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

    Fruit-eating fish does far-flung forestry

    Overfishing may be robbing trees in the Amazonian floodplain of vital seed dispersers.

  2. Life

    Don’t trust any elephant under 60

    Herds with older leaders are more attuned to danger, a study finds.

  3. Paleontology

    New dinosaur species is titanic

    Titanoceratops may be the oldest known member of the triceratops group.

  4. Life

    Help, elephants need somebody

    In pull-together tests, pachyderms are on par with chimps in understanding the basics of cooperation.

  5. Life

    Hagfish may eat through their skin

    The odd dining habits of carrion-eating protovertebrates may be relevant to the evolutionary transition to land.

  6. Humans

    U.S. probably began global fire ant spread

    A genetic study shows that recent international invasions likely originated in the U.S. South, not the species’ native South American range.

  7. Earth

    Ancient fossil sheds light on early evolution of body armor

    A relative of today’s crabs and insects, the 10-legged, 520-million-year-old find may be the earliest known example of its kind with protected, jointed limbs.

  8. Life

    Tobacco tricks caterpillars with treats

    Larvae that eat tempting hairs on the plant's leaves make themselves more attractive to predators.

  9. Life

    Biologists go bats for storm-watch data

    Borrowing meteorologists’ weather radar info may reveal new view of the ecology of flying animals.

  10. Life

    Hibernation mystery

    Somehow overwintering bears slow their metabolic rates far more than their slightly decreased body temperatures would predict.

  11. Life

    Moonless twilight may cue mass spawning

    Subtle color shifts on the nights just after the full moon might synchronize the release of gametes by corals and other marine creatures.

  12. Life

    Ants manage incest without inbreeding

    An unorthodox family structure may have helped longhorn crazy ants spread around the globe.