Susan Milius

Life Sciences Writer, Science News

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 ScientistScienceInternational 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

    Whales feast when hatcheries release salmon

    Humpback whales are visiting sites where hatcheries release juvenile salmon in Alaska. It’s a dining bonanza for the huge whales.

  2. Animals

    Could a dragonfly’s wings be alive — and breathing?

    Highly magnified image showing what looks like breathing tubes suggests the morpho dragonfly’s wings may be unexpectedly alive.

  3. Animals

    Orangs nurse young for more than eight years!

    Orangutan moms and babies have been tricky to study in the wild, so researchers used dental tests to reveal a record setting nursing period.

  4. Animals

    How a flamingo balances on one leg

    Flamingos are so good at balancing on just one leg that they can snooze that way with little effort.

  5. Brain

    Among mice, scratching is catching — as in contagious

    Contagious itching spreads by sight, mouse-to-mouse. Scientists have now identified brain structures behind this phenomenon.

  6. Animals

    Wild elephants sleep for only two hours at night

    New measurements suggest that wild elephants may need less sleep than any other mammal.

  7. Animals

    Frog’s gift of grab comes from saliva and squishy tissue

    What puts the grip in a frog’s high-speed strike? Quick-change saliva and a super-soft tongue, scientists find.

  8. Animals

    Animals can do ‘almost math’

    Humans aren’t the only animals with a number sense. Scientists are trying to figure out where and when it evolved.

  9. Animals

    Spidey sense: They can hear you!

    Surprise! At least some spiders can hear us. Even without eardrums, jumping spiders can still detect airborne sounds from across the room.

  10. Health & Medicine

    Zebra finches can ‘drink’ water from their own fat

    When water is scarce, thirsty zebra finches can produce their own water. They do it by breaking down their body fat.

  11. Life

    Plants, animals adapt to city living

    Cities have turned into experiments in evolution for both plants and animals, from the taste of clover to the stickiness of lizards’ toes.

  12. Genetics

    GM mosquitoes cut rate of viral disease in Brazil

    Adults males carrying the altered gene cannot father young that survive to adulthood. That’s when they suck blood — and can transmit disease.