Erin Garcia de Jesús

Staff Writer

Erin Garcia de Jesús is a staff writer at Science News. She holds a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Washington, where she studied virus/host co-evolution. After deciding science as a whole was too fascinating to spend a career studying one topic, she went on to earn a master’s in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her writing has appeared in Nature News, Science, Eos, Smithsonian Voices and more, and she was the winter 2019 science writing intern at Science News.

All Stories by Erin Garcia de Jesús

  1. Microbes

    To make a tasty yogurt, just add ants (and their microbes)

    Spiking milk with live ants makes tangy traditional yogurt. Researchers have identified the ants' microbial pals and enzymes that help the process.

  2. Artificial Intelligence

    AI-designed proteins test biosecurity safeguards

    AI edits to the blueprints for known toxins can evade detection. Researchers are improving filters to catch these rare biosecurity threats.

  3. Genetics

    AI generated its first working genome: a tiny bacteria killer

    Bacteriophages designed with AI kill E. coli faster than a well-studied strain, but the tech needs regulation before moving beyond lab dishes.

  4. Microbes

    Staph bacteria are bad at letting go

    Calcium, a mineral involved in wound healing, can strengthen the attachment between microbe and skin and make infections hard to shake.

  5. Animals

    Bats live with some viruses. But others can do them in

    Bats can carry some deadly human pathogens without signs of illness. A new survey shows that other viruses can still be bad for bats.

  6. Animals

    Tiny thumbnails may be key for rodents’ global takeover

    Thumbnails might have boosted rodents’ food-handling skills, helping them thrive worldwide.

  7. Health & Medicine

    A bioengineered protein may someday treat carbon monoxide poisoning

    Mice treated with the protein, which is found in bacteria, quickly eliminated carbon monoxide from their body in their pee.

  8. Environment

    River turbulence can push toxic pollutants into the air

    Levels of hydrogen sulfide gas soared near a raging section of the Tijuana River in San Diego, exposing residents to potentially harmful air pollution.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Shifting vaccine guidelines inject uncertainty into getting fall COVID shots

    Respiratory viruses often surge in the fall. We asked an infectious diseases expert how best to protect ourselves given a shifting vaccine landscape.

  10. Animals

    Streaked shearwaters poop only while flying over the ocean

    In-flight defecation may help the birds stay away from feces that can contain pathogens such as bird flu while also fertilizing the ocean.

  11. Health & Medicine

    How flossing a mouse’s teeth could lead to a new kind of vaccine

    Flu viruses often enter the body through mucous tissue in the nose. Researchers are developing new ways to protect such areas.

  12. Life

    Squashing the spotted lanternfly problem may require enlisting other species

    The invasive spotted lanternfly has spread to 17 states and can threaten vineyards. But bats, fungi, dogs and even trees may help control them.