
Erin Wayman became Science News’ production editor in 2013 after a year of reporting on earth and environmental sciences for the magazine. A former primatologist-in-training, Erin decided to leave monkey-watching behind after a close run-in with angry peccaries in Ecuador. Once she completed her master’s degree in biological anthropology at the University of California, Davis, she switched careers and earned a master’s in science writing at Johns Hopkins University. Erin was previously an associate editor at EARTH and an assistant editor at Smithsonian magazine, where she blogged about human evolution. Her work has also appeared in New Scientist, Slate, ScienceNOW and Current Anthropology.

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All Stories by Erin Wayman
- Animals
Elephant diets changed millions of years before their teeth
The animals fed on grasses long before their molars could grind the tough plants.
- Animals
Oysters may struggle to build shells as carbon dioxide rises
Ocean acidification could hamper larvae's growth.
- Life
Primitive fish could nod but not shake its head
Ancient fossils reveal surprises about early vertebrate necks, abdominal muscles.
- Climate
Southwest’s monsoon season may heat up with the climate
Warmer temperatures may bring stronger rainy seasons over the long term, study finds.
- Plants
Mosses frozen in time come back to life
Buried under a glacier for hundreds of years, plants regrow in the lab.
- Oceans
Glacier melt causes large fraction of sea level rise
From 2003 to 2009, thawing ice nearly as large a contributor to oceans as massive sheets at poles, researchers find in new analysis.
- Earth
Groundwater isolated for eons
At least 1.5 billion years after it last saw the surface, flowing liquid may host life.
- Climate
Warming may not release Arctic carbon
Element could stay locked in soil, 20-year study suggests.
- Humans
Eruption early in human prehistory may have been more whimper than bang
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- Climate
Carbon dioxide in atmosphere reaches landmark level
At 400 parts per million, greenhouse gas concentration is now higher than it has been for millions of years.
- Earth
Japan’s 2011 earthquake upped Tokyo’s risk
Chance more than doubled that capital city will soon experience big temblor, researchers calculate.
- Earth
The Arctic was once warmer, covered by trees
Pliocene epoch featured greenhouse gas levels similar to today's but with higher average temperatures.