Freda Kreier

Science writing intern, Fall 2021

Freda Kreier was an intern at Science News in the fall of 2021. She holds a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from Colorado College and a master’s in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

All Stories by Freda Kreier

  1. A California two-spot octopus against a black backdrop
    Animals

    RNA editing helps octopuses cope with the cold

    California two-spot octopuses tweak the proteins they make, potentially to help maintain brain function when temperatures dip.

  2. An ancient toilet that looks like a square stone block with a circular hole in the middle
    Humans

    Oldest traces of a dysentery-causing parasite were found in ancient toilets

    Scientists have found traces of giardia in two toilets used by wealthy residents of Jerusalem in the 7th and 6th century B.C.

  3. A photo of a bobcat standing in front of a snowy background.
    Life

    Large predators push coyotes and bobcats near people and to their demise

    Coyotes and bobcats hide near people when wolves, cougars and other large predators are close-by, putting the smaller carnivores at a higher risk of dying at human hands.

  4. A photo looking into a drill hole in West Antarctica. White ice is seen on the edges of the frame which turns into a gradient of light blue to dark blue in the center circle of the image.
    Life

    In one lake deep under Antarctica’s ice, microbes feast on ancient carbon

    Microorganisms living in a lake beneath the ice sheet in West Antarctica feed on ocean carbon that was deposited 6,000 years ago.

  5. A shiver of scalloped hammerhead sharks swim near the surface, in this underwater photograph. These endotherms may thermoregulate by closing their gills as they go deeper.
    Animals

    Why some hammerhead sharks seem to ‘hold their breath’ during dives

    Scalloped hammerhead sharks in Hawaii seem to limit the use of their gills during deep dives to prevent losing heat to their surroundings.

  6. A photo of a bat flying over top a body of water and dipping its mouth in.
    Animals

    Pregnancy may hamper bats’ ability to ‘see’ in the dark

    Tiny Kuhl’s pipistrelle bats make fewer calls when pregnant, which may make it more difficult to hunt prey, lab tests hint.

  7. A close up photo of several red flour beetles sitting on a pile of white flour with specks of flour stuck to some of the beetles.
    Life

    How some beetles ‘drink’ water using their butts

    Red flour beetles, a major agricultural pest, suck water out of the air using special cells in their rear ends, a new study suggests.

  8. image of a circular lock of Beethoven's hair attached to an old piece of paper with something written in cursive script
    Genetics

    DNA from Beethoven’s hair hints at what killed the composer

    Many historians suspect Beethoven died from liver failure. A new analysis shows he had a heightened genetic risk for liver disease, researchers say.

  9. photo of a mouse standing on its hind legs in a glass bowl and peering over the edge
    Health & Medicine

    A hormone shot helped drunk mice sober up quickly

    Drunk mice injected with the hormone FGF21 woke up and regained their balance faster than inebriated mice that did not receive the shot.

  10. fungi growing on wood
    Life

    Chemical signals from fungi tell bark beetles which trees to infest

    As fungi break down defensive chemicals in trees, some byproducts act as signals to bark beetle pests, telling them which trees are most vulnerable.

  11. An orange and gray Australian painted lady sitting atop a bright magenta flower.
    Life

    76 percent of well-known insects fall outside protected areas

    Protected areas can provide safe havens for insects, but many existing ones fall short, a new study finds.

  12. A wide photo of a valley on Ellesmere Island in Canada with mountains in the background.
    Life

    Fossils suggest early primates lived in a once-swampy Arctic

    Teeth and jawbones found on Ellesmere Island, Canada, suggest that two early primate species migrated there 52 million years ago.