Rachel Nuwer

Rachel Nuwer

 

Rachel Nuwer is a freelance science writer based in Brooklyn.

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Why Some People Faint When They See Blood

In an evolutionary throwback, people with a blood phobia first experience a racing heart and then a sudden drop in blood pressure

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Untangling the Mysterious Genetic Tentacles of the Giant Squid

Contrary to prior speculation about the elusive creatures, all giant squid belong to a single species and they all share very similar genetics

Part of a whale backbone on the ocean floor

‘Bone-Eating Zombie Worm’ And Eight Other New Species Live on the First Whale Skeleton Found in Antarctica

The Minke whale skeleton was probably on the seafloor for at least several decades and is only the sixth natural whale carcass ever found

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People Can Accurately Read Dogs’ Facial Expressions

Interestingly, people who do not own dogs were a bit better at accurately labeling canine emotions than people who do own dogs

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This New Search Engine Helps Doctors Diagnose Rare, Obscure Diseases

A quarter of rare diseases normally take between 5 to 30 years to diagnose; this tool hopes to streamline that process

Hundreds of Emaciated Stranded Sea Lion Pups Are Washing Ashore in California

No one knows what is causing the unprecedented strandings, and the number of pups in need of help is only increasing

Albania Has No Idea What to Do With All of These Leftover War Bunkers

Albania's 700,000 war bunkers aren't going anywhere soon, so locals are turning them into hostels, animal sheds and make-out spots

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Whose Idea Were Cruises, Anyway?

By the 1960s, the cruise ship heyday had come and gone

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The Town Featured in ‘Erin Brockovich’ Still Has a Bunch of Pollution in Its Water

The chromium pollution is spreading, and Hinkley's residents are at a loss for what to do

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Six Centuries Ago, Chinese Explorers Left This Coin Behind in Africa

Emperor Yongle was perhaps best know for starting the initial construction of Beijing's Forbidden City, but he also sent huge fleets of ships, under the command of admiral Zheng He, out across the ocean to faraway lands

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The U.S. Is Stocking Drugs for a Hypothetical Smallpox Bio-Attack

In the event of a bio-terrorism smallpox attack, at least 2 million Americans will be able to get treatment, though we can all receive vaccinations

Pope Francis waves to the crowd from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio who chose the name of Francis is the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio Chosen As New Pope

Pope Francis is the first South American ever to hold the position and the first non-European pope in more than 1,000 years

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Stressed Corals Dim Then Glow Brightly Before They Die

Measuring how coral fluorescence changes may serve as an early indicator of the declining health of a reef

Anesthetists, At Least, Report That Only an Unlucky Few Are Aware During Surgery

Researchers used to think about one in 500 people are conscious during surgery, but new research puts that number at one in 15,000

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The Twisted Reasons People Poison Pets

Journalist Deborah Blum found a few culprits that cropped up again and again

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An Otter Learns to Play Therapeutic Basketball at the Oregon Zoo

Zookeepers show that it is possible to teach an old otter new tricks

Centuries Ago, a Cat Walked Across This Medieval Manuscript

While pawing through a stack of medieval manuscripts from Dubrovnik, Croatia, a student stumbled upon a familiar set of splotches marring the book's pages

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Here You Still Can Listen to Sound of a Nintendo Game Boy

One technology enthusiast set out to capture the sounds of old gadgets in his Museum of Endangered Sounds

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Sharks and Manta Rays Earn Stronger International Protection

All manta rays and several species of sharks will likely gain international protection this Thursday through the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species

Locusts covering a bush during the 2004 swarm near the Red Sea cost in Israel.

A Plague of Locusts Descends Upon the Holy Land, Just in Time for Passover

Israel battles a swarm of millions of locusts that flew from Egypt that is giving rise to a host of ecological, political and agricultural issues

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