Elizabeth Shockman

Elizabeth Shockman is a freelance journalist who lives in the Twin Cities. Previously she worked as a staff member and freelancer, reporting primarily from Moscow and around Russia.

A vaquita.

This is the controversial plan underway to save the endangered whale-like vaquita

The vaquita is a rare cetacean species that lives in the Gulf of California. And efforts by poachers to catch another endangered fish are also entangling the vaquitas.

This is the controversial plan underway to save the endangered whale-like vaquita
Voting booths. Credit: Shutterstock

There's work to be done to make US elections secure — and it has nothing to do with voter ID

There's work to be done to make US elections secure — and it has nothing to do with voter ID
Swimmer. Credit: Shutterstock

The physics behind the world’s fastest swim strokes

The physics behind the world’s fastest swim strokes
Danny McBride as Neal Gamby in “Vice Principals” (Fred Norris / HBO)

Danny McBride isn’t a jerk — he just plays one on TV

Danny McBride isn’t a jerk — he just plays one on TV
A Marbled emperor moth

The end of summer is coming. Have you been mothing yet?

The end of summer is coming. Have you been mothing yet?
Four clones derived from the same cell line as Dolly. Credit: The University of Nottingham

Where is modern cloning, 20 years after Dolly?

Dolly was a milestone for cloning — but she didn't survive long. Some of her clone sisters, however, have lived on.

Where is modern cloning, 20 years after Dolly?
A freshwater snail

Why snails are one of the world's deadliest creatures

Why certain species of snails are more dangerous than you might think.

Why snails are one of the world's deadliest creatures
A pair of rats, from Shutterstock

Why New Zealand is going all out to kill its rats, possums

How ethical is New Zealand’s plan to save the Kiwi bird? Also, will dogs die as well from the poisons being planned?

Why New Zealand is going all out to kill its rats, possums
The World

Watch this slow-motion video of attacking electric eels

The modern-day experiment that’s proving the far-fetched Amazon stories of a 19th century naturalist.

Watch this slow-motion video of attacking electric eels
Viggo Mortensen as Ben in “Captain Fantastic”

Viggo Mortensen goes off the grid for 'Captain Fantastic'

Viggo Mortensen talks acting, politics and his new film, Captain Fantastic.

Viggo Mortensen goes off the grid for 'Captain Fantastic'
A lab

Should the government mandate free access to taxpayer-funded research?

Taxpayers fund billions of dollars in research every year — research that can wind up hidden away from the public's eyes. Should that change?

Should the government mandate free access to taxpayer-funded research?
Margaret Hamilton, lead Apollo flight software designer, inside the Command Module. Credit: NASA

The women who made communication with outer space possible

The unsung female heroes who made the 1969 moon landing possible — we're guessing you've probably never heard about them

The women who made communication with outer space possible
People in Brazil who earn their living by collecting and sorting garbage and selling them for recycling Marcello Casal Jr./Agência Brasil

Here are all your burning questions about recycling, answered

Can you recycle your pizza boxes? Where do all those used plastics go? These and other recycling mysteries, explained.

Here are all your burning questions about recycling, answered
Protesters raise their fists during a rally

What does racism do to your health?

These scientists are trying to figure out what the health costs of racism are.

What does racism do to your health?
The Ghostbusters in the lab.

The real science in the new Ghostbusters

If ghosts were real, how would we scientifically describe them?

The real science in the new Ghostbusters