Carl Zimmer
NYT columnist and acclaimed science writer covering biology, evolution, medicine, and research breakthroughs with depth and clarity.
Scientists Rush Trials Amid Growing Bundibugyo Outbreak
As the Bundibugyo outbreak continues to grow, researchers are scrambling to start clinical trials of antivirals and monoclonal antibodies to see if any work against the virus. Here's my story on this race, with Stephanie Nolen. Gift link: https://nyti.ms/4eEZHqR
New Gene-Editing Tool Enables Precise Human Embryo Modifications
When scientists used CRISPR to edit the DNA of human embryos, it made catastrophic mistakes. But now they've used a newer tool to make far more precise edits. Here's my story about how this changes the germline engineering debate. Gift...
Scientists Race to Test Bundibugyo Virus Vaccine Candidates
Scientists are scrambling to test vaccines and drugs that can work against the Bundibugyo virus. Here's my story on some of their prime candidates. Gift link: https://nyti.ms/4u7cN4A
Study Suggests Thousands of Human Genes Under Recent Selection
Until now, scientists have identified only a few dozen variants that went through natural selection in humans in the past 10,000 years. A new study claims to find hundreds--maybe thousands. Here's my story on the provocative research, and the mixed...
30-Year Chimp War Study Faces Extinction From NSF Cuts
A three-decade long study of chimpanzees has revealed a primate version of a bloody civil war. It's now at risk of getting eliminated due to cuts at the National Science Foundation. My story here (gift link): https://nyti.ms/4mhr5NQ
Why Replication Studies Remain Unpredictably Challenging
I wrote today about a big study on replication--and why it's so hard to know if a study will hold up or not. Gift link: https://nyti.ms/4sNu3MF
Eggs as Cheap, Scalable Factories for New Medicines
I have a story today about the quest to turn eggs into low-cost factories for medicines. Gift link: https://nyti.ms/4bzSabB
1977 Russian Flu Shows Lab-Origin Genetic Signature
"Russian flu," the pandemic that hit in 1977, bears an evolutionary signature of having emerged from a lab, perhaps as part of a failed vaccine effort. Covid, mpox, Ebola, and other influenza pandemics don't. Here's my story on a new...
Ancient DNA Reveals 250k-Year-Old Mating Preferences
Neanderthals, modern humans, and the rules of attraction. Here's my story on a tantalizing study on mating preferences as far back as 250,000 years ago. Gift link: https://nyti.ms/4bcNzvy