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.
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All Stories by Susan Milius
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Earth
On plant invaders and bat fungus
Researchers discuss invasive species and bat-infecting fungi at the Botany & Mycology 2009 meeting
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Life
Bent innards give orchid its kick
Violent pollen delivery in Catasetum flowers gets its power from temporarily deformed inner strip
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Paleontology
Fossil shows first all-American honeybee
Nevada find contradicts long-held view of Europe and Asia as the native land of all honeybees.
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Animals
Toucan’s bill gives big chill
Bird’s supersized bill can switch personal air conditioning on and off, new research suggests.
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Life
Web decorating with garbage
Spider webs adorned with decaying food remains attract more attacks, but maybe there’s a defensive trade-off at work.
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Earth
Bird deaths blamed on vitamin deficiency
Shortage of thiamine may have been killing birds in the Baltic and possibly elsewhere for some 25 years.
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Animals
Turtles make sense after all
The odd bodies of turtles add a wrinkle to standard land-dwelling vertebrates.
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Life
Climate change shrinks sheep
Milder winters help small, weak lambs survive but more competition for food slows growth.
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Earth
Dirty snow may bring green burst to mountain peaks
Dust blowing in from distant deserts speeds the melting of snow and may shake up ecosystems on the slopes.
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Life
Beetle philandering doesn’t work out for the ladies
A common idea about the benefits of multiple matings for females turns out to be wrong for seed beetles.
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Health & Medicine
Downside of red-hot chili peppers
In the wild, a culinary kick comes with risks to the plant.