Kate Wong
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Senior editor at Scientific American. I write about human origins, animals past and present, wildlife conservation. Views are my own.
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Articles by Kate Wong
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Sotheby’s big T. rex auction raises concerns hype and wealth are upending science
Private buyers are increasingly outbidding museums for fossils. Forget the sale of the century. The auction house Sotheby’s has geared up for the sale of the epoch. On July 14 it opened live bidding on assorted fossils, but the pièce de résistance is lot 20, a rare 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. The specimen—dubbed Gus—is billed as one of the largest, most complete T. rexes ever found.
Sotheby's Big T. Rex Auction Raises Concerns Hype and Wealth Are Upending Science
Forget the sale of the century. The auction house Sotheby’s is gearing up for the sale of the epoch. On July 14 it will open live bidding on assorted fossils, but the pièce de résistance is lot 20, a rare 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. The specimen—dubbed Gus—is billed as one of the largest, most complete T. rexes ever found. Gus is expected to fetch up to $30 million and will go to the highest bidder, whether public museum or private collector.
Got a tick bite? Here's what to do—and what
not to do Knowing what kind of tick bit you and where you got it can help inform next steps Tick season is in full swing, and unfortunately for us humans, these parasites are having a banner year. Across the U.S., weekly rates of emergency room visits for tick bites have been trending higher than in all years since 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's tick bite tracker.
Samagya Banskota
Quick Facts Samagya Banskota 36 Biomedical Engineering Boston University Samagya Banskota grew up in a family of doctors in Nepal, aware from a young age of how physicians could change people’s lives. Today she is a biomedical engineer at Boston University, studying ways to create safer, more effective therapies for a multitude of diseases. Banskota is creating so-called viruslike particles to deliver gene-editing technologies to cells.
Widzieć dalej i lepiej
Lornetki i inne urządzenia optyczne do obserwacji na duże odległości kosztują różnie. Oto, co odróżnia sprzęt z najwyższej półki od tego dla początkujących. Kiedy po raz pierwszy zajęłam się birdwatchingiem – na początku pandemii COVID-19 – nie mogłam uwierzyć, że dopiero w średnim wieku odkryłam przyjemność obserwowania ptaków. To było idealne hobby. Mogłam obserwować ptaki wszędzie. I to praktycznie za darmo.
Doubts grow over theory that bird-watchers' trip to Argentine landfill sparked hantavirus outbreak
The hantavirus cruise outbreak may not have started in the Ushuaia garbage dump after all Officials are investigating the origin of the outbreak of hantavirus on the MV Hondius cruise ship that departed Argentina's southernmost city, Ushuaia, last month.
The spring migration of birds is peaking. Here's how to watch
The migration of birds from their southern wintering grounds to their breeding grounds in the north is in full swing IT'S HAPPENING! Spring migration is peaking as birds race from their southern wintering grounds to their breeding grounds in the north. And although it's always a good time to watch birds, now is the very best time for those of us in the northern hemisphere.
Spring bird migration is peaking! What are you hoping to see this season?
Are you a birder and spring migration is your Super Bowl? Or do you casually look for birds out the window or on walks? No matter your level of bird fanaticism, what species are you most hoping to spot this season?
‘Kraken' fossils show enormous, intelligent octopuses were top predators in Cretaceous seas
Fossil jaws from colossal octopuses place them at the top of a prehistoric marine food chain Move over, megalodon, there's a new contender for most terrifying marine predator of all time. An analysis of fossil jaws belonging to octopuses that lived between 100 million and 72 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period, shows that these creatures may have been the largest animals in the sea and smart to boot, rivaling sharks and marine reptiles in their powers of predation.
‘Kraken’ fossils show enormous, intelligent octopuses were top predators in Cretaceous seas
Move over, megalodon, there’s a new contender for most terrifying marine predator of all time. An analysis of fossil jaws belonging to octopuses that …
‘Kraken’ fossils show enormous, intelligent octopuses were top predators in Cretaceous seas
Giant octopuses may have been apex predators in the Late Cretaceous period. (Yohei Utsuki: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Hokkaido University) Move over, megalodon, there’s a new contender for most terrifying marine predator of all time.
