Lauren Leffer
Lauren is a former bug scientist and now a science and environmental writer based in Brooklyn, NY. She is a breaking news reporter at Gizmodo.
Her work has appeared in Popular Science, National Geographic, Audubon Magazine, and elsewhere. Previously, she was a research biologist, entomologist, park naturalist, and curriculum writer.
In addition to reporting and writing journalism, she has experience in fact checking, editing, audio production, video, and creative non-fiction. When she’s not working, she’s (hopefully) hiking.
Ancient Human ‘Hobbits’ Were Even Smaller Than We Thought
Newly described fossils found on an Indonesian island shed light on hominin history.
Greenland’s Ice Sheet is Both Younger And Less Stable Than Scientists Thought
If the ice sheet melted once, it could easily melt again.
Climate Tipping Points Are Unpredictable And Miss The Point, Says New Study
Trying to make precise time estimates for major tipping points may be completely futile.
An Underwater Drone Helped Scientists Explore the Final Glacial Frontier
Peeking beneath ice shelves is key for predicting sea level rise.
New Brain Scan Study Reveals How A Psychedelic Trip Looks In Real Time
Recent research offers an unprecedented glimpse into the neurobiology of psychedelics.
Climate Change is Triggering an Unexpected and Fundamental Planetary Change
A surprising interplay between ice melt and physics means Earth’s days are getting longer
The Hottest Year Ever Has Just Broken a New Type of Record
For 12 months, the average global temperature has been more than 1.5C above pre-industrial records– but that doesn’t mean it’s permanent.
Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Metals are Lurking in Commonly Purchased Tampons
Not all of these compounds are inherently harmful — here’s what you need to know.
Baby Birds Born In Chernobyl Have Weird Microbiomes But Are Surprisingly Healthy
The lasting impacts of the Chernobyl disaster on wildlife aren’t straightforward, a new study found.
Alaska’s Glaciers are Speeding Towards a Crucial Tipping Point
Here's why the old models got it so wrong.
Scientists Uncovered New Clues About The Diets of Our Most Mysterious Ancient Human Cousins
We now know more about what Denisovans ate and how they survived amid the especially harsh conditions of the Tibetan Plateau.
Scientists Have Found a New Climate Tipping Point
Hotter oceans are set to trigger a feedback loop of runaway melting.
Swapping Meat for the Fake Stuff May Actually Have Real Heart Health Benefits
Lower cholesterol, less saturated fat, more fiber — pass the veggie burgers.
Eliminating This Common Pollutant Could Actually Lead to More Forest Fires
Inconvenient as it may be, some types of atmospheric pollution cool the planet.
This is What Happens When You Breathe in Microplastics
A map and model of where plastic particles travel inside the lungs help us better understand the health effects
What Actually Happened To The ‘Doomsday Glacier?’ Here’s What Satellite Data Shows
A new study offers a hint to why melt models haven’t kept up with reality.
Huge Meta-Analysis Shows This Ancient Diet Is Full of Health Benefits
The new work looked at 49 reviews spanning more than 20 years of diet and health research.
Can You Replay Conversations In Your Head? If Not, You Might Struggle With These Common Tasks
Let’s hear it for the (interally) silent minority.
A Wild New Study Sheds Light On Why Exercise Is So Good For Our Brains
Researchers unearth exercise secrets from a biomolecular soup of synthetic innervated muscle tissue.
Covid-19 is here to stay. Should you still try to avoid it?
Avoiding infection is still worthwhile.