Geoffrey Giller
Scientific American
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Past articles by Geoffrey:
Island Lizards Shift to Evolutionary Fast-Track after Invasive Goats and Rats Are Eradicated
In just one year lizards on remote Redonda Island may be changing → Read More
Antarctic Penguin Populations in Flux as the Planet Warms
A new report reveals large declines in some populations but increases in others → Read More
Your Ear Is a Tape Measure
The human brain judges distance based on sight—and hearing—according to a new study → Read More
Sierra Nevada’s Space Plane in the Chase with SpaceX and Boeing to Win NASA Nod
The company’s Dream Chaser orbital glider has yet to achieve orbit but still is a contender to ferry Americans to and from the International Space Station → Read More
How to Get New Genes Into a Cell
To insert genes into a cell, scientists often prick it with a tiny glass pipette and inject a solution with the new DNA. The extra liquid and the pipette itself, however, can destroy it: only half of cells that undergo this procedure survive. In place of a pipette, scientists at Brigham Young University have developed a silicon lance. They apply a positive charge to the lance so that the negative-charged… → Read More
Genetic Heroes May Be Key to Treating Debilitating Diseases
The Resilience Project seeks to find people who are unaffected by genetic mutations that would normally cause severe and fatal disorders → Read More
New Map Shows Seafloor Details Where Malaysian Airliner Likely Crashed
Scientists have mapped the undersea terrain that is now the focus of the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 that disappeared over the Indian Ocean on March 8. Newly released satellite data appears to confirm that the plane crashed in the Indian Ocean. Walter Smith and Karen Marks of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry created the new… → Read More
If You’re Looking for a Healthy Environment, Follow the Dancing Bee
Honeybee “waggle dances” could help conservationists judge whether wildlife restoration efforts are working → Read More
Human-Lit Fires Can Pose Threat to Amazon Rainforest
In addition to deforestation, forest fires can kill many trees during severe droughts in the Amazon rainforest → Read More
When It Comes to Conservation, Tropical Grasslands Have an Identity Problem [Slide Show]
Although they cover a fifth of Earth’s landmass, tropical grassy ecosystems are routinely misidentified and mismanaged → Read More
When It Comes to Conservation, Tropical Grasslands Have an Identity Problem [Slide Show]
Although they cover a fifth of Earth’s landmass, tropical grassy ecosystems are routinely misidentified and mismanaged → Read More
New Hybrid Solar Device Exploits the Best of Both Worlds
A hybrid approach combines the benefits of photovoltaic and solar-thermal technologies into a device the size of a fingernail → Read More
Are We Any Closer to Knowing How Many Species There Are on Earth?
Are there half a million? 100 Million? After decades of research, there is no consensus → Read More
Do You Have a 2-Body Problem? Yes, You Do [Poll Results]
Physics students learn about the so-called two-body problem early in their training, a classical mechanics scenario that can be used to describe the motion of binary ... → Read More
Mathematical Patterns in Sea Ice Reveal Melt Dynamics
Some people call Ken Golden the “Indiana Jones” of mathematics due to his frequent excursions to remote, harsh parts of the world. Golden, a professor of ... → Read More
Malaysia Airlines Jetliner Disappearance Likely Is Temporary
Aviation experts say it’s unsurprising that no trace of Flight MH370 has been found thus far → Read More
Wind Turbines Generate “Upside-Down” Lightning [Video]
Lightning strikes have been known to incapacitate wind turbines by destroying their blades. But while most tall structures are prone to lightning strikes, wind turbines seem to be especially susceptible. Recently scientists captured high-speed footage of these strikes, and they discovered that the wind turbines may in fact be the architects of their own demise: the nature of the turning turbine helps… → Read More
Salmon Use Magnetic Field–Based Internal Maps to Find Their Way
Even salmon raised in captivity have an innate sense of how to reach their oceanic foraging grounds → Read More
Salmon Use Magnetic Field–Based Internal Maps to Find Their Way
Even salmon raised in captivity have an innate sense of how to reach their oceanic foraging grounds → Read More
Are Fireworks Dangerous to Birds?
America loves fireworks. No major celebration, be it the Superbowl, a new year, or the Kentucky Derby, is complete without the colorful displays. But they’re most closely associated with the 4th of July, as Americans commemorate our independence by creating large, vibrant explosions in the sky. Yet the sound and sight of fireworks may not be as delightful to wildlife as they are to us. In an… → Read More