Rob Dunn

Bio

Other times, I study human diseases carried body to body by insects. Right now I am fascinated by the story of the domestication of hamsters which, it turns out, has interesting implications for our health and well being. Tomorrow I’ll be thinking about bed bugs. The world is full of rich and wonderful alleys, most of them unknown.

Area(s) of Expertise

I do two things. The first is that I write about science and scientists and the process of discovery. As scientists we have this unique view of the world and our peers. We get to see new science as it happens and we get to see our friends and colleagues excited about the fields they have dedicated their lives to. I find this ether of discovery invigorating and I deeply enjoy sharing it with a broader audience through writing. Second, I study the obscure lives of small species and their interactions and the ways that those small species and what they do influence the world at bigger scales, often in big ways. Sometimes those species are ants, like the ones that sneak into your kitchen or the others that help garden the understory flowers of forests.