Dr. Christina Lilliehook, Senior Editor at Cell Stem Cell, shares her journey in scientific editing and reveals the behind-the-scenes process of handling manuscripts. She discusses intriguing topics like a unique brain surgery that cured a man’s fear of spiders and sheds light on the complex development of penises in evolutionary biology. Dr. Lilliehook also dives into the challenges of peer review, the need for broad reading, and the importance of maintaining research integrity in the ever-evolving landscape of scientific publishing.