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

    Whether froglets switch sexes distinguishes ‘sex races’

    Rana temporaria froglets start all female in one region of Europe; in another region, new froglets of the same species have gonads of either sex.

  2. Plants

    Bits of bacterial DNA naturally lurk inside sweet potatoes

    Samples of cultivated sweet potatoes worldwide carry DNA from Agrobacterium cousin of bacterium used for GMOs.

  3. Animals

    Gazing deeply into your dog’s eyes unleashes chemical attraction

    Dogs and people gazing into each other’s eyes give each other a bond-strengthening rush of oxytocin.

  4. Animals

    Shimmer and shine may help prey sabotage predators’ aim

    Iridescent prey was more difficult to strike in a video game for birds.

  5. Plants

    Plants suck in nicotine from nearby smokers

    Peppermint plants can build up nicotine from tobacco dropped on their soil or smoked indoors.

  6. Life

    It’s true: Butterfly spots can mimic scary eyes

    Contrary to recent studies, the old notion that butterfly wing eyespots evoke predator eyes may not be so old-fashioned after all.

  7. Animals

    Mouse mates with similar personalities start families faster

    Among monogamous mound-building mice, the more closely mates match in a tendency toward anxiety, the sooner they start having babies

  8. Life

    No-fishing scheme in Great Barrier Reef succeeds with valuable fishes

    Coral trout are thriving in marine protected areas in the Great Barrier Reef, but the no-take zones are having a smaller effect on other reef residents, a new 10-year report card shows.

  9. Animals

    Neandertal of ant farmers grows modern food

    The most old-fashioned fungus-growing ant yet discovered grows a startlingly new-fangled crop.

  10. Paleontology

    Fossil of monstrous fish-eating amphibian unearthed

    A new Triassic species of giant amphibian lived like a crocodile instead of like its cute little salamander and frog relatives of today.

  11. Animals

    Piggyback rides and other crocodile fun

    We don’t know the playful side of crocodiles perhaps only because we haven’t looked.

  12. Ecosystems

    Even fast-breeding rabbits can’t withstand Everglades python invasion

    Even marsh rabbits in the Everglades can’t breed fast enough to keep their population going when Burmese pythons warm up for summer hunting.