ConservationJanuary 1, 2020
Study Reveals Loss of Laos’s Final Tigers
Even bountiful habitat will not save species if poaching cannot be stopped
Stories by Rachel Nuwer
Rachel Nuwer is a science journalist and author. Her latest book is I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World (Bloomsbury, 2023). Follow her on Bluesky @rachelnuwer.bsky.social
EnvironmentDecember 19, 2019
Ocean Acidification Could Eat Away at Sharks’ Teeth and Scales
The fishes’ ability to swim and feed could be compromised
ConservationNovember 1, 2019
Conservation after Conflict in Colombia
Seeking a sustainable economy, the country wants to capitalize on its astonishing biodiversity
ConservationOctober 3, 2019
Wildlife Trade Entangles Nearly a Fifth of the Planet’s Vertebrate Animals
In the first global estimate of its kind, researchers tally an incredible 5,600 species harvested for commercial use—and predict which ones could be next
BiologySeptember 1, 2019
Frogs Make Their Homes in Elephant Footprints
The massive herbivores shape the environment for living creatures around them—including some of the smallest animals
ConservationAugust 20, 2019
A Once Common Gecko Is Vanishing from Parts of Asia
With millions of tokay geckos trapped each year for use in traditional Chinese medicine, conservationists are calling for international protections
PolicyAugust 5, 2019
Environmental Activists Have Higher Death Rates Than Some Soldiers
Killings of those protecting nature are highest in countries with corruption and weak rule of law
ConservationJune 7, 2019
As Predicted, Some of Australia’s Turtles Are Going Extinct
Turtles’ famed longevity can mask their decline—until it is too late
PollutionJune 6, 2019
The Deep Ocean Harbors a Mountain of Microplastic Pollution
Four times as many plastic particles turned up in the deep waters of a “clean” patch of ocean than on the surface in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
BiologyApril 29, 2019
Slime Thinks Fast and Slow
Slime molds display surprisingly complex decision-making behavior
CognitionApril 1, 2019
How to Turn Failure into Success
Research reveals strategies for staying motivated in the face of challenges
EnvironmentFebruary 1, 2019
Livestock Act Like Ghosts of Wildlife Past
In Kenya, wild animals and livestock can coexist and even benefit each other
BiologyDecember 1, 2018
Rolling under the Sea: Scientists Gave Octopuses Ecstasy to Study Social Behavior
Cephalopods on the recreational drug behave much like humans do, even touching and hugging their peers
Public HealthAugust 24, 2018
Sometimes Mosquitoes Are Just Thirsty
Mosquitoes want your blood for its proteins...or simply to hydrate on a hot, dry day.
BiologyAugust 1, 2018
The Other Reason Mosquitoes Want to Suck Your Blood
Mosquitoes are more likely to bite hosts when they are thirsty, possibly increasing disease spread
ConservationMay 1, 2018
Tracing Thailand’s Illegal Rosewood Trade
Rosewood is heavily smuggled, but resources to curb its trafficking are lacking
BiologyFebruary 21, 2018
Programming a DNA Clock
Engineers have created a DNA-based chemical “oscillator,” opening the door to molecular computing
Public HealthJanuary 1, 2018
Gun Terrorism Is the Deadliest Kind
Firearms kill more people per attack in high-income countries than any other method
ConservationDecember 20, 2017
Massive Fish Orgy Produces One of the Loudest Noises under the Sea
The Gulf corvina’s record-setting underwater spectacle may soon disappear due to overfishing
BehaviorDecember 1, 2017
Healthy Choices? Storefront Placement Plays a Role
Supermarket displays tip customers toward or away from healthful purchasing decisions
ConservationAugust 1, 2017
Where’s My Elephant? High-Tech Collars Track Wildlife in Real Time
Devices and accompanying software, now being tested in Kenya and beyond, could help conservationists outsmart poachers
TechnologyJune 14, 2017
Where's My Elephant? High-Tech Collars Track Wildlife in Real Time
The devices and accompanying software, now being tested in Kenya and beyond, could help conservationists outsmart poachers
ConservationFebruary 1, 2017
The Trauma of Saving Animals
A clinical psychologist treats shell-shocked rangers engaged in Africa's poaching wars
BehaviorSeptember 20, 2016
Stress Training for Cops’ Brains Could Reduce Suspect Shootings
Police shot Terence Crutcher, an unarmed man, and police academies often do not prepare officers to make the right call