Christie Wilcox is an award-winning science writer and editor. She is currently Science’s newsletter editor. Her writing has been featured in multiple anthologies, and her bylines include Science, Quanta Magazine, National Geographic, Science News, and The Washington Post. 
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Clips:

HOW NEUTRAL THEORY ALTERED IDEAS ABOUT BIODIVERSITY
The simple insight with far-reaching effects
Quanta

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CAN NEW SPECIES EVOLVE FROM CANCERS? MAYBE. HERE'S HOW.
Myxosporeans are weird—and this may be why.
Quanta

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DEEP INSIDE THE WORLD OF CORAL REEF FORENSICS
How scientists and law enforcement officers pioneered a new brand of underwater justice.
Atlas Obscura

HOW A 3-TON MESS OF DEAD PIGS TRANSFORMED THIS LANDSCAPE
Three words: Rivers. Of. Maggots.
National Geographic

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THE EXTINCT SPECIES WITHIN
The genomes of living animals are littered with DNA from long-gone relatives.
The Scientist

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IN A STUDY OF HUMAN REMAINS, LESSONS IN SCIENCE (AND CULTURAL SENSITIVITY)
Researchers handling a Chilean specimen approached it with two left feet
Undark

THE WEB OF LIFE
DNA passed to and from all kinds of organisms, even across kingdoms, has helped shape the tree of life.
The Scientist

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DR. FISH
It’s doubtful there is anyone who knows more about fish than Hawaii’s Jack Randall.
Hakai Magazine

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GENETICISTS LIGHT UP DEBATE ON SALMON CONSERVATION
Should spring Chinook be split into two groups based on their DNA?
The Scientist

Selected Publications

2024

• ‘Hot little things’: Island rattlesnakes are more likely to strike than their mainland kin. Science
• Is the snake that just bit you deadly? Venom ‘pregnancy test’ could tell. Science
• Powerful new antivenom raises hopes for a universal solution to lethal snakebites. Science
• Mosquitoes may transmit West Nile virus to one another via feces. Science
• A promising snakebite treatment seemed ready for prime time. Then, it backfired. Science

2023

• ‘Toxic bait’ from Indian pitcher plants lures hungry insects to their doom. Science
• Huge variety of eye colors in today’s cats may trace back to distant ancestor’s unusual peepers. Science
• ‘Why can’t you make a coral out of an anemone?’ Science
• Women faculty feel ‘pushed’ from academia by poor workplace climate. Science Careers
• ​Parasitic worms may control minds of insects with ‘borrowed’ genes. Science
• Fruit flies may enjoy taking carousels for a spin. Science
• Geneticists Light Up Debate on Salmon Conservation. The Scientist

2022​

• Can Plants See? In the Wake of a Controversial Study, the Answer’s Still Unclear. The Scientist
• The Noncoding Regulators of the Brain. The Scientist
• Dogs Cry Tears of Joy: Study. The Scientist
• Horizontal Gene Transfer Happens More Often Than Anyone Thought. The Scientist
• Bacterial Enzyme Keeps Rotifers’ Transposable Elements in Check. The Scientist
• Study Questions Sterility of Snake and Spider Venoms. The Scientist 
• ​Adapting with a Little Help from Jumping Genes​. The Scientist
  
  

2021

• In Editing RNA, Researchers See Endless Possibilities. The Scientist
• The Extinct Species Within. The Scientist
• My Daughter’s First Pet—the Next Big Model Organism? The Scientist
• Trout Appear to Get Hooked on Meth. The Scientist
• “Lemon Frost” Leopard Geckos’ Cancers Similar to Human Melanomas. The Scientist
• Deadly Facial Tumors Spur Tasmanian Devil Evolution: Study​. The Scientist 
• Hippocampal Cell Communication Is Bidirectional: Study​. The Scientist 
• Newly Discovered Glycosylated RNA Is All Over Cells: Study. The Scientist
• Comprehensive Atlas of Reef-Building Coral’s Cells Created. The Scientist
• Picozoans Are  Algae After All: Study. The Scientist
• ​White Nose Syndrome Decimating North American Bats. Bats Magazine (print only)
• Species Spotlight: Livingstone’s Flying Fox. Bats Magazine
• ​DNA Jumps Between Animal Species. No One Knows How Often. Quanta Magazine
• COVID-19 lockdown heard in cricket song. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Hope yet for Mediterranean monk seals. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• DNA of Giant ‘Corpse Flower’ Parasite Surprises Biologists. Quanta Magazine
• Carnivores are underappreciated seed spreaders. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Fanning the Flames of Pyrodiversity. Bats Magazine (print only)
• Species Spotlight: Ussurian tube-nosed bat. Bats Magazine
• False “stars” could disorient wildlife. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

