Stories by Geoffrey Giller

Island Lizards Shift to Evolutionary Fast-Track after Invasive Goats and Rats Are Eradicated

In just one year lizards on remote Redonda Island may be changing

Antarctic Penguin Populations in Flux as the Planet Warms

A new report reveals large declines in some populations but increases in others 

Your Ear Is a Tape Measure

The human brain judges distance based on sight—and hearing—according to a new study

Sierra Nevada’s Space Plane in the Chase with SpaceX and Boeing to Win NASA Nod

The company’s Dream Chaser orbital glider has yet to achieve orbit but still is a contender to ferry Americans to and from the International Space Station

How to Get New Genes Into a Cell

A teeny device for fundamental genetics

"Genetic Heroes" May Be Key to Treating Debilitating Diseases

The Resilience Project seeks to find people who are unaffected by genetic mutations that would normally cause severe and fatal disorders

New Map Shows Seafloor Details Where Malaysian Airliner Likely Crashed

If You’re Looking for a Healthy Environment, Follow the Dancing Bee

Honeybee “waggle dances” could help conservationists judge whether wildlife restoration efforts are working
 

Human-Lit Fires Can Pose Threat to Amazon Rainforest

In addition to deforestation, forest fires can kill many trees during severe droughts in the Amazon rainforest
 

Developing Countries Still Far From Closing Digital Divide

The United States is not the greatest country in the world, at least when it comes to information and communication technology. Last month, the World Economic Forum released its 13th annual Global Information Technology Report, which ranks the nations of the world by their "networked readiness" - that is, how much each country can use [...]..

Cavity and Oral Cancer Diagnosis with Smartphones

When It Comes to Conservation, Tropical Grasslands Have an Identity Problem [Slide Show]

Although they cover a fifth of Earth’s landmass, tropical grassy ecosystems are routinely misidentified and mismanaged

When It Comes to Conservation, Tropical Grasslands Have an Identity Problem [Slide Show]

Although they cover a fifth of Earth’s landmass, tropical grassy ecosystems are routinely misidentified and mismanaged

New Hybrid Solar Device Exploits the Best of Both Worlds

A hybrid approach combines the benefits of photovoltaic and solar-thermal technologies into a device the size of a fingernail

Are We Any Closer to Knowing How Many Species There Are on Earth?

Are there half a million? 100 Million? After decades of research, there is no consensus

Global Migrant Flows: An Interactive Map

People are constantly migrating around the globe. But scientists have long had trouble quantifying how many people are moving and where they are coming from and going to.

The Best Bracket Big Data Can Build

March Madness isn't over, but one thing is certain: no one is going to win "Buffet's Billion." Before even half of the NCAA college men's basketball tournament games had finished, every bracket entered into Yahoo's contest to win a billion dollars had at least one red strikethrough...

Couples Finding Work in the Same City: It Ain't Easy [Poll Results]

Physics students learn about the so-called two-body problem early in their training, a classical mechanics scenario that can be used to describe the motion of binary stars or a planet orbiting a star...

Mathematical Patterns in Sea Ice Reveal Melt Dynamics

Some people call Ken Golden the "Indiana Jones" of mathematics due to his frequent excursions to remote, harsh parts of the world. Golden, a professor of mathematics at the University of Utah, studies the dynamics of sea ice, and he regularly goes out into the field to test his hypotheses...

Malaysia Airlines Jetliner Disappearance Likely Is Temporary

Aviation experts say it’s unsurprising that no trace of Flight MH370 has been found thus far