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. Life

    How not to eat the wrong frog

    Panamanian bats use an array of senses to keep from ingesting poison prey.

  2. Life

    Delay of bloom blamed on climate change

    Flowers that appear immune to global warming in spring may simply be taking a cue from the previous warmer autumn.

  3. Life

    Climate change miscues may shrink species’ outer limits

    Ecological partnerships are getting out of sync especially at high latitudes, a study of hummingbirds suggests.

  4. Animals

    Better bird nesting also good for giant manta rays

    Disrupting tree canopies on a Pacific atoll discourages big fish off shore through a long chain of ecological consequences.

  5. Life

    Culture results when chimps get cracking

    Adjacent groups in Africa follow different traditions when it comes to opening nuts.

  6. Life

    Daytime anesthesia gives bees jet lag

    Honeybees, as stand-ins for surgery patients, show drug’s aftereffects as biorhythms get out sync.

  7. Life

    Pigeon navigation finding called off-course

    Iron-containing cells that had been reported in beaks look mostly like immune system components, a new study finds.

  8. Mixed Results

    Having the right blend of animal personalities can make or break a group

  9. Life

    Fruit fly biorhythms differ indoors and out

    Response to daily cues of real life suggest lab findings may need a second look.

  10. Life

    Pesticide-dosed bees lose future royalty, way home

    Unusual field tests reveal how common insecticides, even at nonfatal doses, can erode colonies and threaten the future of bumblebees and honeybees.

  11. Life

    Industrial roar changes nearby plant reproduction

    Trees and wildflowers register the effects as animals flee (or not) from grinding engines.

  12. Life

    Mild winters may shift spread of mosquito-borne illness

    By pushing insects to start biting mammals earlier in the year, warmer cold months could increase the transmission of a brain virus affecting people and horses.