250 miljoen jaar oud fossiel bewijst dat voorouders van zoogdieren eieren legden
Het leggen van eieren heeft de voorouders van zoogdieren mogelijk geholpen om te gedijen in de nasleep van de grootste massa-uitsterving op aarde. Beeld: Deze reconstructie van een Lystrosaurus-embryo toont het kleine wezen in zijn gedeeltelijk bewaarde schaal. Credit: Sophie Vrard Gedetailleerde beeldvorming van een 250 miljoen jaar oud fossiel heeft het eerste bewijs opgeleverd dat de voorouders van zoogdieren eieren legden.
Die Vorfahren der Säugetiere legten noch Eier
News Lesedauer ca. 3 Minuten Drucken Teilen Vor 250 Millionen Jahren: Die Vorfahren der Säugetiere legten noch Eier Was kam zuerst – der Säuger oder das Ei? Seit langem wollen Fachleute wissen, wie sich die Vorläufer der Säugetiere fortpflanzten. Fossilien aus Südafrika liefern nun Belege. Mithilfe von Röntgenmethoden durchleuchteten die Paläontologen die fossilen Eier aus Südafrika.
250-million-year-old fossil proves mammal ancestors laid eggs
Laying eggs may have helped mammal ancestors thrive after Earth's worst mass extinction Detailed imaging of a 250-million-year-old fossil has revealed the first proof that the ancestors of mammals laid eggs. The discovery answers a long-standing question about the reproductive biology of our ancient forerunners and hints at how they managed to flourish in the aftermath of the biggest mass extinction in Earth's history.
250-million-year-old fossil proves mammal ancestors laid eggs
Detailed imaging of a 250-million-year-old fossil has revealed the first proof that the ancestors of mammals laid eggs. The discovery answers a long-standing question about the reproductive biology of our ancient forerunners and hints at how they managed to flourish in the aftermath of the biggest mass extinction in Earth’s history. Scientists have long assumed that the ancestors of mammals—a group known as the therapsids—laid eggs like today’s platypuses and echidnas do.
Expensive versus affordable binoculars-what’s the difference?
When I first took up birding, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, I couldn’t believe I had only just discovered, in middle age, the joys of avian observation. It was the perfect hobby. I could watch birds anywhere. And I could do it virtually for free. I already had the one piece of equipment I needed to get started: a pair of good entry-level binoculars capable of magnifying small or distant birds so that I could better see their identifying characteristics and appreciate their beauty.
Go bird-watching this weekend and support a global community science project
What are you doing this weekend? Valentine’s Day and, in the U.S., Presidents’ Day are coming up, followed by the start of the Lunar New Year. Perhaps less widely known is that the next few days are also literally for the birds. I’m talking about the Great Backyard Bird Count, a project that avian enthusiasts around the globe can participate in to help scientists understand how birds are faring in our changing world.
First-ever flexible tool use seen in a cow suggests livestock are smarter than believed
In news that is sure to delight fans of a certain Gary Larson cartoon turned meme about the limitations of bovine cognition, cow tools are real. Larson’s 1982 comic for his series The Far Side showed a cow standing behind a table bearing an array of oddly shaped objects. The text below the image read simply “cow tools.” Now a pet cow named Veronika has been documented not only using a tool but doing so in a surprisingly sophisticated way.
First-ever flexible tool use seen in a cow suggests livestock are smarter than believed
In news that is sure to delight fans of a certain Gary Larson cartoon turned meme about the limitations of bovine cognition, cow tools are real. Larson’s 1982 comic for his series The Far Side showed a cow standing behind a table bearing an array of oddly shaped objects. The text below the image read simply “cow tools.” Now a pet cow named Veronika has been documented not only using a tool but doing so in a surprisingly sophisticated way.
First-ever flexible tool use seen in a cow suggests livestock are smarter than believed
In news that is sure to delight fans of a certain Gary Larson cartoon turned meme about the limitations of bovine cognition, cow tools are real. Larson’s 1982 comic for his series The Far Side showed a cow standing behind a table bearing an array of oddly shaped objects. The text below the image read simply “cow tools.” Now a pet cow named Veronika has been documented not only using a tool but doing so in a surprisingly sophisticated way.
