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. Agriculture

    Insects laughing at Bt toxin? Try this

    A new countermeasure restores the toxicity of Bt pesticides to insects that have evolved resistance.

  2. Animals

    Mr. Not Wrong: Not my species? Not a problem

    Female toads that accept mates of another species in tough times may be looking after their own interest.

  3. Animals

    Cousin Who? Gliding mammals may be primates’ nearest kin

    Two species of small, little-known rain forest mammals may be primates' closest living relatives.

  4. Animals

    Smells Funny: Fish schools break up over body odor

    Just an hour's swim in slightly contaminated water can give a fish such bad body odor that its schoolmates shun it.

  5. Earth

    Bad Acid: Ocean’s pH drop threatens snail defense

    As ocean waters trend toward acidity, a result of atmospheric greenhouse gas buildup, a shoreline snail's defense against predatory crabs may weaken.

  6. Not Just Hitchhikers

    Salmonella and other human pathogens on vegetables aren't just riding along like casual smears of dirt; they're moving in and setting up housekeeping.

  7. Animals

    Eat a Killer: Snake dines safely with strategic delays

    An Australian snake kills dangerous frogs then waits for their defensive chemicals to degrade before eating them.

  8. Animals

    Crowcam: Camera on bird’s tail captures bird ingenuity

    Video cameras attached to tropical crows record the birds' use of plant stems as tools to dig out food.

  9. Animals

    Tough-guy bluebirds need a frontier

    As western bluebirds recolonize Montana, the most aggressive males move in first, paving the way for milder-mannered dads to take over.

  10. Plants

    Stalking the Green Meat Eaters

    Pitcher plants in a New England bog hold little ecosystems in their leaves, and also act as indicators of the bog's ecological health.

  11. Jungle Down There: What’s a kelp forest doing in the tropics?

    Kelp, algae that grow in cold water, turn out to be surprisingly widespread in tropical seas.

  12. Animals

    Honeybee mobs smother big hornets

    Honeybees gang up on an attacking hornet, killing it by blocking its breathing.