Articles by: Rachel Kaufman

Rachel is a writer and editor based in Washington, D.C., who covers a range of topics for Live Science, from animals and global warming to technology and human behavior. Rachel also contributes to National Geographic News, Smithsonian Magazine and Scientific American, and she is currently a senior editor at Next City, a national urban affairs magazine. She has an English degree with a journalism concentration from Adelphi University in New York.

Articles by: Rachel Kaufman

In this 3D image, created from a CT scan of an anglerfish, researchers like Karly Cohen at the University of Washington can inspect bones and teeth that grow in unusual ways (or unusual places) in deep-sea anglerfish.

Anglerfish: Biology, bioluminescence and lifecycle

By Rachel Kaufman published 20 April 22

Reference Meet the fish that fish for other fish.

Mary Anning broke class and gender barriers with her strong contributions to paleontology in the 1800s.

Mary Anning: Life and discoveries of the first female paleontologist

By Rachel Kaufman published 22 February 21

Mary Anning's discoveries shocked the 19th-century scientific establishment. But her gender, poverty and lack of formal education meant she often didn't get credit for her work.

Fisher cats: Animals that aren't cats, nor are they really fishers

By Rachel Kaufman published 4 November 20

If the fisher cat isn't the most inaccurately named animal in North America, it's certainly up there: It's not a cat, and it doesn't care much for fishing.

A black-browed albatross getting ready to take off at the Falkland Islands.

Albatrosses: Facts about the biggest flying birds

By Rachel Kaufman published 24 July 20

Albatrosses are big, majestic birds found soaring above most of the world’s oceans.

Gel Offers New Possibilities for 'Soft' Robots

By Rachel Kaufman published 30 May 13

The gel absorbs water at room temperature but expels it at higher temperatures.

leaf-rolling caterpillars, weird animals

Caterpillars Build Leaf 'Houses,' Other Insects Move In

By Rachel Kaufman published 20 February 13

When caterpillars become butterflies, other insects take over leaf rolls.

Bizarre Valentine: Why Mating Snails Stab With 'Love Darts'

By Rachel Kaufman published 14 February 13

Strange mating behavior may keep snails from fooling around with other beaus.

Cameras Capture Falling Snowflakes in 3D

By Rachel Kaufman published 17 January 13

A gadget that can snap photos of individual snowflakes in freefall could lead to more accurate weather predictions.

3D-Printing a Low-Cost Satellite

By Rachel Kaufman published 26 November 12

Seeking low-cost ways to launch their experiments into space, a team of scientists has designed a space-ready, 3-D printed CubeSat.

Weird Moth Genitals Reveal 3 New Species

By Rachel Kaufman published 12 November 12

Moths that otherwise look alike are set apart by their privates.

Telecommuting Gets People Back to Work Post-Sandy

By Rachel Kaufman published 2 November 12

Stir-crazy, but otherwise safe and healthy workers laid up by Hurricane Sandy are turning to modern technology to get their work done.

Can You Stop a Hurricane by Nuking It?

By Rachel Kaufman published 29 October 12

The theory goes that the energy released by a nuclear bomb detonated just above and ahead of the eye of a storm would heat the cooler air there, disrupting the storm's convection current.

Super Stretchy Material is Also Super Strong

By Rachel Kaufman published 5 September 12

Scientists hope the material could one day serve as a cartilage replacement.

Edible Oil Dispersant Tackles Spill Cleanup Problem

By Rachel Kaufman published 20 August 12

The new dispersant also floats and has nonstick properties, making it safer for wildlife.

Could Pumping Aerosols into the Atmosphere Stop Global Warming?

By Rachel Kaufman published 16 August 12

Geoengineering is no longer fringe science as the debate shifting from whether it should be done to how.

Could Space Mirrors Stop Global Warming?

By Rachel Kaufman published 8 August 12

While technically feasible, the costs of a giant reflector in space would be out of this world, and it might only be a short-term solution to global warming.

New Printer Inkjet Nozzle Inspired By Human Eye

By Rachel Kaufman published 23 July 12

The technology could help drive down printer ink costs.

'Smart Fur' Lets Robo-Pets Read Owners' Emotions

By Rachel Kaufman published 5 March 12

The smart fur could allow robot pets to gauge their owners’ emotions and respond accordingly.

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