Exclusives and features galore

Every Monday morning I do two things: look back and look ahead. Right now, you're seeing the looking back part. Last week brought a ton of new articles, including several stories that no other journalists have told and a couple of articles that have been in the works for months.

First up in this week's link parade, my usual two Extinction Countdown articles for Scientific American.

To Save the Sumatran Rhino, Zoo Will Attempt to Mate Brother and Sister

Endangered Plants for Sale Online: Are They Legal?


My latest feature for IEEE's publication The Institute came out this week. I love interviewing inspiring scientists and technology people:

IEEE Groups to Launch the First All-Women Start-ups in India


My latest article for Lion Magazine, the publication of Lions Clubs International, also hit the stands this week. I really enjoyed working on this one, and it's a great solution that could work for the many clubs around the country which are facing declining memberships:

Maine's Oldest Lions Club Gets Younger

And finally, here are a bunch of news stories for Mother Nature Network:

Could carbon dioxide be converted to electricity?

The best place for solar power is ... New Jersey?

CIA-funded project could control the weather

U.S. Navy drops 4 bombs on Great Barrier Reef

It's a banner year for mosquitoes

In addition to all of the links above, several of these articles were reprinted at the Huffington Post and Business Insider, but I'll spare you those links.

So what comes next? Well, looking forward, I can predict that this week will bring several new articles for SciAm and MNN, and I'll be finishing up a few articles for other publications. Other than that, I have several ideas bouncing around, and I think more than one of them will be coming to life soon. We'll see.

Until those ideas spring forth, feel free to follow me on Twitter. I'll announce new article links as they happen!

Cover story, baobabs and forgotten tragedies

Despite the above-average heat and humidity that blanketed the northeast this past week, I still managed to get a great deal of new writing done. I touched on climate change, rare primates, new technologies and a tragic piece of forgotten history. 

Even better, the mail brought my copy of the summer issue of SEJournal, the magazine of the Society of Environmental Journalists, containing my cover article "The Endangered Species Act at 40: Forty Things Journalists Should Know." This is my first cover article and I'm excited as can be to see it in print. It's not online yet, and will only be available to SEJ members for a few months once it is up, but you can see the cover to the right.


In other publication news, here are links to this week's two Extinction Countdown articles for Scientific American. The first is an exclusive that has not been covered anywhere else:

Climate Change Could Wipe Out Amazing Baobab Trees in Madagascar

Habitat Running Out for Rare Primate in Cameroon


This week also brought a bunch of new articles for Mother Nature Network, mostly covering "trending" news items, but one was a look back at an event that seems quite relevant to today, even though it happened more than 140 years ago:

Oct. 8, 1871: The day America burned

Oceans around Antarctica could become massive protected sanctuary

Elon Musk: Hyperloop would transport people across country at 4,000 miles per hour

Amazing 'smart knife' detects cancer during surgery

Park service investigates after famous sand dune swallows 6-year-old boy

Tragedy in India: 22 students dead after eating tainted lunches


That's it for this weekly edition of Monday links. This coming week will see more for SciAm and MNN. I also expect at least one of the half-dozen features I have pending publication to go online at some point, but we'll have to wait and see if that becomes a reality or not. In any case, for links as they happen, make sure to follow me on Twitter. Otherwise, I'll see you here next Monday.

Sawfish, Big Data and Jumping Robots (and a whole lot more)

I hope you had your Wheaties for breakfast this morning, because I have a lot of new articles for you to read. This time around I'm bringing you two weeks worth of new links, which makes up for not doing one of these lists last Monday after the long Fourth of July holiday.

And really, that was the way to go. I only published a few articles in the short week before Independence Day, and waiting until after gave a chance for several articles that were pending publication to finally see the light of day. So let's get to it.

First up, three new Extinction Countdown columns for Scientific American, all of which are important:

After 100 Years, Has the Elusive Night Parrot Finally Been Discovered?

Last Chance for Sawfish?

As Rhino Poaching Surges, South Africa Proposes Legalized Trade in Precious Horns


Next, my latest Careers Watch article for IEEE-USA's Today's Engineer. Seriously, if you know a smart kid who wants a tech job, point them in this direction:

The Big Data Job Boom


In other IEEE publication news, here's my latest feature for their publication, The Institute. This has some great advice for consultants, freelancers and anyone who owns a small business.

For Consultants, Social Media 101


And finally, here are a whole bunch of news items for Mother Nature Network. I may have had too much fun writing one or two of these:

Meet ATLAS: The walking, jumping robot that could one day save your life

Mount Fuji and 18 other locations protected as UNESCO World Heritage sites

Arnold Schwarzenegger: Let's terminate climate change

'Gasland II' sequel tells fracking's next chapter

Warren Buffett donates $2.6 billion to Gates Foundation and other charities

What is an Earthship dwelling?


That's it for this time around, but I still have a bunch of articles waiting for publication that could see print this week (or not; we'll see), and lots of new stuff to write. Follow me a Twitter for links as they happen. Otherwise, I'll see you here next Monday!

