Susan Milius

Susan Milius

Life Sciences Writer

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. Animals

    SOS: Call the ants

    Emergency ant workers bite at snares, dig and tug to free trapped sisters

  2. Life

    Vegetarian spider

    The first known spider with a predominantly meatless diet nibbles trees.

  3. Life

    Death-grip fungus made me do it

    Infection may be driving ants to set their jaws in low-hanging leaves before they die.

  4. Earth

    On plant invaders and bat fungus

    Researchers discuss invasive species and bat-infecting fungi at the Botany & Mycology 2009 meeting

  5. Smart from the start

    Animal embryos get some respect for their survival skills.

  6. Life

    Bent innards give orchid its kick

    Violent pollen delivery in Catasetum flowers gets its power from temporarily deformed inner strip

  7. Paleontology

    Fossil shows first all-American honeybee

    Nevada find contradicts long-held view of Europe and Asia as the native land of all honeybees.

  8. Animals

    Toucan’s bill gives big chill

    Bird’s supersized bill can switch personal air conditioning on and off, new research suggests.

  9. Life

    Web decorating with garbage

    Spider webs adorned with decaying food remains attract more attacks, but maybe there’s a defensive trade-off at work.

  10. Earth

    Bird deaths blamed on vitamin deficiency

    Shortage of thiamine may have been killing birds in the Baltic and possibly elsewhere for some 25 years.

  11. Animals

    Turtles make sense after all

    The odd bodies of turtles add a wrinkle to standard land-dwelling vertebrates.

  12. Life

    Climate change shrinks sheep

    Milder winters help small, weak lambs survive but more competition for food slows growth.