Humans Made Poisoned Arrowheads Thousands of Years Earlier Than Previously Thought
Researchers have found traces of what appears to be plant-derived poison on tiny stone arrowheads from South Africa dated to 60,000 years ago. The finding pushes back the origin of this revolutionary hunting technology by tens of thousands of years. Scientists have long been fascinated by the development of poisoned hunting weapons. For one thing, they would have seriously leveled up our ancestors’ foraging game.
Humans Made Poisoned Arrowheads Thousands of Years Earlier Than Previously Thought
Quartz arrowheads dated to 60,000 years ago from Umhlatuzana Rock Shelter in South Africa have traces of toxic plant alkaloids. Researchers have found traces of what appears to be plant-derived poison on tiny stone arrowheads from South Africa dated to 60,000 years ago. The finding pushes back the origin of this revolutionary hunting technology by tens of thousands of years. Scientists have long been fascinated by the development of poisoned hunting weapons.
Régime carnivore : ce que dit vraiment la science de l’alimentation de nos ancêtres
Torse nu, les biceps saillants, Paul Saladino tronçonne un fémur de vache avec une scie de boucher. Quand l’os cède enfin sous la lame, une foule de badauds l’acclame. Tout sourire, il vérifie qu’il est bien filmé, puis prélève une cuillerée de moelle au centre d’un morceau d’os. Il la dépose ensuite dans la bouche d’une jeune femme enthousiaste, comme un prêtre qui donne la communion. Paul Saladino est médecin et promeut un régime à base de viande qui diabolise les légumes.
Régime carnivore : ce que dit vraiment la science de l’alimentation de nos ancêtres
Torse nu, les biceps saillants, Paul Saladino tronçonne un fémur de vache avec une scie de boucher. Quand l’os cède enfin sous la lame, une foule de badauds l’acclame. Tout sourire, il vérifie qu’il est bien filmé, puis prélève une cuillerée de moelle au centre d’un morceau d’os. Il la dépose ensuite dans la bouche d’une jeune femme enthousiaste, comme un prêtre qui donne la communion. Paul Saladino est médecin et promeut un régime à base de viande qui diabolise les légumes.
Dog Skull Analysis Rewrites Evolution of Humanity's Best Friend
Modern dog breeds come in a mind-boggling array of shapes and sizes—from Chihuahua to Great Dane, corgi to greyhound, pug to German shepherd. In fact, the domestic dog, Canis familiaris, shows more variation in its physical features than any other mammalian species on Earth. Conventional wisdom holds that this extreme variation is the result of humans intensively breeding dogs for particular traits over the past 200 years or so.
Dog Skull Analysis Rewrites Evolution of Humanity's Best Friend
Search query Dog Skull Analysis Rewrites Evolution of Humanity's Best Friend A surprising diversity of dog shapes and sizes evolved long before the Victorians began making modern breeds Thu, November 13, 2025 at 7:00 PM UTC Modern dog breeds come in a mind-boggling array of shapes and sizes—from Chihuahua to Great Dane, corgi to greyhound, pug to German shepherd. In fact, the domestic dog, Canis familiaris, shows more variation in its physical features than any other mammalian species on Earth.
Chimpanzee Consumption of Boozy Fruit May Illuminate Roots of Humanity’s Love of Alcohol
When chimpanzees eat ripe figs and other fruits in the wild, it’s a surprisingly boozy feast—the fruit they consume in a day contains the equivalent of a couple of adult beverages. That’s the upshot of a new study on the alcohol content of the preferred foods of one of our closest living relatives. The findings, published today in the journal Science Advances, may have implications for understanding human attraction to alcohol. Chimpanzees are well known to be fruit lovers.
Chimpanzee Consumption of Boozy Fruit May Illuminate Roots of Humanity’s Love of Alcohol
When chimpanzees eat ripe figs and other fruits in the wild, it’s a surprisingly boozy feast—the fruit they consume in a day contains the equivalent of a couple of adult beverages. That’s the upshot of a new study on the alcohol content of the preferred foods of one of our closest living relatives. The findings, published today in the journal Science Advances, may have implications for understanding human attraction to alcohol. Chimpanzees are well known to be fruit lovers.
Chimpanzee Consumption of Boozy Fruit May Illuminate Roots of Humanity’s Love of Alcohol
Wild chimps ingest the equivalent of multiple alcoholic beverages a day Kate Wong Wed, September 17, 2025 at 6:45 PM UTC 3 min read When chimpanzees eat ripe figs and other fruits in the wild, it’s a surprisingly boozy feast—the fruit they consume in a day contains the equivalent of a couple of adult beverages. That’s the upshot of a new study on the alcohol content of the preferred foods of one of our closest living relatives.
