Carl Zimmer
I write the Origins column for The New York Times and cover news about science. What I Cover I report on life — from microbes at the bottom of the sea to high-flying migratory birds to aliens that may dwell on other planets. For my column, I focus on how life today got its start, including our own species. Along with covering basic science, I write stories about how biological discoveries evolve into medical applications, such as editing genes and tending to our microbiome. My Background I wrote my first story for The Times in 2004. In 2013 I became a columnist. I began my career in journalism at Discover Magazine, where I rose to senior editor. I went on to write articles for magazines including The Atlantic, Scientific American, Wired and Time. I also write books about science. So far, I’ve published 14, including “She Has Her Mother’s Laugh,” “Life’s Edge,” and “Parasite Rex.” I am professor adjunct at Yale’s Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, where I teach seminars on writing and biology lecture courses. I have also coauthored a textbook on evolutionary biology, now in its fourth edition. My books and articles have earned a number of awards including the National Academics Communication Award and the Stephen Jay Gould Prize, given out by the Society for the Study of Evolution. I have won fellowships from the Johns Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. During the Covid-19 pandemic, I contributed to the coverage that won The Times the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2021. I am, to my knowledge, the only writer after whom both a species of tapeworm and an asteroid have been named. I live with my wife in Connecticut, alongside salt marshes rife with snapping turtles. Journalistic Ethics I strive to give readers as true a picture of biological research as I can. This means writing about important advances in science, but it also means writing about failures and conflicts. I do not have financial or other ties to companies I may write about in my coverage of biotechnology. I do not go on press junkets, and I do not accept speaking fees from potential subjects of my reporting. Before I talk to people, I generally try to agree on whether our conversation will be “on the record,” “on background,” or some other designation. Whenever I have a question about how I should proceed, I consult the standards editors at The Times and check our Ethical Journalism Handbook. Contact Me For speaking inquiries, contact the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau. Other contacts are below. Email: carl.zimmer@nytimes.com X: @carlzimmer Threads: @cwzimmer LinkedIn: Carl Zimmer Anonymous tips: nytimes.com/tipsLatest
70%
The Daily's Verdict
This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.
Bias
95%
Examples:
- Possible that the people who occupied the site ate the eggs, or used the shells as canteens for storing water. The molecules that silence a woman's second X chromosome can confuse the immune system.
Conflicts of Interest
50%
Examples:
- It's possible that the people who occupied the site ate the eggs, or used the shells as canteens for storing water. The molecules that silence a woman's second X chromosome can confuse the immune system.
Contradictions
90%
Examples:
- A fossil named Tmesipteris oblanceolate, found in New Caledonia, holds the record for the largest genome among all living organisms with 160 billion base pairs of DNA.
- Chimps exhibit rapid back-and-forth communication with gestures and sounds. Researchers believe that our common ancestors with chimpanzees had brains equipped with some of the building blocks needed for talking.
- Modern human DNA may have made up 2.5% to 3.7% of the Neanderthal genome.
- The last wolfly mammoths on Earth existed on a remote Arctic island about 4,000 years ago.
- ]Two chimpanzees, Johnny and Renata, were recorded saying ['mama'] according to old videos.[
Deceptions
60%
Examples:
- The sentence ‗Women are much more likely than men to have their immune system turn against them’ is a lie of omission as it implies that women are at higher risk for autoimmune diseases without providing any supporting data.
- The statement ‗A study published on Thursday offers an explanation rooted in the X chromosome.‗ is misleading because the article does not provide enough information to support this claim.
Recent Articles
Newly Discovered Chimpanzee Recordings Suggest Complex Vocal Capabilities, Challenging Previous Assumptions About Speech Evolution
Broke On: Thursday, 25 July 2024Two chimpanzees, Johnny and Renata, have made history with their recorded use of the word 'mama,' revealing potential neural building blocks for speech in great apes. Their vowel-consonant combinations challenge previous assumptions about chimpanzee vocal capabilities and offer insights into human speech evolution. 
