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

    A little climate change goes a long way in the tropics

    In hot places, even minor warming could rev up metabolism in animals that don’t generate their own heat, a new analysis suggests.

  2. Life

    Massive count a drop in the bucket

    As the decade-long Census of Marine Life totes up thousands of new species, it leaves much yet to discover in the world’s oceans.

  3. Life

    A giant penguin plumed in earth tones

    The first well-preserved feathers of 36-million-year-old diving bird give clues to color and evolution.

  4. Life

    Lone Star cats rescue cousins in Sunshine State

    Florida panther numbers have tripled since the introduction of females from Texas injected vital genetic diversity, a new report says.

  5. Life

    Flies off-kilter

    In a newly described species, some males have one limb bigger than the other.

  6. Life

    Streetlights turn young duds into studs

    Nocturnal illumination starts youthful male blue tits chirping earlier in the morning, tempting the mates of their still-snoozing elders.

  7. Life

    Cuckoos thrown off by climate change

    With earlier springs, the birds are duping a different mix of adoptive parents into raising their young.

  8. Earth

    Not in this toad’s backyard

    Yellow crazy ants meet a hungry obstacle as they spread into cacao plantations.

  9. Life

    Feud over family ties in evolution

    Prominent scientists dispute kinship’s role in self-sacrifice among highly social creatures.

  10. In field or backyard, frogs face threats

    Amphibians and other sensitive groups encounter chemicals across the landscape.

  11. Life

    ‘Whispering’ gives bats the drop on prey

    A stealth approach to echolocation appears to be adaptive for catching eared moths.

  12. Earth

    Perforated blobs may be early sponges

    Odd shapes in Australian rocks could be the oldest fossil evidence of multicellular animals.