Weird history, the saiga saga, endangered seals and more

Well this is going to be a weird week. July Fourth is a Thursday, which means most people will be on vacation starting Wednesday. Or Tuesday. Or even today. Who knows. It's hard to tell. As a freelancer, I don't take all that many days off -- but that's fine by me because I love my job. I hope it shows with this list of last week's articles.

We'll start, in our usual manner, with my Extinction Countdown articles for Scientific American:

The 4 Most Endangered Seal Species

Saiga Success: Critically Endangered Antelope Population Doubles in 5 Years [This is my fourth annual story on the strange saga of the saiga. I wonder what will happen in year number five?]

Now, here's the weekly mix of articles for Mother Nature Network, covering technology, the environment and other oddities:

The 1919 Boston Molasses Flood: The forgotten tragedy too bizarre for the history books

Methane, ethane and propane found in drinking water near fracking sites

How do plants survive without sun? Math

How are thieves breaking into these cars?

Lake George to become 'the smartest lake in the world'


I don't know how much new work we'll see this week, what with the holiday and all (I really should ask my editors what days they are working), but stay tuned for next week, which could see anywhere between one and four new features. Don't want to wait that long? Follow me on Twitter -- I'll post the links as soon as they go live.

Have a great Fourth of July holiday weekend!

Darwin's dead frog, billionaire brains and ant suicide

Ah, summer in vacationland. There's nothing like summer in Maine. The sun, the cool ocean air, the flowers, the birds... It almost makes up for the winters!

Regardless of what season we're in, I'm sure to be found type-type-typing away. This past week didn't see too many new articles published, but I'm working on a ton of other assignments and as busy as ever.

Anyway, here are this week's six new articles, all for Scientific American and Mother Nature Network. Enjoy!

Weird Frog Discovered by Charles Darwin May Be Extinct [this was reprinted by Salon]

Philippines Cancels Planned Burn of Confiscated Elephant Tusks after Clean-Air Groups Object

Why do army ants commit suicide?

Billionaires could live forever by putting their brains in robots

BP ends Deepwater Horizon oil spill cleanup in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi

Find the cleanest, safest beaches with updated Swim Guide app [this was also reprinted by the Huffington Post.]

That's it for this week! Lots more as we close the books on June and head into July.

Chimpanzees, Cybersecurity and Inventive Teens

Last week started off with a bang and then never slowed down. I interviewed some amazing people, saw several long-in-the-works features appear, fought off come climate-change-denying trolls, and generally had an amazing time. What can I say, I love the life of a freelance writer!

So what did all that excitement yield? Let's go to the links!

First up: This week brought some very cool stories for Extinction Countdown, including my 500th article for Scientific American!

Chimpanzees May Finally Gain Full Protection under the Endangered Species Act

Climate Change versus Groundhogs: Even Common Species Will Suffer

Diseased Tigers, Wounded Rhinos and Other Links from the Brink


Next up, my latest technology careers article for Today's Engineer. The dramatic need for people in this particular field is both terrifying and encouraging:

Cybersecurity Careers – An International Priority

(Seriously, if you know any students who aren't sure what technology career they want to eventually go into, point them in this direction.)

Next up, several articles for Mother Nature Network, including one long-gestating feature and three blog posts:

The Inventioneers: 6 teens invent way to stop dangerous texting while driving

OCD both triggered and treated in mice

RoboRoach: Now you can create your very own cyborg cockroach

Fracking companies are exploiting the Amish, say reports

Bee semen could help combat colony collapse disorder

Meanwhile, an earlier MNN feature on NASA's AirSWOT program was reprinted by the Huffington Post, which probably reprinted one or two other MNN articles. (It's kind of hard to keep track, honestly.)

That's it for last week. This week I'm working on several new SA and MNN articles, plus several features that will appear in the coming months. It's going to be another busy, fast-paced few days, so excuse me while I go get that adrenaline pumping!

Wolves, NASA, God's Bathtub and the buzz about an extinct bee

Happy Monday, folks! I can't believe it's already the second week of June. The time flies by when you're on deadline (make that multiple deadlines).


Last week was a whirlwind. I turned in my first magazine cover feature and three other features that will be making their way to you over the coming weeks and months. And I also wrote all of the articles below. (Well, all but one; the NASA piece was turned in a few weeks ago).

So, about those links! We'll start with my regular Extinction Countdown articles for Scientific American:

Britain Tries (Again) to Re-Introduce Extinct Bees

Extinct Frog Rediscovered in 2011; World Takes Notice in 2013

Gray Wolves Declared ‘Recovered’ and Other Links from the Brink

Next up, a wide range of topics for Mother Nature Network:

Math is hard, but solving this equation could earn you $1 million

NASA takes to the air to measure the world's water

Study: Increased carbon dioxide may lead to greener deserts

God's Bathtub: The Australian lake untouched by time or climate

How a plan to destroy Gezi Park in Turkey sparked nationwide protests


In other news, the fiction anthology on which I served as contributing editor is now available. Check it out.

That's it for this week (and it was enough!). More next Monday, or follow me on Twitter for the latest links as they happen.