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. Ecosystems

    Are They Really Extinct?

    A few optimists keep looking for species that might already have gone extinct.

  2. Earth

    Underground Soil Economy: Microbes hidden in the dirt react to UV boost

    The community of soil microbes may live hidden in the ground, but it still changes when there's more ultraviolet radiation above.

  3. Animals

    Honey-Scented Elephants: Young males’ faces drip sweet signals

    An Asian bull elephant just reaching maturity secretes a liquid from glands on its face that smells like honey.

  4. Encouraging signs but no woodpecker

    A birding team searching in Louisiana for the possibly extinct ivory-billed woodpecker heard a promising pattern of taps but did not see the bird or hear it calling.

  5. Ecosystems

    Cryptic Invasion: Native reeds harbor aggressive alien

    A mild-mannered reed native to the United States is getting blamed for the mayhem caused by an evil twin.

  6. Animals

    Yellower blue tits make better dads

    The yellow feathers on a male blue tit's breast could tell females that he'll be a good provider for the chicks.

  7. Plants

    Tropical plants grow cool flowers

    Tropical plants that position their flowers in the general direction of the sun are keeping the temperature comfortable for pollinators.

  8. Meeting Danielle the Tarantula

    Insect zoos have no lions, tigers, or bears but can give plenty of thrills, courtesy of tarantulas, giant beetles, and exotic grasshoppers.

  9. Plants

    Petite pollinators: Tree raises its own crop of couriers

    A common tropical tree creates farms in its buds, where it raises its own work force of tiny pollinators.

  10. Plants

    Shower power: Raindrops shoot seeds out with a splat

    In a seed-dispersal mechanism scientists have never seen before in flowering plants, rain plops into a capsule and makes seeds shoot out the corners.

  11. Parrots will fluoresce for sex

    A budgerigar's head literally glows for its mate, and both males and females of this parrot species prefer to court radiant partners.

  12. Female pipefish face toughest odds

    In the world of pipefish, which are cousins of sea horses, sexual selection may reverse, wherein females battle each other for male favor through sexual selection.