Articles by: Rachael Rettner

Rachael Rettner

Rachael has been with Live Science since 2010. She has a master's degree in journalism from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. She also holds a B.S. in molecular biology and an M.S. in biology from the University of California, San Diego. Her work has appeared in Scienceline, The Washington Post and Scientific American.

Articles by: Rachael Rettner

What caused a woman to lactate from her armpit?

By Rachael Rettner

Up to 6% of women are born with extra breast tissue in their body.

Chipmunks near South Lake Tahoe test positive for plague

By Rachael Rettner

The infected chipmunks had no known contact with people.

Foot traffic in Provincetown, Massachusetts on July 20, 2021. A recent COVID-19 outbreak in the area has led to hundreds of infections, including many among fully vaccinated people.

How 350 vaccinated people caught COVID-19 in huge Cape Cod outbreak

By Rachael Rettner

The outbreak has changed our understanding of the coronavirus delta variant.

People who live to 100 have unique gut bacteria signatures

By Rachael Rettner

These bacteria may help ward off infections.

Baby born with 'twin' fetus inside her stomach

By Rachael Rettner

The condition occurs in about 1 in 500,000 births.

A nurse fills a syringe with COVID-19 vaccine in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Dozens of medical groups urge COVID-19 vaccination mandates for health workers

By Rachael Rettner

The signatories include the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A boy's yellow tongue (left) was a sign of a rare autoimmune disorder. He also developed dark urine (right).

Boy's bright-yellow tongue was a sign of rare disorder

By Rachael Rettner

An autoimmune disorder was the culprit.

A security guard stands outside the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market where the coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan in January 2020.

7 facts about the origin of the novel coronavirus

By Rachael Rettner

Some theories point toward a natural origin and others claim the virus accidentally leaked from a lab.

Memorials hang from the front gate of Greenwood Cemetery during an event and procession organized by Naming the Lost Memorials to remember and celebrate the lives of those killed by the Covid-19 pandemic on June 08, 2021 in New York City.

US life expectancy declined by a staggering 1.5 years in 2020

By Rachael Rettner

The decline can largely be attributed to deaths from COVID-19.

Macaque monkeys are common carriers of the 'monkey B' virus. Above, a macaque photographed in Bangkok in February, 2021.

Man in China dies of rare 'monkey B' virus

By Rachael Rettner

When human cases of this virus occur, they are often deadly.

Pox viruses (shown here in this illustration) like monkeypox are oval-shaped with double-strand DNA.

Rare case of monkeypox reported in Texas resident

By Rachael Rettner

The first case of human monkeypox in the U.S. in nearly 20 years has been confirmed in a U.S. resident who recently returned from traveling to Nigeria.