Susan Milius

Susan Milius

Life Sciences Writer

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

    Fifty-two things to do with a bat wing

    Bats swim, run, flirt and do lots of other nonflight jobs with their wings -- a fact that may have influenced evolution of the wing's architecture.

  2. Life

    Rock-climbing fish caught in evolution tug-of-war

    Tall is good for dodging danger, but short is better for climbing waterfalls.

  3. Agriculture

    Candy cane strategy sweetens life for goldenrods

    Goldenrods temporarily duck their heads during pest season

  4. Life

    Buzzing bees protect plant leaves

    Honeybee air traffic can interrupt caterpillars' relentless munching.

  5. Life

    Extreme preservation gives fly’s eye view

    The cell-by-cell detail of a 45 million-year–old retina is preserved in amber

  6. Life

    Hawaii’s honeyeater birds tricked taxonomists

    DNA from old museum specimens reveals evolutionary look-alikes.

  7. Life

    Study raises worries for zoo-born elephants

    Study of captive-born females finds big survival gap between zoo natives and elephants in native ranges.

  8. Animals

    Dogs will go on strike over unfair treats

    Equal sausage demanded for equal paw shakes.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Honeybee CSI: Why dead bodies can’t be found

    Virus could explain one symptom of colony collapse.

  10. Life

    Funny smell may have split bee species

    Among male bees that create their own perfume, a change in the sense of smell might mean a split in species.

  11. Animals

    Forensics’ next tool: Hair-collecting caterpillars

    First human DNA extraction from hair bits in moth larval case.

  12. Life

    Morse Toad: When amphibians tap their toes

    Toe wiggling creates motions, vibrations that get potential prey moving.