David Perlman facts for kids

David Perlman (born December 30, 1918, died June 19, 2020) was a famous American journalist who wrote about science. He worked in San Francisco, California, and was the science editor for a big newspaper called the San Francisco Chronicle. He spent most of his long career telling people about exciting discoveries and important scientific news.

Early Life and Learning

David Perlman was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in New York City. He went to Columbia College, where he worked for the student newspaper called Columbia Daily Spectator. After that, he studied journalism at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

A Career in Science News

Perlman started working as a reporter in 1940 for the San Francisco Chronicle. He began writing about science in 1957. This happened after he broke his leg while skiing! During his recovery, he read a lot about astronomy, which got him interested in science.

He became known for explaining complex science topics in a way that everyone could understand. He believed it was very important for people to know about science. He once said that if newspapers don't cover science, young people might not understand the world around them.

David Perlman worked for the Chronicle for a very long time. He retired in August 2017 when he was 98 years old! Even after retiring, he was still called the Chronicle's science editor emeritus.

Awards and Recognition

David Perlman received many awards for his excellent science reporting. In 2000, the American Geophysical Union created an award named after him: the "David Perlman Award for Excellence in Science Journalism—News." This award honors other journalists who do a great job reporting on science.

He was also a leader in journalism groups. He was a former president of the National Association of Science Writers and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. He was also a special member, called a Fellow, of the California Academy of Sciences. He won awards from many other important science groups, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Chemical Society.

His Final Years

David Perlman lived a very long and full life. He passed away on June 19, 2020, at the amazing age of 101.