Author Archives

Lauren Leffer

Lauren Leffer

Lauren is a science and environmental journalist currently based in Brooklyn, New York. She has previously been a vampire bat researcher, STEM educator, park naturalist, laboratory manager, and surrogate opossum parent. She writes mostly about biology, ecology, and people.

A red and black, 4-propeller drone hovers a few feet above green cotton plants in a field, emitting a fine white mist of pesticides.

A growing flock of farm drones could help with our pesticide problem

 Environment
• June 30, 2021

The U.S. is relaxing regulations on pesticide-spraying drones, and some experts believe their precision may help reduce overall chemical use.

A green field of monoculture corn almost looks like a solid wall beneath a cloudy, grey sky.

Why aren’t more US farmers using sustainable practices?

 Environment
• April 27, 2021

Financial, cultural and structural barriers stand in the way, but momentum is on the side of a changing agricultural landscape

A black cicada with bulging red eyes and translucent amber wings perches on a twig against a leafy green background.

How reliable is ‘cicadian rhythm’ in a changing world?

 Environment
• April 23, 2021

Brood X periodical cicadas come out every 17 years and are set to emerge this spring. One day, they might not

Two smaller hands grasp an older person's hand against the blurred background of a hospital room.

Excluding visitors from hospitals may harm patients, families and providers, say health care workers

 Health
• February 19, 2021

Hospitals and staff have tried to adapt through multiple COVID-19 waves with changing practices and communication tools

Bright, multicolor circles overlap, each displaying a cartoonish illustration of an emotion.

Beyond the mask: communicating emotions in the era of COVID-19

 Health
• February 12, 2021

Proper mask wearing helps us stay safe during the pandemic, but masks limit what we can see in other peoples’ faces. Test how well you can interpret masked emotions in the quiz at the bottom of the page

A row of chairs sit empty in a fluorescent lit waiting room.

COVID-19 is amplifying abortion access disparities across the US

 Health
• February 10, 2021

Depending on where you live, abortion care this year may have become either harder or easier to access than ever before

A heather blueberry plant takes up the whole frame. Small, dark blue berries dot a shrub with rounded leaves. Most leaves are bright green, some are orange and red.

The evolution of ethnobotany

 Environment
• January 13, 2021

To save the plants, one scientific field highlights the importance of protecting Indigenous knowledge

A fruit fly with large red eyes sits atop a beige substance against a white background.

New insect species made via genetic engineering

 Life Science
• December 18, 2020

The discovery of organisms that are new to science has historically required years of field work, but species could become something we create instead of find

Two pictures of the same rocky, high desert view side-by-side. On the left, the sky is blue and clear. On the right the air is yellow with smoke, visibility is reduced, and the sky is grey.

A flawed number that saves lives

 Environment
• November 25, 2020

Millions of people rely on the Air Quality Index, but experts say it’s a rough measure at best

A large black bird, called a large-billed crow, perches on the back of an empty public park bench. Other benches and greenery are visible in the background. Japanese characters are visible on a post in the backgorund.

Birds might be listening to your conversations

 Life Science
• November 19, 2020

You’ve heard of the fly on the wall, but what about the crow in the city?

 
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