We are thrilled to announce that The Post has been awarded a silver medal in the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards in Science Reporting-Large Outlet for our piece “Hidden Beneath the Surface”. This immersive exploration delves into how humanity has influenced Earth’s ancient climate over centuries, using a single body of water to tell the story.

The multidisciplinary team behind this award-winning work includes climate reporter Sarah Kaplan, climate graphics reporter Simon Ducroquet, photographer Bonnie Jo Mount, and designers Emily Wright and Frank Hulley-Jones.

“Hidden Beneath the Surface” utilizes interactive graphics, photography, video, and cutting-edge design to illustrate how scientists have identified Canada’s Crawford Lake as the “golden spike” defining the start of a new geological chapter called the Anthropocene. According to judges, the piece “exemplified the best uses of multimedia in science journalism. The beautiful graphics and interactive design enable us to scroll through the depths of Crawford Lake to understand its history.”

This story serves as the first installment in our ongoing series, Unearthing the Future, which aims to explore how evidence from Earth’s past can assist in addressing the challenges of modern climate change. The project has been led by a dedicated team of editors, including Monica Ulmanu, Katie Zezima, Joe Moore, Amanda Voisard, and John Farrell.

The AAAS Science Journalism Awards are considered to be among the top honors in science journalism, making this recognition a significant achievement. Notably, this is Sarah Kaplan’s second AAAS Kavli award, having previously won Silver in 2020 for The Storm Inside