
Scott Dutfield
Scott is a staff writer for How It Works magazine and has previously written for other science and knowledge outlets, including BBC Wildlife magazine, World of Animals magazine, Space.com and All About History magazine. Scott has a masters in science and environmental journalism and a bachelor's degree in conservation biology degree from the University of Lincoln in the U.K. During his academic and professional career, Scott has participated in several animal conservation projects, including English bird surveys, wolf monitoring in Germany and leopard tracking in South Africa.
Latest articles by Scott Dutfield

Autumn: The cooling-off season
By Nola Taylor Redd published
Reference Discover more about the season where the leaves turn red and the temperature drops.

Biofuel: Definition, types, pros and cons
By Mike Jennings published
Reference What are biofuels and how are they made?

Spring: The season of new beginnings
By Nola Taylor Redd published
Reference Springtime brings warmer temperatures and a rebirth as nature reawakens.

Cryptocurrency: Blockchains, mining and environmental impact
By Greg Uyeno published
Reference Cryptocurrencies aren't just alternatives to government-issued forms of money. Most of them are designed to be very different.

Brown snakes: Facts, characteristics, habitat and diet
By Jessie Szalay published
Reference North American brown snakes are nonvenomous, unlike the Australian variety, which is among the most venomous in the world.

What are Tonsil Stones? Causes, symptoms and treatments
By Alina Bradford published
Reference Tonsil stones are accumulations of bacteria and debris in the crypts of some people's tonsils. This problem is not dangerous and is usually easily treatable.

What is an amoeba?
By Aparna Vidyasagar, Scott Dutfield published
Reference The term “amoeba” refers to simple eukaryotic organisms that move in a characteristic crawling fashion.

Onions: Health benefits, health risks & nutrition facts
By Jessie Szalay published
Reference Onions have layers of health benefits and are packed with nutrients. Some of the nutrients in onions may help promote heart health, reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of cancer.

Are solar panels worth it? How to save money and energy
By Scott Dutfield published
Reference The pros and cons of installing domestic solar panels

Paramecium: Characteristics, biology and reproduction
By Aparna Vidyasagar published
Reference Paramecia are single-celled protists that are naturally found in aquatic habitats.

7 theories on the origin of life
By Charles Q. Choi, Scott Dutfield published
Reference From lightning to space rocks, here are ideas for how the first life on Earth came to be.

Fight or flight: The sympathetic nervous system
By Nicoletta Lanese, Scott Dutfield published
Reference The sympathetic nervous system activates the "fight-or-flight" response, quickly readying the body to handle dangerous or stressful situations.

What is biology?
By Alane Lim, Scott Dutfield published
Reference Broadly speaking, biology is the study of life.

6 simple machines: Making work easier
By Jim Lucas, Scott Dutfield published
Reference Humans have invented six devices that combine to make work easier. These six simple machines are the wheel and axle, the lever, the inclined plane, the pulley, the screw and the wedge.

The meaning of colors: How 8 colors became symbolic
By Natalie Wolchover, Scott Dutfield published
Reference How can red mean love AND war? Why is purple royal? Life's Little Mysteries answers these questions and more.

What is the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
By Traci Pedersen, Scott Dutfield published
Reference Learn about the many differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and how they evolved.

Landsat satellites: 12 amazing images of Earth from space
By Harry Baker, Scott Dutfield published
Reference A collection of 12 of the best satellite photos to come out of the Landsat program.

Are exercise bikes good for weight loss?
By Maddy Biddulph published
Reference They're a popular feature of many gyms, and can help with overall fitness, but are exercise bikes good for losing weight?

The real Brexit: How Britain became an island
By Scott Dutfield published
Reference Thousands of years ago Britain was connected to mainland Europe, but during an ice age Brexit a tsunami tore them apart.

Poison dart frogs: Facts about the beautiful but deadly amphibians
By Scott Dutfield published
Reference They might look cute, but the toxins from a poison dart frog can be strong enough to kill several humans.

How are alligators and crocodiles different?
By Scott Dutfield published
Discover what separates alligators and crocodiles and how you can tell them apart.

The world has a serious deforestation problem: These 7 images prove it.
By Scott Dutfield published
From Borneo to Bolivia, here are just a handful of places around the world were deforestation has become a real problem

7 scientists who helped change the world
By Scott Dutfield, How It Works magazine published
They're not as famous as Darwin or Curie, but these heroes made our lives better through groundbreaking achievements.

Egg-laying mammals and peacock spiders: Meet some of Australia's weirdest creatures
By Scott Dutfield, How It Works magazine published
Some of the world's strangest species can be found down under, from dolphin-tailed sea cows to mysterious marsupial moles.

The 5 mass extinction events that shaped the history of Earth — and the 6th that's happening now
By Scott Dutfield, How It Works magazine published
The death of the dinosaurs was just one of five global events that saw millions of species wiped out. How do these events happen? And how can we stop it happening again?
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