debris, playing a crucial role in ocean carbon storage

Damien Pine

A transparent square has seven columns of blue inscribed within it.

DataFebruary 19, 2026

Robot libraries filled with tiny glass ‘books’ could store data for millennia

A Microsoft Research study suggests glass blocks etched with lasers could provide enduring data archives

Damien Pine

Steam rising from thermal hot springs and geysers. Bison grazing.

MicrobiologyFebruary 9, 2026

Yellowstone’s earthquakes spark microbial boom deep underground

Earthquake swarms can supercharge microbial growth

Damien Pine