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. Animals

    Do flies eat their sibs before birth?

    A tiny fly that parasitizes cicadas could be the first insect species that's recognized to practice prenatal cannibalism.

  2. Animals

    Glittering male seeks fluorescing female

    A tropical jumping spider needs ultraviolet light for courtship.

  3. Animals

    Bite This: Borrowed toad toxins save snake’s neck

    An Asian snake gets toxins by salvaging them from the poisonous toads it eats.

  4. Plants

    Secret Agent: Hidden helper lets fungus save plants from heat

    A fungus that supposedly lets plants live in overheated soil turns out to work only if it's infected with a certain virus.

  5. Ecosystems

    Saving Whales the Easy Way? Less lobstering could mean fewer deaths

    A provocative proposal suggests that the U.S. lobster fleet in the Gulf of Maine could reduce the number of traps, maintain its profits, and improve life for endangered right whales.

  6. Plants

    Biggest Bloom: Superflower changes branch on family tree

    The plants with the world's largest flowers, the rafflesias, need to be moved closer to poinsettias on the family tree of plant life.

  7. Animals

    Guys Roll Eyes: Fish show some eyeball to their rivals

    During breeding season, male fish roll their eyes to send a quick "Back off, punk" signal to other males, researchers say.

  8. Ecosystems

    Most Bees Live Alone

    Concern about honeybee shortages has inspired new interest in bees that lead solitary lives and don't bother storing honey.

  9. Animals

    No-Dad Dragons: Komodos reproduce without males

    Two female Komodo dragons in zoos have startled their keepers by laying viable eggs without males, possibly as a last resort at a time when mates are in increasingly short supply.

  10. Hottest Fixer: Undersea-vent microbe sets nitrogen record

    A spherical microbe from the weird world of hot-water ocean vents has trumped the nitrogen-processing powers of all organisms previously studied.

  11. Animals

    Extreme Tongue: Bat excels at saying ‘Aah’

    The new champion among mammals at sticking out its tongue is a small bat from Ecuador.

  12. Animals

    New Butterfly: High-alpine species from low-life parents

    Little bluish butterflies high in the Sierra Nevada could be one of the few animal species to have arisen from crossbreeding of two other species.