Ed Yong

The Real Danger of Booze-Making Gut Bacteria

Microbes can produce so much alcohol that people become drunk—and sustain liver damage—without touching any booze.

• Ed Yong
• Sep 20, 2019

The Quiet Disappearance of Birds in North America

Though the continent has 3 billion fewer birds than it did in 1970, those losses are hard to glean because it’s the commonest species that have been hit hardest.

• Ed Yong
• Sep 19, 2019

How Ancient DNA Can Help Recast Colonial History

The people of pre-colonial Puerto Rico did not disappear entirely—a new study shows that the island’s residents still carry bits of their DNA.

• Ed Yong
• Sep 18, 2019

The Game That Made Rats Jump for Joy

Scientists taught rats to play hide-and-seek in order to study natural animal behavior—but it was also fun, for both the researchers and the animals.

• Ed Yong
• Sep 12, 2019

The Truth About Electric Eels Has Long Been Overlooked

I’m shocked, shocked, I tell you.

• Ed Yong
• Sep 10, 2019

An Astronaut Reared the World’s Highest-Flying Birds

To understand how bar-headed geese cross the Himalayas, the astronaut Jessica Meir had to raise some herself.

• Ed Yong
• Sep 6, 2019

Another Blow for the Future of Corals

Certain species of coral release their eggs and sperm with perfect synchronization. But a new study suggests their incredible timing is starting to slip.

• Ed Yong
• Sep 5, 2019

An Ingenious Microscope Could Change How Quickly Disease Is Detected

By analyzing blood samples 120 times faster than a traditional microscope, Octopi can lighten the load of overworked lab technicians.

• Ed Yong
• Aug 22, 2019

A Tissue Sample From 1966 Held Traces of Early HIV

To understand the virus’s history, a team worked to reconstruct its genome from a time before anyone knew the virus existed.

• Ed Yong
• Aug 16, 2019

One Giant Leap for Maggotkind

Even the squishy can make great bounds.

• Ed Yong
• Aug 14, 2019

A New Clue to How Life Originated

A long-standing mystery about early cells has a solution—and it’s a rather magical one.

• Ed Yong
• Aug 12, 2019

Some Fish Are Still Full of Mercury, for a Worrying Reason

Emissions of mercury have declined, but levels in fish could still increase thanks to overfishing and a changing climate.

• Ed Yong
• Aug 7, 2019

The Rank Hypocrisy of Trump’s Ebola Tweets

Five years ago, the doctor Kent Brantly was evacuated back to the U.S. after being infected with Ebola—against the wishes of the man who is now president.

• Ed Yong
• Aug 3, 2019

Thousands of Years Ago, a Dog Gave Rise to an Immortal Entity

The story of CTVT—a contagious cancer that spreads from dog to dog—gets weirder all the time.

• Ed Yong
• Aug 1, 2019

A Scientist Witnessed Poachers Killing a Chimp

When Kevin Langergraber heard a scream in the rain forest, he ran to see what was happening.

• Ed Yong
• Aug 1, 2019

Why the Placental Microbiome Should Be a Cautionary Tale

A new study suggests that evidence for microbes found on placentas was the result of lab contamination.

• Ed Yong
• Jul 31, 2019

The Stump That Didn’t Die

Through underground connections with its neighbors, it somehow stays alive. What does that say about the concept of a tree, or the future of forests?

• Ed Yong
• Jul 25, 2019

The Human Brain Project Hasn’t Lived Up to Its Promise

Ten years ago, a neuroscientist said that within a decade he could simulate a human brain. Spoiler: It didn’t happen.

• Ed Yong
• Jul 22, 2019

The WHO Finally Sounds Its Loudest Alarm Over Ebola in the Congo

The ongoing outbreak is the second worst in history and has proved to be unusually difficult to contain.

• Ed Yong
• Jul 18, 2019

The Disturbing Sound of a Human Voice

Hearing people talk can terrify even top predators such as mountain lions, with consequences that ripple through entire ecosystems.

• Ed Yong
• Jul 17, 2019