Zack Fishman

Reporter, Life Sciences and Physical Sciences

Zack Fishman, based in Chicago, covers Life Sciences and Physical Sciences for The Academic Times. Previously, Zack received his M.S. in journalism at Northwestern University, specializing in health, environment and science reporting, and his B.S. in engineering physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Mass extinctions strike land-dwellers every 27M years, suggesting underlying cause

By Zack Fishman

Land animals experience a rapid decline in biodiversity approximately every 27.5 million years, a cycle similar to the one found in marine-life mass extinctions, according to a new paper in Paleontology, lending support to a controversial explanation that the events have astronomical origins.

New metabolic membrane discovered within cell organelle

By Zack Fishman

A Rice University graduate student has identified a new subcompartment within peroxisomes, cellular organelles involved in metabolism, and suggested they may play important roles in managing fatty acids and offer a window into a range of disorders.

Researchers develop possible fix to unwanted CRISPR changes

By Zack Fishman

A trio of Japanese researchers harnessed a DNA-repair mechanism in cells to make gene-editing more accurate and unintended changes less frequent, refining the use of CRISPR technology.

Light, noise pollution helps some birds adjust to climate change

By Zack Fishman

Some birds with strong night vision may have been able to adapt to climate change more effectively by nesting earlier in the season, and using highly lit areas for breeding activities, according to a new paper published in Nature.

Plants grow fewer roots near competitors, avoiding ‘tragedy of the commons’

By Zack Fishman

Plants aren’t as selfish as scientists once thought when it comes to growing their roots, avoiding a "tragedy of the commons" of soil nutrients by overproducing roots near their stem but growing fewer around their neighbors.

Ticks fend off human-skin microbes with toxin from ancient bacteria

By Zack Fishman

Bloodsucking ticks rely on an antibacterial enzyme stolen from ancient bacteria to survive on the human body, according to a new study, which emphasizes the findings’ potential to help slow the spread of Lyme disease.

Scientists discover protein structures that challenge natural selection expectations

By Zack Fishman

Raising new questions about the workings of natural selection, scientists have found protein structures whose complexity appears to serve no useful purpose, which runs counter to long-held beliefs that evolution always moves toward greater effectiveness.

Researchers uncover 'fundamental' cancer risk link to telomere length

By Zack Fishman

Humans gain some protection from cancer if nucleic acid segments at the ends of chromosomes are shorter, which helps to limit cell division, according to new research.

Smoking cigarettes linked to more severe COVID-19 infections

By Zack Fishman

Smoking cigarettes may increase the risk of COVID-19 infection, according to a study published Thursday in Cell Stem Cell, which found that airway stem cells exposed to cigarette smoke get infected by the new coronavirus in greater numbers than unexposed cells because of their weakened immunity.

Shape of cell-surface protein influences COVID-19 immunity, 3D modeling shows

By Zack Fishman

The structure of a protein on cell surfaces may explain why certain animals such as mice and chickens have not contracted COVID-19, presenting clues for how scientists might develop a treatment for the disease and predict the next potential epidemic.