Trichomonas vaginalis enlists helpers to battle the immune system.
Science News, April 27, 2019
Many animals once thought to have poor sight in low light use tricks in the nervous systems to see brilliantly in the dark.
Scientific American, May 2019 (paywall)
After decades of assuming that pain works in the same way in all sexes, scientists are finding that different biological pathways can produce an ‘ouch!’.
I discuss this story on the Nature podcast. Nature, March 28, 2019
Scientists have documented forests’ resilience to big storms, but they wonder if climate change will outpace the ecosystems’ adaptations
The Scientist, February, 2018
Microbes, traditionally thought to lack organelles, get a metabolic boost from geometric compartments that act as cauldrons for chemical reactions.
The Scientist, December, 2018
Five new things we’re learning about the extinct animals and their ancient kin.
Knowable, November 17, 2018
How Halloween Has Traveled the Globe
Whether trick-or-treating in the United States or costume play celebrations in Japan, Allhallows Eve has taken many forms as its traditions travel the world.
Sapiens, October 26, 2018
The Mysterious Parentage of the Coveted Black Truffle
It’s a mystery with major implications for farmers, chefs, and foodies enamored with the pungent, expensive black truffle.
PNAS Front Matter, October 9, 2018
Use interviews to promote your science, raise your profile and practise your media skills.
Nature Careers, October 4, 2018
Scientists are tinkering with plant microbiomes to feed the world and save endangered species.
Science News, September, 2018
Scientists resurrect proteins from the past to answer today’s evolutionary questions and inspire tomorrow’s bioengineered molecules.
The Scientist, July/August, 2018
Identification of new archaeal species elucidates the domain’s unique biology and its relationship to eukaryotes.
The Scientist, June, 2018
Uncovering Ancient Clues to Humanity’s First Fires
How and when our ancestors mastered the use of fire remains a hotly debated question. Researchers are hunting for answers buried in ancient ash and baked soils.
SAPIENS, June 14, 2017
Venomous swimmers have evolved many ways to sting. (paywall)
Science News, April 29, 2017
The Tasmanian devil is endangered by a bizarre transmissible cancer, but scientists and the devils themselves are fighting back.
BioTechniques, April 12, 2017
The small lizards adapted to unique niches among dozens of isles.
The Scientist, January 1, 2017
The first medical interventions were often individualized but ineffective. As medicine became more scientific, physicians started grouping patients by disease. Now, genetic insights let doctors consider their patients unique genetic make-up.
Nature, September 8, 2016
Prehistoric Animals, in Living Color
Paleontologists are looking beyond bones to reveal the hues of prehistoric animals that vanished millions of years ago. But the young field has its share of disagreements.
PNAS Front Matter, August 2, 2016
Research into aging requires patience, but a small cadre of scientists is angling to speed up answers by developing the flamboyant, short-lived turquoise killifish as a new model.
Nature, July 21, 2016
Will Hagfish Yield the Fibers of the Future?
A tankful of wriggling proto-fish could one day offer a novel kind of strong, flexible material for buttressing bulletproof vests and reinforcing lightweight automobile parts.
PNAS Front Matter, June 28, 2016
Smart Drugs: A Dose of Intelligence
As mind sports becomes the new frontier for doping concenrs, research is exploring whether users really get any value from ‘smart drugs.’
Nature, March 3, 2016