All Stories by Susan Milius
- Chemistry
Too-young caterpillars like scent of sex
Larvae respond to mate-attracting pheromones, raising evolutionary questions about what a very grown-up chemical signal could mean to them.
- Life
Average bear could be pretty smart
Computer tests of solitary species reveal animals’ ability to learn concepts.
- Life
Mantis shrimp flub color vision test
Unexpectedly poor results on crustacean eye exams suggest there’s another way to perceive color.
- Life
How the elephant gets its infrasound
Just blowing air through a pachyderm’s larynx produces fundamental elements of the mysterious rumblings that send messages too low for people to hear.
- Chemistry
Terminator termites have unique technique
Age intensifies likelihood of workers turning into tiny suicide bombers.
- Animals
Tiny creature, giant sperm
Giant sperm appear in various other species, including some flatworms, beetles and a fruit fly species, Drosophila bifurca, with sperm nearly 6 centimeters long.
- Life
Little animals spread sperm for smelly mosses
Sex-specific odors may entice springtails to kick off fertilization.
- Life
Insulin may be Big Antler hormone
Extra sensitivity to the hormone in certain developing tissues might give animals their oversized weapons and ornaments.
- Life
Young flies cannibalize the plump
An evolutionary biologist’s modest proposal shocks colleagues who thought they knew everything about their favorite laboratory organism.
- Animals
Mosquitoes Remade
Scientists reinvent agents of illness to become allies in fight against disease.
- Genetics
Convenience shoulders tomato taste aside
Decades of breeding for uniform color in unripe fruit may accidentally have reduced flavor.
- Humans
Lead poisoning stymies condor recovery
California’s iconic comeback species may need human help as long as even a small percentage of the carcasses they eat contain lead shot.
