Alexa Robles-Gil

A New, ‘Adorable’ Deep-Sea Fish Swims Into View

The bumpy snailfish, discovered 10,000 feet down off the coast of California, shows that not all denizens of the abyss are frightening. (I watched the video more than 10 times.)

My latest for @nytimes.com (gift link!)

#marinelife

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/s...

In Yellowstone, Migratory Bison Reawaken a Landscape

"It's not just cool ecology" – my latest story for @nytimes.com looks at the benefits of letting bison roam as free as possible. (gift link!)

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/s...

Thanks for reading, Mark!

In Every Tree, a Trillion Tiny Lives

Like humans, every tree has its own microbiome — an invisible ecosystem that is only beginning to be understood.

My latest for @nytimes.com (gift link!)

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/s...

How Scientists Are Using Drones to Study Sperm Whales

Another way drones are changing how scientists study whales: A new tagging method called tap-and-go allows researchers to gather more data on the health and behavior of whales, with less disruption.

(gift link!) #marinelife

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/s...

A Voyage to Bring Norway’s Lighthouses Into the 21st Century More than 2,000 navigational beacons, big and small, oversee the nation’s 60,000-mile-long coast. Now they need an upgrade.

I learned a lot about Fresnel lenses for this amazing series of lighthouse photographs by Michal Siarek: nyti.ms/41qkFCN

A Zoo in Denmark Wants to Feed Your Pets to Its Predators A Danish zoo is asking owners of companion animals nearing life’s end to instead donate them as food for captive lynxes, lions and other carnivores.

A zoo in Denmark is asking pet owners to donate their animal companions — their guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens and even small horses — to feed to its predators. In a Facebook post, the zoo noted that donations of pets would help it mimic the natural food chain.

Scientists Finally Identify Killer Microbe Behind ‘Terrifying’ Sea Star Disease

Since 2013, a mysterious epidemic wiped out billions of sea stars. A new study finally identifies the culprit.

My latest for @nytimes.com (gift link below!) #marinelife

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/s...

What’s a Potato? A Nine-Million-Year-Old Tomato.

You say potato, @alexaroblesgil.bsky.social says tomato: www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/s...

What’s a Potato? A Nine-Million-Year-Old Tomato.

An ancient hybrid of tomatoes and potato-like plants may have given rise to the modern spud, a new study suggests.

www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/s...

#addOcean

How a string of deadly shark attacks made a remote island a hub of lifesaving research After 11 deaths, Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean became a center for shark attack science

Once a surfer's paradise, a string of deadly attacks made Réunion Island synonymous with one word only: sharks. But a team of scientists turned this tiny island into a hub of lifesaving research. For @science.org, I wrote about this fascinating place.

www.science.org/content/arti...

Thank you, Meredith! 😊

How a string of deadly shark attacks made a remote island a hub of lifesaving research After 11 deaths, Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean became a center for shark attack science

A fascinating summer read from the redoubtable @alexaroblesgil.bsky.social‬ for @science.org ! How a string of deadly shark attacks made a remote island a hub of lifesaving research | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

Big day in the NY Times for NYU SHERP. Congratulations William Herkewitz (SHERP 31) and @alexaroblesgil.bsky.social (SHERP 42)! www.nytimes.com/2025/06/29/o... www.nytimes.com/2025/06/21/s...

Fifty Years After ‘Jaws,’ Shark Science Is Still Surfacing

Jaws' release in 1975 haunted the reputation of sharks worldwide. But a generation of scientists helped turn the tide.

My story for @nytimes.com

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/21/s...

Stunning video of this Antarctic gonate squid caught alive on camera for the first time. Before this, no one had ever seen this creature alive in the wild.

Read more: www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/s...

Today is my first day on the job as a reporter fellow on the Science desk for @nytimes.com! Send me any tips to
alexa.robles-gil@nytimes.com

Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial Drug combination targeting lax airways is nearing an FDA submission

"Promising" is overused when it comes to potential medicines, but here I think it's justified. 10s of millions of Americans have sleep apnea; many reject CPAP. @science.org.bsky.social : Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

‘Data manipulations’ alleged in study that paved the way for Microsoft’s quantum chip Internal emails from 2021 reveal tensions among researchers hunting for elusive Majorana particle

Work relating to Microsoft’s new quantum computing chip has been called into question after an author on the 2017 study acknowledged it contained “undisclosed data manipulations,” according to emails obtained by Retraction Watch and Science. scim.ag/42Z6Vz2

Did you hear? You can now listen to audio narrations of our #NewsfromScience stories.

🎧 Check out this new tool on a story about the oldest ant fossil ever found: scim.ag/44PK0IY

Oldest ant fossil ever found reveals history of ‘hell ants’ Unusual Brazilian specimen trapped in limestone is 113 million years old

Oldest ant fossil ever found reveals history of ‘hell ants’

www.science.org/content/arti...

International students in the U.S. are reeling amid revoked visas and terminated records The moves also affect a temporary work program heavily used by STEM graduates

“I’m going to keep trying to maintain the life that I have here,” a Nigerian student says. “But what life am I fighting for if people don’t want me here?”

International students in U.S. are reeling from terminated records and revoked visas. My latest for @science.org
www.science.org/content/arti...

Mexican whale researchers sound the alarm on an energy megaproject A planned gas terminal would routinely send huge tankers through a marine mammal oasis, scientists fear

In November 2024, the CSG worked with the IUCN SSC and WCPA chairs to draft and send a letter of concern that has helped to halt a potentially harmful LNG development in an Important Marine Mammal Area in the Gulf of California. Read more at: shorturl.at/VwvwF

#conservation #IUCN #cetaceans

The project plans to use a 500-mile-long pipeline and a fleet of tankers to move up to 2.8 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from wells in Texas, through Mexico, and then across the Pacific Ocean, primarily to Asia. The tankers would navigate through a whale hotspot.

Mexican whale researchers sound the alarm on an energy megaproject A planned gas terminal would routinely send huge tankers through a marine mammal oasis, scientists fear

In Mexico, a planned gas terminal threatens an important whale sanctuary. The controversial megaproject would routinely send huge tankers through the Gulf of California. If the project moves forward, "we are going to regret it a lot," a whale researcher told me.

www.science.org/content/arti...

Excited to be working to share this new film on observation with the world, and especially the science community!
A great writeup in Science by @alexaroblesgil.bsky.social 👇
#scicomm #science 🧪

The smartest and most beautiful person I know will now be covering Science for The New York Times. Please go follow her to keep reading her amazing work.

Te amo, Alexa 🦭❤️

2025-26 Fellows | The New York Times Company

So happy to share I'll be joining the @nytimes.com as a reporting fellow on the science desk in June! I'm feeling really grateful and excited for this opportunity to continue covering science

www.nytco.com/careers/news...

‘I really wanted something to happen.’ The students behind the Stand Up for Science protests New group hopes to turn out researchers for 7 March demonstrations against Trump administration policies

A few weeks ago in Boston, I met the organizers behind the Stand Up for Science (@standupforscience.bsky.social) rally and spoke with them about their motivations in the buildup to the event. Read more in @science.org

www.science.org/content/arti...