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Christie Wilcox

Christie was a well-established science blogger and writer when she was awarded a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology with a specialization in ecology, evolution and conservation biology from the University of Hawai‘i in 2014 for her research on the genetics of lionfishes. A short two years later, she published her debut book Venomous: How Earth’s Deadliest Creatures Mastered Biochemistry, which received widespread acclaim, and after that, she fully left academia behind and established herself as a science writer and editor. She frequently covers stories in the fields of evolutionary biology, ecology, zoology, genetics, and molecular biology. She joined The Scientist in 2021 as newsletter editor and is a member of the Author’s Guild, the Northwest Science Writers Association, and the National Association of Science Writers. She is currently based on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.

Articles by Christie Wilcox
A dead northern gannet (Morus bassanus) on a beach
Unprecedented Avian Flu Epidemic Could Presage Year-Round Outbreaks
Christie Wilcox | Oct 4, 2022
Nearly 50 million birds have been culled amid efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus, which continues to ravage the Northern Hemisphere.
A C-fern (Ceratopteris richardii) growing in a pot
Genome Spotlight: C-fern (Ceratopteris richardii)
Christie Wilcox | Sep 22, 2022
Sequences for the model organism and two of its kin reveal how these plants got their oversized genomes.
An intact scorpion claw-in-claw with an autotomized one
Constipation’s Effect on Scorpion Sex Garners Biology Ig Nobel
Christie Wilcox | Sep 16, 2022
Other winners of this year’s prizes include research on the physics of ducklings and the therapeutic potential of ice cream.
Conceptual image showing molecules making up a brain shape
The Noncoding Regulators of the Brain
Christie Wilcox | Sep 12, 2022
Noncoding RNAs are proving to be critical players in the evolution of brain anatomy and cognitive complexity.
Illustration of RNAs
Infographic: Noncoding RNA in the Brain
Christie Wilcox | Sep 12, 2022
Neurologically important noncoding RNAs come in many shapes and sizes.
Lower part of a skeleton with the left foot missing
31,000-Year-Old Skeleton Reveals Oldest Known Surgery
Christie Wilcox | Sep 7, 2022
A Stone Age individual’s left leg healed after being amputated just above the foot, allowing them to survive for six to nine years after the procedure was performed, researchers say.
Approved grant abstract with hype words
Major, Groundbreaking Increase in Hype in Grant Applications
Christie Wilcox | Aug 30, 2022
Projects funded by the National Institutes of Health increasingly employ subjective and promotional language in describing research, a study finds.
An Edith’s checkerspot butterfly
Genome Spotlight: Edith’s Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas editha)
Christie Wilcox | Aug 25, 2022
A high-quality genome sequence for this versatile insect will likely aid eco-evolutionary research.
A black dog with tearful eyes looks at the camera
Dogs Cry Tears of Joy: Study
Christie Wilcox | Aug 22, 2022
Pet dogs produce a larger volume of tears when they are reunited with their owners than with acquaintances, possibly because of surging oxytocin levels—findings that could be the first evidence of emotional crying in nonhuman animals.
The David J. Sencer Museum at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia
CDC Restructuring Aims to Improve Timeliness and Accountability
Christie Wilcox | Aug 18, 2022
Director Rochelle Walensky said the agency’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic fell short and outlined plans to reorganize and strengthen its response to future public health threats.