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Portrait of Emily Anthes

Emily Anthes

I cover the entire animal kingdom — from fruit flies to killer whales — which means writing about pets, livestock, lab animals and wildlife. I’m interested in the way animal bodies and brains work, the threats that other species face in our changing world, innovative approaches to wildlife conservation and advances in veterinary medicine.

I am especially drawn to stories about the ways in which human and animal lives intersect, which includes covering diseases that can spread between animals and humans, such as Covid-19 and bird flu.

I have been a full-time science journalist since 2006, covering a wide array of topics in biology and health. I joined the Times in 2021 to help cover the Covid-19 pandemic. Before that, I was an award-winning freelance science journalist, and I have written for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Wired, Nature, Slate, Businessweek and elsewhere.

I am the author of several books, including “Frankenstein’s Cat: Cuddling Up to Biotech’s Brave New Beasts,” which explores how biotechnology is shaping the future of animals, and “The Great Indoors: The Surprising Science of How Buildings Shape Our Behavior, Health, and Happiness.”

I have a master’s degree in science writing from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where I have also taught science writing, and a bachelor’s degree in the history of science and medicine from Yale University.

I am also a lifelong animal lover — I once dreamed of becoming a veterinarian — and share my home with a dog and two cats. I grew up in Arlington, Virginia.

As a Times journalist, I share the values and uphold the standards of integrity outlined in our Ethical Journalism Handbook. Stories about the animal kingdom can run the gamut; some are scary or sobering, while others are hopeful, awe-inspiring or even funny. But no matter the story or topic, I am dedicated to writing with both fairness and rigor. I am careful not to overhype new scientific advances and to distinguish between what scientists know and don’t know. I vet new studies with independent researchers. I do not accept free products, and I do not share my stories with my sources before they are published. I fact-check my stories before publication.

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    Bird Flu Virus Found in Beef Tissue

    Muscle from a sick dairy cow tested positive for the virus. The meat did not enter the commercial food supply, which officials said remained safe.

    By Emily Anthes and Dani Blum

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    Fate of Retired Research Chimps Still in Limbo

    The National Institutes of Health, which owns the chimps at the Alamogordo Primate Facility in New Mexico, has no plans to move the animals to sanctuary, despite a ruling from a federal judge.

    By Emily Anthes

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