How One U.S. Postal Carrier’s Delivery Route Led Her to Science

First published in 1921, Science News has been a staple in mailboxes for more than a century. Over that time, countless readers have had their Science News magazine subscription delivered through the mail. But it’s possible that only one person has delivered Science News through the post before becoming a subscriber.

Michelle Benson is a retired letter carrier from Minneapolis, Minnesota, who delivered the mail for the U.S. Postal Service for 32 years. Before hanging up her mailbag for the last time in 2012, Michelle encountered Science News, not as a reader, but as a part of her daily route. This unique introduction to what would become one of her favorite publications has fostered a lasting commitment to science.

“When I was sorting the mail every morning, there were dozens of magazines coming through,” said Michelle. “Different magazines jumped out at me and Science News was one of them. I don’t remember the first time I noticed Science News, but I’ve been subscribing for over three decades.”

One of the first stories to catch her eye was about dinosaurs, one of her favorite subjects. But she has accumulated no shortage of other favorite articles throughout the years.

She recalled being amazed and asking herself, “Where else can you learn that bat feet glow in the dark, the oldest recovered animal DNA comes from mammoths that lived over a million years ago, Marie Antoinette’s secret love letters have been X-rayed, or that there are 200 million stem cells in a pound of fat, many more than in bone marrow?”

Michelle credits her father, Peter Benson, who first encouraged her to pursue a career with the USPS, with making education a family priority. That influence helped spur her lifelong curiosity about the natural world, as well as her belief in the power of science and scientific innovation.

“I believe that if you value something, you should invest in it,” she said. “That is why I subscribe to Science News magazine. I believe that science will save this planet and now that we have artificial intelligence, anything is possible. I believe in supporting anyone that has the passion to make this world healthier and more connected.”

Her support goes beyond words. In addition to subscribing to Science News, Michelle has supported the Society’s work as a member and through generous individual donations over the past decade. Support from people like Michelle makes the Society’s mission possible, ensuring that every young person can strive to become an engineer or scientist.

While Michelle’s introduction to Science News was unique, we hope the curiosity that has kept her reading all these years is not. Michelle herself is helping to share her interest in science with the world.

“I often bring Science News to read on the bus,” she said. “I’ve been known to share, like, ‘Excuse me, do you want to hear something really cool?’”

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