Margaret Osborne Author Profile | The Scientist Magazine®

group of people standing on rock outcropping with ocean in distance

Repeated El Niño Events Could Spark Big Ecological Shifts

Margaret Osborne | Sep 19, 2022 | 5 min read

Five major El Niño events per century could lead to fewer fishes that thrive in cold water and more terrestrial birds in eastern coastal ecosystems.

Close-up of baby olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

Moving Sea Turtle Eggs May Affect Hatchling Development

Margaret Osborne | Jul 28, 2022 | 5 min read

Hatchlings from eggs incubated in a natural nest were larger, exhibited faster neuronal development, and performed better on a motor activity test than those from eggs that were incubated in a hatchery, a study finds.

Artist’s rendering of aquamarine T cells in front of a blue and green background.

Study Links Stress to a Faster-Aging Immune System

Margaret Osborne | Jun 21, 2022 | 4 min read

Health data from 5,744 adults over the age of 50 reveals an association between stressors such as discrimination and a relatively small proportion of younger infection-fighting immune cells.

dense evergreen forest with mountains in distance

Climate Change Likely to Slow Plant Growth in Northern Hemisphere

Margaret Osborne | Jun 14, 2022 | 2 min read

While the higher temperatures and CO₂ levels associated with climate change currently fuel plant productivity, a study finds that changing conditions could take a toll on photosynthesis rates in regions outside the Arctic within a decade.