2020

• The Mystery of Mistletoe’s Missing Genes. Quanta Magazine
• How Neutral Theory Altered Ideas About Biodiversity. Quanta Magazine
• Resurgent sea lions decimating early salmon. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Did Viruses Create the Nucleus? The Answer May Be Near. Quanta Magazine
• Mineral body armor helps some leaf-cutting ants win fights with bigger kin. Science News
• A blue-green glow adds to platypuses’ long list of bizarre features. Science News
• Introduced oryx may accelerate grassland loss. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Oldest known conservation laws protected excrement. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Bat Genomics: Out of the Darkness. Bats Magazine
• Species Spotlight: Fish-Eating Myotis. Bats Magazine
• Cheap, innovative venom treatments could save tens of thousands of snakebite victims. Science News
• Prairie loss hinders swift fox recolonization. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Extra DNA May Make Unlikely Hybrid Fish Possible. Quanta Magazine
• Some pollinators prefer problematic plants. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Some spiders may spin poisonous webs laced with neurotoxins. Science News
• Species Spotlight: Cryptic Myotis. Bats Magazine
• Why We’re a Lot Better at Fighting Cancer Than We Realized. Nautilus Magazine
• Bizarre caecilians may be the only amphibians with venomous bites. Science News
• Males Are the Taller Sex. Estrogen, Not Fights for Mates, May Be Why. Quanta Magazine
• Deep Inside the World of Coral Reef Forensics. Atlas Obscura
• A pill for heavy metal poisoning may also save snakebite victims. Science News
• Undervalued salt marshes support fisheries. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Jack Randall, marine taxonomist known as ‘Dr. Fish,’ dies at 95. The Washington Post
• Why Sex? Biologists Find New Explanations. Quanta Magazine
• World's hottest corals faithful to symbionts. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Tree‐loving grasses key to productive savannas. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• The Future of Food Looks Small, Dense, and Very Bushy. Nautilus Magazine
• Cracking the Case of the Norovirus. Nautilus Magazine
• Ectogenesis: a brave new world for conservation? Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Could Pablo Escobar's escaped hippos help the environment? (updated) National Geographic
• What Google Could Learn from a Fruit Fly. Nautilus Magazine

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2019​

• Rude paper reviews are pervasive and sometimes harmful, study finds. ScienceInsider
• Variable effects of climate change on root fungi. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Helpful parasites increase marsh resistance to drought. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• How Jurassic Plankton Stole Control of the Ocean’s Chemistry. Quanta Magazine
• Tropical glaciers are melting before our eyes. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• The northeast is losing its winters. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• The silent decline of the platypus, Australia’s beloved oddity. National Geographic
• Can New Species Evolve From Cancers? Maybe. Here’s How. Quanta Magazine
• Plants imitate aphid alarm signals. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• What’s in a Name? Taxonomy Problems Vex Biologists. Quanta Magazine
• Amateur naturalists can help spot rare species. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Too many deer and invasive plants help invasive worms. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Researchers Rethink the Ancestry of Complex Cells. Quanta Magazine
• “One thing after another” weakens ecosystem health. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Wiregrass blooms after 50 years without fire. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Watch how crabs make their own ‘hats’ using sponges. National Geographic
• Veggie-eating shark surprises scientists. National Geographic
• Reducing fishing impacts with lasers. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Lonely George the tree snail dies, and a species goes extinct. National Geographic

2018

• On the beaten path, plants thrive. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Earwax reveals how humans have changed whales’ lives. National Geographic
• Ruth Gates, renowned coral scientist and conservation advocate, dies at 56. The Washington Post
• Dealing with protected predators of threatened species. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Human-caused extinctions have set mammals back millions of years. National Geographic
• In the Atacama 'Alien,' Lessons in Science (and Cultural Sensitivity). Undark Magazine
• Cannibal cobras: Male snakes eat each other shockingly often. National Geographic
• America's lost grasslands. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Could Pablo Escobar's Escaped Hippos Help the Environment? National Geographic
• Cyclones have lasting impacts on tropical forests. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Corals Form a ‘Wall of Mouths’ to Catch and Eat Jellyfish. National Geographic
• African carnivores now competing for small prey. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Climate change is shrinking bison. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• eDNA is reusable. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Two herbivores gang up and silence a plant’s cries for help. New Scientist
• When crops harm native pollinators, exotic ones step up. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Test Tube Rhinos: How Scientists Hope to Save This Nearly Extinct Species. Roaring Earth
• Tropical plants are blooming as they gorge on our pollution. New Scientist
• 'Paramedic' Ants Are the First to Rescue and Heal Their Wounded Comrades. National Geographic
• Tropical plants make more flowers thanks to carbon dioxide hike. New Scientist
• They are Groot: shrubs rebound from severe damage. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

