Anna Gibbs

Science writing intern, Spring 2022

Anna Gibbs was the spring 2022 science writing intern at Science News. She holds a B.A. in English from Harvard College.

All Stories by Anna Gibbs

  1. An underwater photo of two sea urchins sitting on the rocky ground.
    Animals

    Urchins are dying off across the Caribbean. Scientists now know why

    A type of single-celled microorganism associated with coral diseases is behind a sea urchin die-off in the Caribbean.

  2. A pile of cremated animal and human bone fragments suggests Vikings travelled from Scandinavia across the North Sea to England.
    Archaeology

    Vikings brought animals to England as early as the year 873

    A chemical analysis of cremated remains offers physical evidence of the arrival of Norse animals to England in the ninth century.

  3. A photo of an ancient cave marking of aurochs (similar to modern cattle) with four dots on the animal's torso.
    Archaeology

    Mysterious marks on Ice Age cave art may have been a form of record keeping

    Hunter-gatherers during the Ice Age may have recorded when prey mated and gave birth, suggesting that these people possessed complex cognitive skills

  4. photo of Josep Cornella wearing a blue shirt
    Chemistry

    Josep Cornella breaks boundaries to make new and better catalysts

    Josep Cornella reinvents chemical reactions essential for agriculture and the pharmaceutical industry.

  5. Photo of a swamp
    Ecosystems

    ‘Fen, Bog & Swamp’ reminds readers why peatlands matter

    In her latest book, author Annie Proulx chronicles people’s long history with peatlands and examines the ecological value of these overlooked places.

  6. Photo of Saba island
    Ecosystems

    A Caribbean island gets everyone involved in protecting beloved species

    Scientists on Saba are introducing island residents to conservation of Caribbean orchids, red-billed tropicbirds and urchins.

  7. a 3-D reconstruction of Saccorhytus coronarius, which looks like a purple spiky cylinder with a large mouth
    Paleontology

    This bizarre ancient critter has been kicked out of a group that includes humans

    A wee sea creature without an anus was thought to be the oldest deuterostome. New imaging showing it had spines led to its reclassification.

  8. Dozens of mosquitoes in a pooter, a clear tube-shaped device
    Animals

    Mosquitoes prefer dozing over dining when they are sleep-deprived

    Mosquitoes repeatedly shaken to prevent slumber lag behind well-rested ones when offered a researcher’s leg to feed on, new experiments show.

  9. Schrödinger crater on the moon
    Planetary Science

    Ice at the moon’s poles might have come from ancient volcanoes

    Volcanic eruptions billions of years ago probably released enough water vapor to have deposited ice at the lunar poles, a study finds.

  10. Marmoset carrying two babies on its back
    Animals

    Baby marmosets may practice their first distinctive cries in the womb

    Ultrasounds tracking fetal mouth movements in baby marmosets pinpoint the early development of the motor skills needed for vocalization.

  11. Mussels on dinner plate
    Agriculture

    These six foods may become more popular as the planet warms

    Millet, kelp, Bambara groundnut and cassava are resilient, sustainable and nutrient dense — good options for future dinner plates.

  12. Jack, the pit-husky mixed breed, lounges on the porch and appears unimpressed
    Animals

    Dog breed is a surprisingly poor predictor of individual behavior

    Despite the popular conviction that dog breeds are associated with specific traits, breed accounts for only 9 percent of behavioral differences.