About
Liza Gross, a freelance science writer and senior editor at the biomedical journal PLoS Biology, channeled an early love of nature into a lifelong exploration of the numerous ways diverse species maintain a healthy ecosystem. She writes mostly about wildlife, ecology and evolution, conservation, and environmental health. Her stories reflect a deep curiosity about the natural world and often feature remarkable efforts to preserve biodiversity, highlighting evolutionary relationships that remind humans of their place in, and responsibility to conserve, the natural order.
Read her previous contributions to QUEST, a project dedicated to exploring the Science of Sustainability.
Website: http://www.lizagross.com
All Contributions by Liza:
Top Cats: How Pumas and Other Apex Predators' Populations Affect The Big Biodiversity Picture
Apex predators exert far-reaching effects on ecosystems that surface just decades after their disappearance. Santa Cruz researchers hope to understand how human activities and development affect how pumas use the landscape to help mitigate conflicts and plan for the species' long-term survival.
Post on May 01, 2013
Fire Safety without Harm
Last week, scientists and regulators from more than 20 countries gathered in San Francisco to discuss the latest research on flame retardants. The conference lasted four days, but the theme of the meeting was clear from just a few talks: Do we need toxic chemicals to achieve fire safety?
Post on Apr 17, 2013
Richard Misrach’s Cancer Alley: Documenting the Poisoning of America’s Wetland
In the new exhibition on display at Stanford's Cantor Arts Center, "Revisiting the South: Richard Misrach's Cancer Alley," the Berkeley photographer takes a hard look at the environmental consequences of our dependence on petroleum.
Post on Apr 03, 2013
Yes, Your Cell Phone Conversation Does Drive People Mad
It's well known that talking on your cell phone compromises your ability to perform simple tasks like walking and driving. Now it turns out cell phones impact cognition in bystanders as well: listening to another person talk on their cell phone isn't just incredibly annoying, it also interferes with your memory and concentration.
Post on Mar 20, 2013
Arsenic and Old Wells
Six years after the EPA's new arsenic rule for drinking water went into effect, poor communities in the San Joaquin Valley—who can’t afford the costs of complying with the stricter standard—face the highest risk of exposure to unsafe arsenic levels.
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Post on Mar 06, 2013
Book Review: Animal Wise – The Thoughts and Emotions of Our Fellow Creatures
An appreciation of the rich inner lives of nonhuman animals dates back at least to Aristotle and gained support from Charles Darwin, who saw any differences between humans and other animals as a matter of degree, not kind. Still, the notion that humans stand above and apart from our fellow creatures dies hard. In her new book, "Animal Wise," science journalist Virginia Morell takes us on a tour of labs and field sites around the world to show us that many of the traits once thought uniquely human appear in even our most distant evolutionary relatives.
Post on Feb 20, 2013
Coyote Killings: A Complex Debate of Conservation and Cruelty
Coyotes, reviled for preying on sheep and goats, are the most targeted predator in the U.S. This week, hunters in the tiny Modoc County town of Adin will compete in a contest to kill the most coyotes to protect their livestock–even though research shows that killing coyotes results in higher reproductive rates.
Post on Feb 06, 2013
Fear and Loathing in Wolf Country
After federal wildlife officials removed endangered species protections on wolves in the Rocky Mountains, hunters quickly killed them by the hundreds. If California's lone wolf leaves the state, he could meet a similar fate.
Post on Jan 23, 2013
Exploratorium’s Science with Spirit Transcends Place
A record number of visitors mobbed San Francisco's Exploratorium on its last day at the Palace of Fine Arts. The mood was bittersweet–not just visitors but a good part of the staff grew up at this place. But for the Exploratorium, the magic of science is where you make it.
Post on Jan 09, 2013
Conquering Fungophobia
Late fall rains signal the start of mushroom season, which can last until spring in the Bay Area. Though only experts should forage and eat wild mushrooms (following park rules about harvesting), anyone can appreciate the rich diversity of these ephemeral fruits of the forest.
Post on Dec 26, 2012
Can Earth Survive Without Scientist-Citizens?
Last summer, a group of top scientists warned that our penchant for growth and consumption may be pushing earth toward an irreversible tipping point. The days when scientists could share their results with just their colleagues are over, says NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco. It's time for scientists to help solve our "wicked problems."
Post on Dec 12, 2012
Flame Retardants, Redux: From Toxic Couches to Buildings
Last June, Gov. Jerry Brown directed state agencies to change California's flammability standard to ensure fire safety without dousing furniture and other foam products with toxic chemicals. Now activists are focusing on an even bigger market for flame retardants: foam insulation in buildings.
Post on Nov 28, 2012
Trophy Hunting: For the Love of Blood and Money
Trophy hunters routinely pay thousands of dollars for the chance to kill big game like caribou, moose, black bear and especially grizzly bear. Trophy hunting narratives boast a love of nature. But some sociologists find a different story.
Post on Nov 14, 2012
Playing Whack-a-Mole with Flame Retardants
Countless consumer products sold in California contain a flame retardant flagged as a possible carcinogen nearly 35 years ago. As of this week, finally, they must carry a warning that the chemical causes cancer. But is it enough when manufacturers simply replace one toxic chemical with another?
Post on Oct 31, 2012
Vaccine Waivers, Informed Consent and Public Health
Starting in 2014, California will require parents to see a health practitioner to learn the risks and benefits of vaccination before opting out of the state's immunization requirements. Public health officials hope that when parents learn the difference between science-based evidence and the uninformed myths so prevalent online and in the mainstream media, they'll decide to protect their children from the real risks of infectious disease, rather than worry about unfounded theoretical risks.
Post on Oct 17, 2012
Think Pink? I’d Rather Raise a Stink
Every October, high-profile outlets from Ace Hardware to the NFL sell pink products to raise awareness and money for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Critics of "pinkwashing" urge consumers to ask just how much of that money goes to support breast cancer programs–and challenge us to move beyond awareness to action.
Post on Oct 03, 2012
Culture Clash: Of Cats, Birds and Conservation
Feral cats threaten native wildlife, from reptiles to birds, and often lead a miserable life. By better understanding the concerns of cat colony caretakers, wildlife biologists hope to find enough common ground to benefit both cats and wildlife.
Post on Sep 19, 2012
Braking for Beetles: When Recreation and Conservation Converge
The endangered Ohlone tiger beetle, found only in Santa Cruz County, depends on disturbed landscapes to hunt and breed. Migrating woolly mammoths and more recently grazing elk helped maintain that habitat. Recreational trails might prove a good replacement–as long as mountain bikers follow rules to reduce beetle casualties.
Post on Sep 05, 2012
In Defense of Science: An Interview with NCSE’s Eugenie Scott
Eugenie Scott, longtime director of Oakland's National Center for Science Education, has won numerous awards for helping the public understand science and defending evolution, especially against threats to replace it with “creation science” in public schools. She shares her thoughts on the challenges of communicating science in a climate of denial.
Post on Aug 22, 2012
Doubt and Denialism: Vaccine Myths Persist in the Face of Science
Many people continue to doubt the evidence for climate change, evolution, and vaccine safety, even though the scientific consensus on these issues is rock solid. Among the most troubling evidence-resistant theories is the long-debunked yet persistent myth that vaccines cause autism—a completely unfounded belief–leading to general doubts about vaccine safety, with dangerous public health consequences.
Post on Aug 08, 2012