2017

• The Secrets of Your Past that Lurk Inside Your Ears. New Scientist
• Bearded Dragons Are Dumber Because of Climate Change. National Geographic
• Is Biodiversity Beneficial to Human Health? Maybe Not. Undark
• Don't blame the dingo. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Animals Don't Actually Sleep for the Winter, and Other Surprises About Hibernation. National Geographic
• Restoring cougars could save lives. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Toad tadpoles turn homegrown poisons on each other. Nature
• How a 3-Ton Mess of Dead Pigs Transformed This Landscape. National Geographic
• Lovestruck Toadlets Can't Even Hear Their Own Flirting​. Gizmodo
• Penguins Caught Feasting on an Unexpected Prey. National Geographic
• Squirrels Organize Their Nuts Better Than Some Humans Organize Their Closets. Gizmodo
• Bark Beetle Management May Harm Protected Bats. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Box Jellyfish Will Destroy Future Oceans By Gobbling Up The Food. New Scientist
• How To Watch the Eclipse Without Burning Your Eyeballs. SELF
• How Vibrators Could Help Save Turtles From Extinction. Gizmodo
• Catch And Release Stresses Ray Moms, Affects Pups. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Your Eyeballs May Be Covered in Disease-Fighting Bacteria. Gizmodo
• Coral Reef's Fleshy Future. Hakai
• Moonlighting Genes Evolve For A Venomous Job. Quanta
• Cut, Don't Burn: Comparing Forest Restoration Methods. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• This Cuttlefish’s Secret Trick: Pretending to Be a Crab. Hakai
• The Thorny Truth About Spine Evolution. Quanta
• Small Is Beautiful. Hana Hou! (June/July 2017)
• Coordinated boa attacks are a horror you didn't know existed. Gizmodo
• Vibrating tadpoles wiggle to get more maternal care. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• The Green Brigade. Hana Hou! (April/May 2017)
• Adorable tadpoles become hungry murder machines when dad goes away. Gizmodo
• Why FaceApp's selfie filters work, and why they don't. Gizmodo​
• Creative elephant management shows promise. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Venomous Weaponry. bioGraphic
• Changing bulbs to minimize the impacts of light pollution. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Pitcher plants develop unusual diet. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• The Defeat of Agony. Hana Hou! (December 2016/January 2017)

2016

• The scientific explanation for why humans are so convinced that aliens look like octopuses. Quartz
• The intertwined fates of Africa's savannah species. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Genetic rescue for Scandinavia's wolves. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• A new appreciation of salps. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Don't Fear the Jellygeddon. Hakai Magazine
• Never pee on a jellyfish sting. Quartz
• Changing Oceans Breed Disease. The Scientist 
• Fishing with Cyanide. Hakai Magazine
• Reef Relief. Hana Hou! (October/November 2016)
• Bleached Corals "Sickest" Scientists Have Ever Seen. The Scientist
• eDNA outperforms established techniques for monitoring lake fish. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 
• Fossorial firefighters: burrowing mammals reduce brushfire intensity. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• The Deadliest Poison on Earth. Muse Magazine for Kids (April 2016)
• The Poisonous Pitohui. Muse Magazine for Kids (April 2016)
• Study connects seabird guano to reef nutrients. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Dr. Fish. Hakai Magazine
• Can AI Save Our Planet? Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

2015

• The Science Behind Why We’re So Obsessed With Bacon. Yahoo! Health
• Is ecotourism an oxymoron? A new study suggests these ‘green’ vacations might hurt wildlife. The Washington Post
• Diving Dangerously: These Daring Seabirds Hunt Amongst Venomous Jellyfish. EarthTouch
• Tiny pharmacists shown to self-medicate. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Curbing the shark fin trade is laudable. But it’s not enough to save the species. The Washington Post
• Using feces to determine diet in rare marine mammals. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• ​Erosion may undermine reef resilience. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
• Marine Toxin Puts Mice to Sleep. ScienceNews
• XPrize Winner Garners $1.5 Million to Fix Oceans. Popular Science
• A Two-Million-Dollar Race To Track The Changing Oceans. Popular Science
• Five Trillion Pieces Of Plastic Are Floating In An Ocean Near You. Popular Science
• How a bee sting saved my life: poison as medicine. Mosaic 

