Stories by Carl Zimmer

Phage therapy is not approved for regular use by the FDA

After decades of disappointment there is a new flurry of vaccine activity 

A deep-dive into a massive genetic database is helping researchers understand secrets about the fundamental biology that we all share

Evolutionary biologists are trying to attack bacteria in a new way: by short-circuiting their social life

One team of scientists thinks ancient rocks discovered in northern Canada give us a window onto the planet's infancy and the birth of life itself. Another team thinks they're not that special

Scientists are exploring how organisms can evolve elaborate structures without Darwinian selection

To keep jellyfish, fungi and other creatures from overtaking healthy habitats, scientists are exploring food webs and tipping points

The noise of billions of brain cells trying to communicate with one another may hold a crucial clue to understanding consciousness

In this chapter from his new e-book, journalist Carl Zimmer tries to reconcile the visions of techno-immortalists with the exigencies imposed by real-world biology

IQ is easy to measure and reflects something real. But scientists hunting among our genes for the factors that shape intelligence are discovering they are more elusive than expected

Natural selection lacks the power to erase cancer from our species and, some scientists argue, may even have provided tools that help tumors grow

To this day, scientists struggle with that question. A better definition can influence which animals make the endangered list

Natural selection lacks the power to erase cancer from our species and, some scientists argue, may even have provided tools that help tumors grow

Biologists are beginning to tease out how the brain gives rise to a constant sense of being oneself

A search for the genetic basis of spirituality

Just how important were the discoveries of dinosaur fossils?