First written for Discover magazine, "DNA Pollution May Be Spawning Killer Microbes" is now out in Simon & Schuster's Best American Medical Writing 2009. You can read the full text in this website's archive of past Discover articles.
A rare form of black bear--that is actually white--faces threats to its survival in its British Columbia habitat
by Jessica Snyder Sachs
FROM THE DOCK of British Columbia's Hartley Bay, guide Marvin Robinson looks across the waters of the Douglass Channel to Gribbell Island. The 96-square-mile island--thickly forested in hemlock, cedar and fir--is home to the world's highest concentration of the rare "spirit bear"--a pale color variant of the American black bear. Long revered by the First Nations of British Columbia, scientists dubbed it the Kermode bear in 1905 after one of the first scientists to study the species, Francis Kermode. ... READ MORE at NATIONAL WILDLIFE.
For this month's issue of National Wildlife I had the pleasure of researching and writing "Spirit Bear: Icon for an Endangered Ecosystem." I've been enamored with this subspecies of black bear--also known as the Kermode bear--ever since I first caught a glimpse of one (or imagined I did) in the 1970s at a dump in Terrace, BC.In recent years, the BC government has worked with conservationists, First Nations, and timber companies to protect the Spirit Bear's habitat--the largest intact stretch of temperate rain forest in the world. But today this ecosystem -- and Canada's beloved "panda" -- remain at risk, with an ominous new threat of oil tanker traffic on the horizon.
In the wake of Tuesday's devastating earthquake in Haiti, NBC's iVillage.com asked me to post information on how people can donate, volunteer services, and find information about loved ones. Here's the link.
Our hearts, too, are with the people of Haiti and the many wonderful Haitian immigrants in our communities.
(Reuters photo courtesy alertnet.org)
Given that I am a longtime health and science writer, friends and
family have been peppering me with questions about the new guidelines
pushing back the age and frequency of screenings for cervical and
breast cancer.
Many have been surprised at my response. Please see my posting at iVillage.com. Thanks! JSS
The editors of National Wildlife asked me to report on how wild animals are changing their diets, behaviors, and in a few cases, even their genetic makeup in their struggle to cope with global warming. It's in the December/January issue.
For the duration of the flu season, I will be blogging and fielding questions on all things influenza for NBC's iVillage.com. The first post is on public hesitation about getting vaccinated against H1N1.
In addition I'll be contributing a variety of related content--slideshows, articles, and the like-- at iVillage's YourTotalHealth.com. See you there.
In addition I'll be contributing a variety of related content--slideshows, articles, and the like-- at iVillage's YourTotalHealth.com. See you there.
For this month's issue of National Wildlife magazine, I got to delve into some great environmental news. (Welcome change.) It's a feature-length roundup of newly discovered populations or rare and endangered animals--both here in North America and abroad. No random discoveries, these. Many are solid evidence that protective measures are working.
Thanks to my longtime Parenting editor Robert Barnett for bringing me on board his freelance team for NBC.com's iVillage, where he is now the top health editor. My first post is on protecting yourself from H1N1 while caring for a sickie at home. Here's the link.
Thanks to National Wildlife magazine editorial director Mark Wexler for another fascinating assignment. Find the full text in this site's archive of my National Wildlife articles.
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