
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.

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All Stories by Erin Garcia de Jesús
- Health & Medicine
COVID-19 infections can rebound for some people. It’s unclear why
Rebounding COVID-19 isn’t limited to Paxlovid patients. An infection can come back even for people not given the drug.
- Health & Medicine
Multiple sclerosis has a common viral culprit, opening doors to new approaches
Learning how the common Epstein-Barr virus may trigger multiple sclerosis could help experts design better treatments — or perhaps end the disease.
- Health & Medicine
Two pig hearts were successfully transplanted into brain-dead people
The transplants kept the patients’ blood flowing for three days and are an early step in figuring out if the procedure might work in living people.
- Health & Medicine
The flowery scent of a Zika or dengue infection lures mosquitoes
Mice and humans infected with dengue emit acetophenone, attracting bloodsucking mosquitoes that could then transmit the viruses to new hosts.
- Animals
Ed Yong’s ‘An Immense World’ reveals how animals perceive the world
The book showcases the diverse sensory abilities of other animals and how their view of the world is different from our own.
- Health & Medicine
New COVID-19 boosters could contain bits of the omicron variant
The omicron variant is different enough from the original version to require an update to COVID-19 vaccines, experts say.
- Health & Medicine
Monkeypox is not a global health emergency for now, WHO says
The decision comes as the outbreak of the disease related to smallpox continues to spread, affecting at least 4,100 people in 46 countries as of June 24.
- Animals
50 years ago, eels’ navigation skills electrified scientists
Excerpt from the June 24, 1972 issue of Science News
- Microbes
This giant bacterium is the largest one found yet
On average, Thiomargarita magnifica measures 1 centimeter long and maxes out at 2 centimeters. It is 50 times larger than other giant bacteria.
- Health & Medicine
Nasal vaccines for COVID-19 offer hope and face hurdles
A squirt up the nose could reduce virus transmission, but like shots in the arm, the nasal vaccines have challenges to overcome.
- Animals
These dolphins may turn to corals for skin care
For Indo-Pacific bottlenosed dolphins, rubbing against corals and sea sponges that contain antibacterial compounds could help keep skin healthy.
- Space
50 years ago, scientists had hints of a planet beyond Pluto
In 1972, calculations from Halley’s comet offered evidence of another planet. Today’s astronomers are still searching for a Planet Nine.