Elizabeth Pennisi, Science Magazine Journalist Profile

Articles

From ants to elephants, animals play a huge role in shaping our planet

2 months ago | science.org | Elizabeth Pennisi

$Please enter a valid amountEmail:Please enter a valid emailCountry:Ialso wish to receive emails from AAAS/Science and Science advertisers,including information on products, services and special offers which mayinclude but are not limited to news, careers information & upcomingevents. Support nonprofit science journalismSophisticated, trustworthy reporting about science has never been more important.
Warmer, more crowded cities bring out the rats

2 months ago | science.org | Elizabeth Pennisi

Jonathan Richardson was long bothered by hyperbolic headlines proclaiming the rat problem in so-and-so city was out of control. City dwellers do have cause for concern—the animals bring both disease and distress—but the urban ecologist at the University of Richmond balked at claims saying one city had it worse than another. “There were not a lot of data,” he says. Yet having real numbers on rodent infestations is critical for determining whether control measures are working.
Wide range of Earth’s species are showing a decline in diversity

2 months ago | science.org | Elizabeth Pennisi

Variety is more than just the spice of life. Genetic variation is what allows a species to adapt as climate changes, new diseases arise, and novel predators come on the scene. A slightly different genetic makeup can ensure at least some individuals will still do OK in times of crisis. But just as the number of species is declining worldwide, so, too, is the genetic diversity within many species, an international team reports today in Nature.
These nanoscale ‘soccer balls’ make leafhoppers reflective-and waterproof

Jan 24, 2025 | science.org | Elizabeth Pennisi

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Odd, fingerlike appendage helps this orchid reproduce

Jan 23, 2025 | science.org | Elizabeth Pennisi

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Why do these curious sea spiders bury themselves in the sand?

Jan 17, 2025 | science.org | Elizabeth Pennisi

ATLANTA—The Southern Ocean’s frigid Antarctic waters may seem cold and hostile, but to one type of sea spider (Nymphon australe), it’s downright cozy. More than 1000 of these leggy, silver dollar–size creatures, which are not actually spiders, can squeeze into a single square meter of the ocean’s seabed. And when they do, scientists have just documented, the sea spiders will bury most of their body but leave their legs waving above, for reasons that are still being debated. The lifestyle of N.
Microscopic pillars on insect wings give bugs an antibacterial superpower

Jan 16, 2025 | science.org | Elizabeth Pennisi

ATLANTA—Every 13 or 17 years, thumb-size insects called cicadas emerge from the ground across the eastern United States en masse, producing a deafening din to attract mates. But another remarkable thing about these frightening-looking bugs is their lesser known superpower: Their wings can kill bacteria. Now, researchers think they know how the insects do this—a discovery that could lead to new ways to fight contamination and the spread of infection.
‘Absolutely insane.’ Dragonfly’s extreme loop-the-loops are unparalleled in nature

Jan 13, 2025 | science.org | Elizabeth Pennisi

ATLANTA—Among the most agile of flying creatures, dragonflies have evolved to perform quick aerial maneuvers—akin to planes in a dogfight—both to attract mates and to catch prey midair. Now, researchers have documented and explained a unique stunt the insects perform so quickly most people never see it.
Ancient fish fossil suggests ‘living skeletons’ evolved 460 million years ago

Jan 10, 2025 | science.org | Elizabeth Pennisi

ATLANTA—It takes 206 bones to keep the human body from being an amorphous blob. Yet as sturdy as our skeleton seems, it’s constantly changing thanks to a tightly choreographed dance of cells destroying and rebuilding it. Now, by shining potent x-rays from a particle accelerator on the bony scales of an ancient fish fossil, a research team has discovered that such bone remodeling likely began at least 460 million years ago.
Migrating bats surf warm winds to soar hundreds of kilometers

Jan 2, 2025 | science.org | Elizabeth Pennisi

Bats are one of the most widespread mammals on Earth, with many undertaking seasonal migrations in pursuit of balmy weather or bountiful food sources. Yet scientists know relatively little about migrating bats’ comings and goings. A new effort involving tiny transmitters and a network of low-power sensors is changing that.