•  Extras: Medical menagerie: a gallery of venomous creatures, Centipede pain relief
• This Will Completely Change How You Think About Loneliness. Yahoo Health
• Inhaled Condoms And Vacuum Cleaner Hose Mishaps: The Wackiest Sex Injuries In Medical Literature. Yahoo Health

2014

• What It Means To Have 'Dense Breasts' — And Why It Matters. Yahoo Health
• Lighting dark: Fixing academia’s mental health problem. New Scientist
• Do Men Die Earlier Than Women Because They're Idiots? Yahoo Health
• Why Are Yellowstone's Elk Disappearing? Discover Magazine May Issue
• Science Uncovered's Ask A Scientist, 2013—2014 
• Are Lower Pesticide Residues a Good Reason to Buy Organic?” In S Huler (Ed), The Open Laboratory 2013: The Best of Science Writing On The Web. The Atavist

2013

• Do Sleep Trackers Work? YouBeauty.com
• The Best Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work Out. YouBeauty.com
• The Science of Matchmaking: Can Science Help You Find the Perfect Partner? YouBeauty.com
• The Worst Marine Invasion Ever. Slate
• Climate Change and Your Skin. YouBeauty.com
• The Sun and Acne: Does It Really Help? YouBeauty.com
• The Health Benefits of Pessimism. YouBeauty.com
• Guest, SciAm Cinema Episode 1
• The Easiest Way to Improve Your Memory in Mere Months. YouBeauty.com
• New Research: Wear Makeup, Look Younger. YouBeauty.com
• Disgusting science: Fake poop offers cure for uncontrollable diarrhea. Salon.com
• Brain Size Study Involving Guppies Suggests High Intelligence Comes At High Cost. Huffington Post
• Corals Recruit Fish Bodyguards To Protect Them From Seaweed. Scientific American, January Issue

  2012

• The Ecological Case Against Organics. The New York Times
• Why Do Women Cry? Obviously, It's So They Don't Get Laid. In J Ouellette & B Zivkovic (Eds), The Open Laboratory: The Best In Science Writing On Blogs 2012 . Washington, DC: Scientific American.
• Music Boosts The Brain: Even A Few Years Of Training Has Mental Benefits. Huffington Post 
• Toxoplasma Gondii Brain Parasite Infection From Cats Linked To Schizophrenia, Suicide. Huffington Post
• Is Watching TV Really Harmful to Your Health? YouBeauty.Com
• Lice Don't Lie. Scientific American, June Issue
• Natural Acne Solutions: New Research Shows Promise YouBeauty.Com
• Reversing Heart Attack: Scientists Reprogram Scar Tissue Into Working Muscle. Huffington Post
• Want Gorgeous Skin? Grab Some Produce! YouBeauty.Com
• This is what a scientist looks like. Scientific American, April Issue
• Does Cooked Food Contain More Calories? YouBeauty.Com

 
 2011

• Evolution: The Curious Case of the Dog. Ecology.Com
• The Science of Heartbreak and How Music Heals. BlogHer
• Bambi or Bessie: Are wild animals happier? Ecology.Com
• Are You Wasting Money? Four Myths About Organic Food. BlogHer
• Beauty's Most Controversial Chemicals. YouBeauty.Com
• The Science of Makeup. YouBeauty.Com
• Reflections on the Gulf Oil Spill: Conversations with my Grandpa. In J Goldman & B. Zivkovic (Eds.), The Open Laboratory: The Best In Science Writing On Blogs 2010 (pp. 194-199) Chapel Hill, NC: Coutournix.

  
 2010 and before

• Darwin’s degenerates - evolution’s finest. In Scicurious & B. Zivkovic (Eds.), The Open Laboratory: The Best In Science Writing On Blogs 2009 (pp. 194-199) Chapel Hill, NC: Coutournix.
• Tilapia is tasty, but at a price. The Charlotte Observer, January 25, pp. 7A.
• Having some fun with evolution. In J Rohn & B Zivkovic (Eds), The Open Laboratory: The Best In Science Writing On Blogs 2008 (pp. 69-72). Chapel Hill, NC: Coutournix.

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What others have said about Christie Wilcox:
"Christie Wilcox isn't afraid to call out the bigwigs in science."
Business Insider's reason for including her in their list of 40 Science Experts That Will Completely Revamp Your Social Media Feed

"One to watch – a scientist and science writer whose accessible and enthusiastic style has been growing for years."
Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize-winning staff science writer for The Atlantic 
  
"Bloggers like Christie draw us non-scientists right in and get us interested and coming back for more... I would like to see more females step up, speak out and blog the way Christie does with an honest open mind, strength and humor."
Kristyn Bellman, a blog enthusiast

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As seen in...

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