Susan Milius

Susan Milius

Life Sciences Writer

Life sciences writer Susan Milius has been writing about botany, zoology and ecology for Science News since the last millennium. She worked at diverse publications before breaking into science writing and editing. After stints on the staffs of The Scientist, Science, International Wildlife and United Press International, she joined Science News. Three of Susan's articles have been selected to appear in editions of The Best American Science Writing.

All Stories by Susan Milius

  1. Animals

    Newly discovered lymph hydraulics give tunas their fancy moves

    There’s still some anatomy to discover in fishes as familiar as bluefin and yellowfin tunas.

  2. Animals

    Ravens pass tests of planning ahead in unnatural tasks

    Clever birds may have evolved their own broad powers of apelike thinking about the future.

  3. Animals

    Whales feast when hatcheries release salmon

    Whales: “They’re 40 feet long and they’re feeding on fish that are the size of my finger.”

  4. Plants

    Hermaphrodite wildflower has its own battle of the sexes

    A new example of sexual conflict shows up in a plant with a troublesome pollinator.

  5. Animals

    The blue wings of this dragonfly may be surprisingly alive

    The wings of adult morpho dragonflies show tiny respiratory channels that may support a complex of nanostructures that shine blue.

  6. Plants

    Floral curve test shows what’s great for a moth is not so good for a flower

    3-D printed flowers reveal a hidden conflict between a hawk moth and the flowers it pollinates.

  7. Paleontology

    New fossils shake up history of amphibians with no legs

    The oldest near-relative of today’s snake-shaped caecilians could have an unexpected backstory.

  8. Paleontology

    Ancient attack marks show ocean predators got scarier

    Killer snails and other ocean predators that drill through shells have grown bigger over evolutionary time.

  9. Climate

    Climate change might help pests resist corn’s genetic weapon

    Rising temperatures may allow pests to eat corn that is genetically modified to produce an insect-killing toxin.

  10. Life

    How a flamingo balances on one leg

    Flamingos’ built-in tricks for balance might have a thing or two to teach standing robots or prosthesis makers someday.

  11. Animals

    Orangutans take motherhood to extremes, nursing young for more than eight years

    Weaning in orangutans has been tricky to see in the wild, so researchers turned to dental tests to reveal long nursing period.

  12. Animals

    Blennies have a lot of fang for such little fishes

    Unlike snakes, blennies evolved fangs before venom, through probably not because of any need to hunt big prey.