Stephen Petranek

Stephen Petranek is an American science journalist, author, and technology forecaster whose career in publishing spans more than four decades. Petranek has received multiple awards for writing on science, nature, technology, politics, and economics. He has served as editor-in-chief of Discover, the editor of The Washington Post Magazine, founding editor and editor-in-chief of This Old House Magazine for Time Inc., senior editor for science at Life Magazine, and group editor-in-chief of Weider History Group's ten history magazines. He has also been editor-in-chief of The Miami Herald's Sunday magazine, Tropic.

Petranek gained international recognition through his TED Talks, including "10 Ways the World Could End" and "Your Kids Might Live on Mars. Here's How They'll Survive." These presentations established Petranek as a prominent voice in science communication, exploring topics such as existential risks and the future of human life on Mars.

His book, "How We'll Live on Mars," examines the technologies required for human settlement on Mars, the history of spaceflight, and the role of private spaceflight companies in advancing interplanetary travel. The book discusses key figures in the race to Mars, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and Mars One.

"How We'll Live on Mars" served as the foundation for the National Geographic mini-series Mars, produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. The series blends documentary footage and current science with a fictional narrative about the first manned mission to Mars, expanding the reach of Petranek's ideas to a broader audience.

Petranek is editor-in-chief of the technology newsletter Breakthrough Technology Alert. His work addresses topics such as space exploration, science journalism, and technological innovation, combining editorial rigor and scientific analysis in his coverage of the challenges and opportunities facing humanity.