 
					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.
 
Trustworthy journalism comes at a price.
Scientists and journalists share a core belief in questioning, observing and verifying to reach the truth. Science News reports on crucial research and discovery across science disciplines. We need your financial support to make it happen – every contribution makes a difference.
All Stories by Susan Milius
- 			 Animals AnimalsSmart tags show unexpected tuna tripsThe first report on Atlantic bluefin tuna wearing electronic tags reveals much more dashing across the ocean than expected. 
- 			 Animals AnimalsBat bites bird. . .in migration attacksThe largest bat in Europe may hunt down migrating birds. 
- 			  The trouble with small male spidersA test of an old view of sexual cannibalism—that it's a way of rejecting suitors—finds that small males lose out, but not from attacks by females. 
- 			  Funnel-web males send knockouts in airMale funnel-web spiders seem to waft some kind of gas toward females that renders the females limp, enabling the males to mate without being eaten. 
- 			  River dolphins can whistle, too, sort ofIn the most elaborate attempt so far to eavesdrop on Brazil's pink river dolphins, researchers have detected what may be a counterpart to seafaring dolphins' whistles. 
- 			  Do parents with extra help goof off?When researchers stepped in to help feed baby sparrows, the parents did not slack off but brought even more food. 
- 			  New robot frog gets into fightsResearchers have finally managed to build a robot frog that can provoke male frogs to attack. 
- 			 Animals AnimalsRoach gals get less choosy as time goes byAs their first reproductive peak wanes, female cockroaches become more like male ones, willing to mate with any potential partner that moves. 
- 			 Animals AnimalsDon’t look now, but is that dog laughing?Researchers have identified a particular exhalation that dogs make while playing as a possible counterpart to a human laugh. 
- 			  Alarming Butterflies and Go-Getter FishRecent studies suggest that there may be more ways to create new species than Darwin imagined. 
- 			  Shut up! A thunderstorm’s on the wayThe narrow-leafed gentian, a mountain blossom, is the first flower shown to close when a thunderstorm apporaches. 
- 			  Tests hint bird tails are misunderstoodA test of starling's tails in a wind tunnel suggests that the standard practice of extrapolating bird tail aerodynamics from delta-wing aircraft may be a mistake.