Erin Garcia de Jesús

Staff writer, Science News

Erin I. 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.

All Stories by Erin Garcia de Jesús

  1. Microbes

    This giant bacterium lives up to its name

    The newly discovered Thiomargarita magnifica is about the size of your eyelash and is surprisingly complex.

  2. Animals

    The scent of queen ‘murder hornets’ can lure males into traps

    Traps baited with compounds found in the mating pheromone of hornet queens attracted thousands of males.

  3. Health & Medicine

    Sickle-cell gene therapies offer hope — and challenges

    Doctor Erica Esrick discusses existing treatments and an ongoing clinical trial for a gene therapy to treat sickle cell disease.

  4. Health & Medicine

    Explainer: What is sickle cell disease?

    Gene mutations can alter an individual’s hemoglobin in ways that curl their blood cells. This can cause painful sickle cell disease.

  5. Health & Medicine

    What to know as Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine rolls out for kids under 12

    After a trial in which no unusual side effects were reported, and approval by the FDA and CDC, kids ages 5 to 11 will be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

  6. Health & Medicine

    Millions of kids have missed routine vaccines thanks to COVID-19

    The missed shots brought vaccination rates for measles, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis to their lowest levels in over a decade.

  7. Health & Medicine

    One key change may have helped the coronavirus become a global menace

    One key mutation may have helped the virus behind COVID-19 better infect human cells.

  8. Health & Medicine

    Will we all need COVID-19 booster shots?

    Experts say not yet, but booster vaccines may be coming as new SARS-CoV-2 virus variants keep emerging.

  9. Life

    These rabbits can’t hop. A gene defect makes them do handstands

    Mutations in a gene that helps nerve cells work properly rob rabbits of their ability to hop. Instead, the animals use their front paws to move.

  10. Plants

    Scientists may have finally found how catnip repels insects

    The plant deters mosquitoes and fruit flies by triggering a chemical receptor that, in some animals, senses pain and itch.

  11. Animals

    Choked by bacteria, some starfish are turning to goo

    For years, researchers thought gooey, dying starfish were infected. Instead, these sea stars are suffocating. And bacteria may be behind it all.

  12. Health & Medicine

    Early details emerge about the new U.K. coronavirus variant

    The variant may spread more easily from person to person. That could make continuing to wear masks all the more important, experts say.