TechnologyMarch 29, 2019
Military Tries Out Fish as Underwater Spies
The sophisticated sensing behaviors of marine organisms could serve as a surveillance system that aids national security
Stories by Allie Wilkinson
Allie Wilkinson is a freelance multimedia journalist specializing in science, technology and the environment. Her work has appeared in National Geographic News, Scientific American, Discover, Popular Science, Slate, Popular Mechanics and various other publications in print and on the web. She is a 2014 Metcalf Fellow.
Allie is also the creator of This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, a community photo project aimed at challenging the stereotypical perception of a scientist.
Visit Allie's website.
EnvironmentOctober 1, 2017
Parakeet Invasion of Mexico Driven by Europe’s Ban on Bird Imports
Attempts to stop the spread of bird flu and protect wildlife had unintended consequences
EvolutionDecember 3, 2014
Endangered Cuban Crocodiles Are Losing Their Genetic Identity
Interbreeding with other species could overwhelm the animal, causing it to go extinct
The SciencesDecember 3, 2014
Big Apple's Insects Eat Streets Clean
Researchers working in New York City found that hungry urban arthropods help dispose of tons of edible trash. Allie Wilkinson reports
Mind & BrainMay 22, 2014
Don Corleone: Not a Nice Guy but No Psychopath
Mafiosi incarcerated in Italy scored lower than the threshold level for psychopathy on a standard test whereas half the run-of-the-mill inmates qualified as psychopaths. Allie Wilkinson reports
May 20, 2014
Rare Skin Disorder Gets Crude Media Treatment
Former basketball star Shaquille O'Neal recently apologized for an episode of cyber-bullying after he posted a photo to Instagram mocking Jahmel Binion, a 23-year-old affected by ectodermal dysplasia.
The SciencesMay 15, 2014
Twitter Opinion Quickly Stabilizes
A study of millions of tweets found that public opinion quickly solidifies, even without an overwhelming concensus. Allie Wilkinson reports
Mind & BrainMarch 13, 2014
Different Brain Regions Handle Different Music Types
Functional MRI of the listening brain found that different regions become active when listening to different types of music and instrumental versus vocals. Allie Wilkinson reports
Mind & BrainMarch 4, 2014
Celebrity Auction Prices Depend on Contact and Character
The magical thinking concept of contagion, the transfer of essence through objects, comes into play at celebrity auctions, where items that were in close physical contact with the celeb fetch bigger bucks than other goods they owned. Allie Wilkinson reports
Mind & BrainFebruary 25, 2014
Move to Greener Urban Area Helps Happiness
In the year after people moved from less green to greener urban spaces, they experienced a significant boost in mental health markers such as mood and confidence. Allie Wilkinson reports
Mind & BrainFebruary 19, 2014
Hole-y Phobia May Have Evolutionary Origins
Images that induce trypophobia, the fear of holes, share visual features with images of certain venomous animals, implying that the aversion has an evolutionary basis. Allie Wilkinson reports
Mind & BrainFebruary 14, 2014
Multiple Stresses Killed Snail Memory
When pond snails, a model organism used in memory research, faced multiple stressors simultaneously, it forgot a behavior it had trained for. Allie Wilkinson reports.
EnvironmentFebruary 9, 2014
Global Warming Freezes Penguin Chicks
More rain related to a warming climate soaks Magellanic penguin chicks to the skin before their waterproof feathers grow in, killing them from hypothermia. Allie Wilkinson reports
April 20, 2011
Seafood at risk: Dispersed oil poses a long-term threat