He is the author of the #1 New York Times best seller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World (2019), and of The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance (2013), also a New York Times best seller.

[2][3] Epstein has given two TED talks related to his books, which have together been viewed more than 12 million times.

Prior to ProPublica, Epstein was a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, where he specialized in science issues in sports and investigative reporting.

[5] With his colleague Selena Roberts, Epstein broke the story that the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003.

[6] Epstein is a graduate of Columbia University, where he was on a 4x800-meter relay team that set the school record, and was given an award for the varsity athlete who “achieved significant success in the face of unusual challenge and difficulty.”[7][8] He earned a bachelor's degree in environmental science and astronomy (2002) and master's degrees in environmental science and journalism.