Leah Shaffer is a freelance science writer based in St. Louis, Missouri. Her stories have appeared in publications such as Wired, The Atlantic, Discover, NOVA Next and UnDark. She writes about biology, medicine and the weird critters inside and outside the human body.
Leah Shaffer
Freelance writer
From this contributor
Supplements, worms and stool: How families are trying to game the gut to treat autism traits
Scientists are playing catch-up as microbiome-based treatments for autism proliferate.
Supplements, worms and stool: How families are trying to game the gut to treat autism traits
By
Leah Shaffer
26 June 2019 | 16 min read
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Wouldn’t you like to know? A mouse would
Mice seek information for curiosity’s sake—and their desire for knowledge versus a payout is represented distinctly in the brain, new findings suggest.
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Five new neuroscience books, and other notable titles from 2026
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