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Viviane Callier

Contributing Writer

Latest Articles

Underside of a skate embryo, stained in blue, on a salmon pink background.
evolution

How 3D Changes in the Genome Turned Sharks Into Skates

By Viviane Callier
May 30, 2023
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Changes in the 3D structure of their genome gave skates and rays their distinctive winglike fins and pancake flatness.

Three “inquiline” social parasites of the clonal raider ant species, showing their queenlike wings on worker-size bodies, on a white background.
evolution

A Mutation Turned Ants Into Parasites in One Generation

By Viviane Callier
May 8, 2023
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A new genetics study of ant “social parasites” shows how complex sets of features can emerge rapidly and potentially split species.

An African army ant queen and worker against a white background, emphasizing the huge difference in their sizes
aging

Ants Live 10 Times Longer by Altering Their Insulin Responses

By Viviane Callier
January 10, 2023
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Queen ants live far longer than genetically identical workers. Researchers are learning what their longevity secrets could mean for aging in other species.

Nick Lane of University College London in an exhibit hall at the Grant Museum of Zoology.
Q&A

A Biochemist’s View of Life’s Origin Reframes Cancer and Aging

By Viviane Callier
August 8, 2022
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The biochemist Nick Lane thinks life first evolved in hydrothermal vents where precursors of metabolism appeared before genetic information. His ideas could lead us to think differently about aging and cancer.

Micrograph of a neuron showing aggregations of tau protein.
aging

Protein Blobs Linked to Alzheimer’s Affect Aging in All Cells

By Viviane Callier
June 28, 2022
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Protein buildups like those seen around neurons in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other brain diseases occur in all aging cells, a new study suggests. Learning their significance may reveal new strategies for treating age-related diseases.

evolution

Brain-Signal Proteins Evolved Before Animals Did

By Viviane Callier
June 3, 2022
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Some animal neuropeptides have been around longer than nervous systems.

An artist’s 3D illustration of chromosomes splitting and fusing together.
genomics

Secrets of Early Animal Evolution Revealed by Chromosome ‘Tectonics’

By Viviane Callier
February 2, 2022
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Large blocks of genes conserved through hundreds of millions of years of evolution hint at how the first animal chromosomes came to be.

Photo of a flying fish gliding over the open water.
developmental biology

Flying Fish and Aquarium Pets Yield Secrets of Evolution

By Viviane Callier
January 5, 2022
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New studies reveal the ancient, shared genetic “grammar” underpinning the diverse evolution of fish fins and tetrapod limbs.

Photo of the freshwater sponge Spongilla.
evolution

Sponge Genes Hint at the Origins of Neurons and Other Cells

By Viviane Callier
November 4, 2021
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A new study of gene expression in sponges reveals the complex diversity of their cells as well as some possibly ancient connections between the nervous, immune and digestive systems.


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About the author

Viviane Callier is a freelance science journalist. She was a Churchill Scholar at the University of Cambridge and holds a Ph.D. in biology from Duke University.
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