Stories by Christie Wilcox

Toad Tadpoles Turn Homegrown Poisons on One Another

Young amphibians are the first animals thought to use toxins against rivals of their own species 

Moonlighting Genes Evolve for a Venomous Job

An unexpected mechanism allows wasps to rapidly co-opt genes for new toxic functions 

How a Wasp Turns Cockroaches into Zombies

A special chemical blend injected into the brains of cockroaches makes them pawns in the jewel wasp’s control—and perfect live food for its offspring

How a Wasp Turns Cockroaches into Zombies

A special chemical blend injected into the brains of cockroaches makes them pawns in the jewel wasp’s control—and perfect live food for its offspring

"A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for."

A year and a half ago, the decision to pack up shop at ScienceBlogs and begin blogging at Scientific American was an easy one. The inimitable Bora Zivkovic had assembled a blogging dream team, a group of people I respected and admired and couldn't wait to call networkmates...

Small Guts May Be a Tradeoff for Big Brains

Big brains may mean small guts

Gingrey is a bad doctor, says science

It seems like every time a male republican tries to talk about women, he somehow says something stupid and misogynistic. Last year, Missouri candidate Todd Akin was torn apart for his negligent comment that, when a woman is raped, she needn’t worry about pregnancy because “the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” Akin was vilified by his own party and lost the election...

Fake Feces To Treat Deadly Disease: Scientists Find They Can Just Make Sh*t Up

Though childish songs make crude jokes, there's nothing funny about diarrhea. Aside from the painful, twisting feeling in your guts, there's just something psychologically upsetting about losing control of your bowels...

People With Brown Eyes Appear More Trustworthy, But That's Not The Whole Story

Take a moment to look at yourself in the mirror. I want you to really examine your features—the curves, lines and shapes that make up your face. How broad is your chin?

Parasitic Wasps Master Microbiology In Addition To Neurochemistry

"Oh, beauty is a beguiling call to death, and I'm addicted to the sweet pitch of its siren." - Johnny Quid, RocknRolla Glinting in shimmering shades of blue and green, the emerald cockroach wasp is surely a thing of beauty, but its shimmering exterior masks its cruel nature...

Expensive Organs: Guppies Reveal The Cost Of Big Brains

There's a lot to be said for smarts—at least we humans, with some of the biggest brains in relation to our bodies in the animal kingdom, certainly seem to think so.

Science Sushi: 2012 in Review

Tonight, we usher in a brand new year and say farewell to 2012. The first full year here at Scientific American Blogs. The year of the Higgs Boson. The year Curiosity landed on Mars.

Happy Holidays, from my tank to yours!

Stumpy (devil scorpionfish, Scorpaenopsis diabolus ) and Ginny (Hawaiian green lionfish, Dendrochirus barberi ) wishing you the best this holiday season!

The Best Gangnam Parody I've Seen Yet

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to do a great parody video, but if you have some to include, it's even more brilliant:

Don't Pee On It: Zinc Emerges As New Jellyfish Sting Treatment

Nothing can turn a fun day at the beach into a nightmare faster than a jellyfish sting, as Angel Yanagihara, researcher at the University of Hawaii, learned firsthand when she was swimming off Kaimana beach in 1997...

Corals Recruit Fish Bodyguards To Protect Them From Seaweed

Reefs recruit fish as bodyguards

Plant's Cry For Help Attracts The Wrong Crowd

A simple white butterfly caterpillar ( Pieris rapae ) nibbles blissfully on a cabbage leaf, completely unaware of the complex interspecies interactions he has just set in motion.

Musical Monday: As Hard As It Is

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but Wild Sex excites me

Advice for grad students: own it.