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Lauren Leffer

Contributor

About

Lauren Leffer is a science, tech, and environmental reporter based in Brooklyn, NY. She writes on many subjects including artificial intelligence, climate, and weird biology because she’s curious to a fault. When she’s not writing, she’s hopefully hiking.

More from Lauren Leffer

toes in pool
Ask Us Anything

Why do humans have toenails? Because we’re evolutionary ‘weirdos.’

By Lauren Leffer

An eye and arms of an octopus. The small dots visible around the eye are the chromatophores.
Conservation

For octopuses, changing colors is hard work

By Lauren Leffer

raw milk poured into a glass
Animals

Is raw milk safe? Science has a clear answer.

By Lauren Leffer

The ‘wild’ salmon on your menu might not be wild
Animals

The ‘wild’ salmon on your menu might not be wild

By Lauren Leffer

Spare parts of plastic 'Garfield' phones are displayed on the beach on March 28, 2019 in Plouarzel, western France, after being collected from a sea cave by environmental activists.
Climate Change

6 of the weirdest things to ever wash up on the beach

By Lauren Leffer

Pompeii ruins
Animals

Without humans, what would happen to Earth?

By Lauren Leffer

Pile of candy
Health

Studying WWII-era rationing shows that sugar is dangerous even in utero

By Lauren Leffer

Hydra vulgaris.
Animals

Are any animals truly ‘immortal’? These creatures defy biological time.

By Lauren Leffer

Jumping carp disrupt recreational boating and other water-based activities.
Animals

Chicago’s dirty water may be keeping invasive species at bay

By Lauren Leffer

close up of nose
Health

People who can’t smell breathe differently

By Lauren Leffer

A monkey carrying dead offspring.
Animals

How animals react to death: From vigils to cannibalism

By Lauren Leffer

poppy seed bagel
Ask Us Anything

What causes positive drug tests? It’s not just drugs… or poppy seeds.

By Lauren Leffer

Group of Snow Geese in elegant flight against blue sky at Bosque del Apache wildlife refuge in New Mexico in winter.
Animals

Why do birds migrate? Scientists have a few major theories.

By Lauren Leffer

A mummy from an Early Bronze Age cemetery of Xiaohe (1980–1450 BC) in Xinjiang, China and very old cheese.
Archaeology

World’s oldest cheese found in necklaces on mummies in China

By Lauren Leffer

Caption: An octopus cyanea hunting with a blacktip grouper on one side and a gold-saddle goatfish (‘blue goatfish’) on the other.
Conservation

Octopus and fish join forces to hunt together

By Lauren Leffer

Using the microwave oven to heat food. Woman's hand puts plastic container with broccoli and buckwheat in the microwave
Ask Us Anything

Seriously, stop microwaving your food in plastic

By Lauren Leffer

child with fever
Health

Why do we have fevers? It’s more complicated than ‘heat kills bugs.’

By Lauren Leffer

Contrail clouds from passing jet planes streak the sky over the Utah desert.
Ask Us Anything

Why airplanes leave white streaks in the sky

By Lauren Leffer

microbes in the sky
Diseases

The sky is full of germs

By Lauren Leffer

child playing with fidget spinner
Ask Us Anything

Does fidgeting really help you focus?

By Lauren Leffer