Human evolution: A story still being written
This week’s episode of Big Biology features a re-release of our most popular episode: The Origin of Us: Human Evolution with Kate Wong. Wong is a Senior Editor at Scientific American where she has covered the field of biological anthropology for more than two decades.
Gefleckte Seeratte: Dieser Fisch hat Zähne auf dem Kopf und braucht sie zur Paarung
News Lesedauer ca. 2 Minuten Drucken Teilen Gefleckte Seeratte: Dieser Fisch hat Zähne auf dem Kopf und braucht sie zur Paarung Nicht nur im Maul wachsen der Gefleckten Seeratte Zähne, sondern auch auf dem Kopf. Wie sie dort hingekommen sind, haben Evolutionsbiologen nun geklärt. Exklusive Übersetzung aus Die Gefleckte Seeratte (Hydrolagus colliei) ist ein Fisch im nordöstlichen Pazifik. Sie wird fast einen Meter lang, hat einen großen Kopf und eine lange, dünne Schwanzpartie.
Behold the Gloriously Weird Spotted Ratfish. It Has Teeth on Its Forehead for Sex
The spotted ratfish is a two-foot-long fish with a big head and a long, skinny tail that lives in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. It belongs to a group of fish called chimaeras that are closely related to sharks. (Chimaeras are sometimes called ghost sharks.) Like most vertebrate creatures, it has teeth in its mouth. Unlike other vertebrates it also has teeth in another location: its forehead. It uses these forehead teeth for sex.
This Gloriously Weird Fish Has Teeth on Its Forehead for Sex
Researchers have finally traced the origin of the spotted ratfish’s bizarre forehead teeth, which are used for mating Kate Wong Fri, September 5, 2025 at 4:30 PM UTC 2 min read The spotted ratfish is a two-foot-long fish with a big head and a long, skinny tail that lives in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. It belongs to a group of fish called chimaeras that are closely related to sharks. (Chimaeras are sometimes called ghost sharks.) Like most vertebrate creatures, it has teeth in its mouth.
This Gloriously Weird Fish Has Teeth on Its Forehead for Sex
The spotted ratfish is a two-foot-long fish with a big head and a long, skinny tail that lives in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. It belongs to a group of fish called chimaeras that are closely related to sharks. (Chimaeras are sometimes called ghost sharks.) Like most vertebrate creatures, it has teeth in its mouth. Unlike other vertebrates it also has teeth in another location: its forehead. It uses these forehead teeth for sex.
Humans Aren’t As Special As We Once Thought
Humans Aren’t As Special As We Once Thought Published August 29, 2025 It was the telegram exchange that sparked an identity crisis for humankind. In 1960 a young Jane Goodall working in a remote forest in Tanzania observed a chimpanzee she named David Greybeard using blades of grass and twigs to fish nutritious termites out of their nest.
Was ist der Mensch?: Die Einzigartigkeit des Menschen ist ein Mythos
Maschinelle Übersetzung Lesedauer ca. 6 Minuten Drucken Teilen Was ist der Mensch?: Die Einzigartigkeit des Menschen ist ein Mythos Immer mehr wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse beweisen, dass auch andere Arten Fähigkeiten zeigen, die einst ausschließlich dem Homo sapiens vorbehalten waren. Exklusive Übersetzung aus Dies ist eine Übersetzung eines Artikels unseres amerikanischen Partners »Scientific American«. Es war der Austausch von Telegrammen, der eine Identitätskrise der Menschheit auslöste.
Whales Mourn, Birds Show Self-Awareness, Plants Remember—Are Humans Really So Special?
It was the telegram exchange that sparked an identity crisis for humankind. In 1960 a young Jane Goodall working in a remote forest in Tanzania observed a chimpanzee she named David Greybeard using blades of grass and twigs to fish nutritious termites out of their nest. The primatologist wrote to her mentor, Kenyan paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey, to tell him about her observation, which flew in the face of the conventional wisdom that held that only humans made tools.
