Mary Jo DiLonardo | MNN - Mother Nature Network

Mary Jo DiLonardo

Mary Jo DiLonardo is a senior writer and editor at MNN. She has covered health, education, parenting, pets and more for media outlets such as WebMD and Atlanta magazine, and has contributed to CNN.com, Ladies Home Journal, Parents and Family Fun magazines. She wrote a family travel book for Random House and worked on several national radio shows.

woman in bed with the flu

woman in bed with the flu

What you need to know about the flu this year

April 22, 2019, 10:13 a.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo

The flu vaccine is your best weapon against the flu this year.

crowd of people on city street

crowd of people on city street

What is herd immunity?

April 22, 2019, 8:25 a.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo

Safety in numbers protects the community from contagious diseases.

Guimengding peak (Yimengshan UNESCO Global Geopark China)

Guimengding peak (Yimengshan UNESCO Global Geopark China)

8 new UNESCO geoparks that will take your breath away

April 20, 2019, 9:02 a.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo

Geoparks use an area's geological heritage to draw attention to key environmental issues.

Man with his dog walking in rain on a bridge in Prague, Czech Republic

Man with his dog walking in rain on a bridge in Prague, Czech Republic

Dogs are the secret weapon to staying active

April 19, 2019, 12:29 p.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo

Studies confirm what we already suspected: People who walk their dogs tend to get more exercise.

Notre Dame bees on a gargoyle

Notre Dame bees on a gargoyle

Notre Dame rooftop bees appear to have survived the fire

April 19, 2019, 11:59 a.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo

Drone footage shows the hives look intact and at least some bees are hanging out on a gargoyle.

Jenny the horse inspects a baby

Jenny the horse inspects a baby

A horse named Jenny takes a daily stroll through the streets of Frankfurt

April 19, 2019, 8:25 a.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo

She greets neighbors and always returns in time for lunch.

lost dog looking forlorn

lost dog looking forlorn

How do lost dogs find their way back home?

April 18, 2019, 11:20 a.m. by Jenn Savedge

Animals probably use several strategies to find their way around.

Sandy Saffold with shelter dog after run

Sandy Saffold with shelter dog after run

How one runner turned a nagging guilt into an ego boost for shelter dogs

April 18, 2019, 9:35 a.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo

'It does wonders for their psyche.'

little boy with rash

little boy with rash

10 things to know about measles

April 17, 2019, 11:29 a.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo

Measles viruses can stay alive for hours and spread to 90% of susceptible people.

Sirocco has become the ambassador parrot for kakapo conservation.

Sirocco has become the ambassador parrot for kakapo conservation.

13 cool facts about the oddball kakapo

April 17, 2019, 10:53 a.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo

This endangered parrot smells funny, can't fly and takes courtship seriously.

cat gives high-five to shelter worker

cat gives high-five to shelter worker

Saving shelter cats with a high-five

April 17, 2019, 10:12 a.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo

Cats in shelters gain confidence and become more adoptable when they learn tricks like this one.

Roses are laid in a makeshift memorial near Notre Dame a day after a fire devastated the famed cathedral in Paris.

Roses are laid in a makeshift memorial near Notre Dame a day after a fire devastated the famed cathedral in Paris.

Grieving for Notre Dame Cathedral in the age of social media

April 16, 2019, 2:45 p.m. by Mary Jo DiLonardo

'We as humans, somehow we live through it. To see it destroyed, it represents some of our own fragility.'