Roxanne has liked science ever since she started watching "Bill Nye the Science Guy" on Saturday mornings over a bowl of sucrotic O's. She especially likes writing about dinosaurs, climate change and evolution. In college, she studied English literature but still managed to put in time in the greenhouse as a botany lab assistant and in the pool for varsity water polo. When not writing about science, she moonlights as a cartoonist and illustrator.
A Little Molecular Switch Plays Role In Memory Loss
The musashi protein's role in destabilizing synaptic connections in the brain helps fuel memory loss, a study finds.
Ancient Porpoise Had Truly Impressive Underbite
Newly described species Semirostrum ceruttii had a chin that would put Jay Leno to shame.
Rare Mineral Find Points To Possible Oceans Below Our Feet
A piece of ringwoodite, normally found only hundreds of miles below the Earth's surface, yields a watery find.
March Madness Science, From Basketball To Animal Fights
One computer scientist's method for calculating NCAA tournament odds, plus an animal-themed alternative.
Volcanoes Might Shelter Some Species Through Ice Ages
How to survive a deep freeze: head for the nearest volcano.
How The Online Hivemind Works
Chinese researchers combed through 6 million tweets to find out how social media shapes opinions.
Raw Milk No Better For Lactose Intolerance: Study
A study showed that raw milk was no better at easing lactose intolerance than pasteurized milk.
Rain Of Terror: Climate Aided Genghis Khan's Conquests
The favorable climate in 13th-century Central Asia was played a role in the Mongol Empire's rise, researchers say.
DeGrasse Tyson's 'Cosmos' Premieres Sunday
The late Carl Sagan left a pretty big turtleneck to fill, but new host Tyson is getting some early raves.
CA Lawmaker Proposes Ban On SeaWorld Orca Shows
A California state assemblyman wants to prohibit killer whales from performing at theme parks.
Female Condom Makeover, Bouncy Ball Physics
The female condom is getting updated for the 21st century.
Study Finds Teens That Use E-Cigarettes Likely To Smoke
Teenagers that use e-cigarettes are also likely to smoke, but whether one behavior leads to the other is less clear.
What Obama's 2015 Science Budget Allocates For Research Funding
Most scientists aren't happy with the president's plan to keep research funding mostly frozen.
Unmoved By Music? Maybe You Have Musical Anhedonia
Beethoven a bore? The Clash leaving you cold? Perhaps you have specific musical anhedonia.
What Would A World Without GMO Food Look Like?
If GMOs disappeared from agriculture it wouldn't be catastrophic, but there would be unfulfilled potential, experts say.
Mercy Killings: The Science Of Kosher, Halal And Conventional Slaughter
As Denmark moves to ban ritual religious slaughtering methods, we take a look at the latest animal welfare science.
Why BPA-Free Plastics Might Not Be As Safe As You Think
"BPA-free" doesn't necessarily mean "safe."
Just How Do Flying Snakes Fly?
Researchers used computer models to examine how flying snakes glide through the air.
New Fukushima Radiation Study Looks Ahead To Future Cancer Risks
A new study assesses radiation exposure and cancer risks near the Fukushima plant from 2012 onward.
Why Are Book Reviews Still A Boys' Club?
An annual tally of the men and women who write book reviews or are reviewed by major publications finds lingering disparities.