Human Uniqueness Is a Myth, Mounting Evidence Shows
It was the telegram exchange that sparked an identity crisis for humankind. In 1960 a young Jane Goodall working in a remote forest in Tanzania observed a chimpanzee she named David Greybeard using blades of grass and twigs to fish nutritious termites out of their nest. The primatologist wrote to her mentor, Kenyan paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey, to tell him about her observation, which flew in the face of the conventional wisdom that held that only humans made tools.
Human Uniqueness Is a Myth, Mounting Evidence Shows
It was the telegram exchange that sparked an identity crisis for humankind. In 1960 a young Jane Goodall working in a remote forest in Tanzania observed a chimpanzee she named David Greybeard using blades of grass and twigs to fish nutritious termites out of their nest. The primatologist wrote to her mentor, Kenyan paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey, to tell him about her observation, which flew in the face of the conventional wisdom that held that only humans made tools.
Meet the Newly Discovered Human Ancestor Identified Just by Its Teeth
Researchers working in northeastern Ethiopia have discovered remains of a previously unknown branch of humanity. The fossils, which include teeth that date to between 2.8 million and 2.6 million years ago, belong to a never-before-seen member of the genus Australopithecus—the same genus to which the famous Lucy fossil belongs. They show that this newly identified member of the human family lived alongside early representatives of our own genus, Homo.
New Human Ancestor Identified from Fossil Teeth
Researchers working in northeastern Ethiopia have discovered remains of a previously unknown branch of humanity. The fossils, which include teeth that date to between 2.8 million and 2.6 million years ago, belong to a never-before-seen member of the genus Australopithecus—the same genus to which the famous Lucy fossil belongs. They show that this newly identified member of the human family lived alongside early representatives of our own genus, Homo.
How to Watch the Fall Bird Migration Happening Now
We’re only halfway through summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but for our feathered friends, fall migration is underway. The birds that journeyed north for the breeding season to take advantage of the region’s long daylight hours and abundant insects during its summer months have raised their young. Following sun and food, they are now beginning to wing their way south to spend the winter. It’s one of nature’s great spectacles, and pretty much wherever you are, you can observe it.
How to Watch the Fall Bird Migration Happening Now
We’re only halfway through summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but for our feathered friends, fall migration is underway. The birds that journeyed north for the breeding season to take advantage of the region’s long daylight hours and abundant insects during its summer months have raised their young. Following sun and food, they are now beginning to wing their way south to spend the winter. It’s one of nature’s great spectacles, and pretty much wherever you are, you can observe it.
Ernährung: Was unsere Vorfahren wirklich aßen
Hintergrund Lesedauer ca. 13 Minuten Drucken Teilen Ernährung: Was unsere Vorfahren wirklich aßen Fleisch galt lange als Triebfeder menschlicher Entwicklung. Deshalb raten manche Ernährungsgurus, wie unsere Vorfahren zu essen. Doch war deren Speiseplan tatsächlich so fleischlastig? Exklusive Übersetzung aus Paul Saladino steht mit nacktem Oberkörper da. Sein Bizeps spannt sich, während er mit einer Metzgersäge einen Rinderoberschenkel durchtrennt.
Google AI Grant to iNaturalist Prompts Community Outcry
Can artificial intelligence help people learn about nature? And if so, is using this technology worth the environmental toll and other consequences?
Google AI Grant to iNaturalist Prompts Community Outcry
Can artificial intelligence help people learn about nature? And if so, is using this technology worth the environmental toll and other consequences?
Bartenwale: Wie ernährt sich ein Buckelwal?
Hintergrund Lesedauer ca. 19 Minuten Drucken Teilen Ernährungsweise: Das Geheimnis der Buckelwale Bartenwale sind die Giganten der Meere. Ihre Nahrung allerdings besteht aus winzigen Planktonorganismen, die sie aus dem Wasser filtern. Wie die bedrohten Meeressäuger ihre Beute aufspüren, erscheint bislang rätselhaft. Exklusive Übersetzung aus Friss, bis du fett und satt bist, lautet ihre Mission.
The Hidden Social Lives of Male African Elephants
By Caitlin O’Connell edited by Kate Wong – Scientific American I woke up in the research tower to a soft exhale and then a trickle of water at the waterhole below. The full moon hung low and dim in the west. I squinted at my watch. It was 4 A.M. I wondered which of my elephant study subjects had come to drink at this hour.
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