New Study Reveals Chimpanzees Follow Human-Like Communication Patterns with Rapid Turn-Taking
Broke On: Thursday, 25 July 2024A recent study published in Current Biology reveals that chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, communicate through turn-taking gestures and sounds similar to human conversations. Researchers found that 14% of chimp interactions involve a two-part exchange with an average response time of 120 milliseconds. This rapid communication pattern sheds light on the evolutionary mechanisms driving social interactions between humans and primates. 
New Evidence Suggests Modern Humans and Neanderthals Interacted for Over 200,000 Years: A Genetic Analysis of Human-Neanderthal Relationships
Broke On: Thursday, 11 July 2024Geneticists have discovered evidence of multiple waves of gene flow between modern humans and Neanderthals over a 200,000-year period, challenging previous understanding of human history and emphasizing the importance of considering diverse perspectives in scientific interpretation. 
New Research Suggests Interconnected Evolutionary History Between Neanderthals and Modern Humans
Broke On: Thursday, 11 July 2024New research suggests that modern humans and Neanderthals had multiple interconnections, with gene flow occurring around 200,000 to 250,000 and 1oo,ooo to 12o,ooo years ago. Recent studies indicate that early modern human migrations can be traced in Neanderthal DNA. This new understanding challenges our previous beliefs about human evolution. 
Denisovans: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Extinct Hunters on the Tibetan Plateau
Broke On: Wednesday, 03 July 2024Denisovans, extinct humans discovered on the Tibetan Plateau around 160,000 to 30,000 years ago, are known from fossils found in Russia and Tibet. These adaptable hunters thrived in high-altitude environments and hunted a diverse range of animals. Recent research reveals they butchered large animals like woolly rhinos and processed smaller ones for food during cold periods. Denisovans' extinction remains a mystery, with further research needed to understand their relationship with other ancient human groups. H5N1 Bird Flu Survives in Raw Milk: How Pasteurization Prevents Potential Spread to Humans
Broke On: Saturday, 29 June 2024A recent study reveals that H5N1 bird flu can survive in raw milk for over an hour, raising concerns about its potential spread through contaminated dairy products. However, pasteurization effectively kills the virus in milk. The USDA warns against consuming unpasteurized dairy products due to the risk of infection and advises farmers to take preventative measures. 
New Genetic Analysis Reveals Small, Isolated Population of Woolly Mammoths on Wrangel Island Suffered from Inbreeding Before Extinction
Broke On: Thursday, 27 June 2024New research reveals that the last woolly mammoths on Wrangel Island, which survived for 6,000 years after disappearing from other continents, suffered from genetic disorders due to inbreeding despite having a stable population of around 200-300 individuals. This discovery sheds light on the importance of maintaining large and genetically diverse populations for long-term species survival. 
New Insights on Ancient Sea Creature Pikaia: Dorsal Nerve Cord and Gill Outgrowth Suggest Precursor to Vertebrates
Broke On: Wednesday, 12 June 2024New research on the ancient sea creature Pikaia reveals key features challenging previous interpretations, suggesting it is an unambiguous stem-group chordate and a potential precursor to vertebrates. Discoveries include a dorsal nerve cord instead of a blood vessel and a gill outgrowth instead of a dorsal organ. 
New Caledonia Fern Holds Record for Largest Genome Among Living Organisms: A Reminder of Nature's Mysteries
Broke On: Friday, 31 May 2024Scientists discover Tmesipteris oblanceolata fern in New Caledonia with a record-breaking genome of approximately 160 billion base pairs, surpassing human DNA by 50 times. The ancient fern, which grows on tree bark and belongs to a primordial plant group, now holds three Guinness World Records for the largest genome, largest plant genome, and largest fern genome. Researchers aim to study its impact on function and extinction risk. 
Unraveling the Cross-Cultural Connections Between Music and Language: A Groundbreaking Study Reveals New Insights
Broke On: Wednesday, 15 May 2024In a groundbreaking study, 75 researchers investigated the connections between music and language across 55 cultures, revealing shared features in rhythms, pitches, and potential evolutionary significance as a social bonding tool.
