Deborah Bloomfield

Many migratory species use the Earth’s magnetic field to keep their journeys on track. Now a study of a very non-migratory animal, the Drosophila fruit fly, shows the same capacity exists in some unexpected places. Perhaps humans are the rare ones because we don’t have this capability; if so, why? In the quest for survival, […]

It’s that time of year once again, where we (mostly) meet with friends and family to exchange gifts and awkwardly make small talk with that one uncle who still thinks NFTs are the future of art. But for some of us, those gatherings are hundreds, maybe even thousands of miles away – so what’s the […]

It’s a classic winter scene: you’re huddled up in bed, mainlining chicken noodle soup and feeling like warmed-over poop. Trouble is, you’ve no idea what’s wrong – so here’s a simple guide for distinguishing five of the most common viruses that trouble us in the colder months. POV: you’re rushing to the bathroom every few […]

New additions to the Terracotta Army have been unearthed in China, adding a drop more to the mystery of how ancient artisans created this mind-blowing mausoleum complex.  At least three Terracotta Warriors, three terracotta horses, and two chariots have been recovered from Pit No. 2 near the world-famous Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in […]

The Moon used to have a magnetic field, powered similarly to how the geodynamo powers the magnetism of Earth. Unlike our planet though, the Moon became solid and the magnetic field disappeared. But before it diminished completely, it appears to have had a resurgence, according to the latest analysis of the rocks carried back to […]

Whales are extraordinary creatures – not only are some the largest animals to have ever inhabited the planet, but others are also exceptionally long-lived. Now, new research has discovered that right whales have secretly been fellow members of the long lifespan club all along, revealing that they can live for over 130 years. To determine […]

Holiday festivities might be in full swing, but this time of year isn’t necessarily packed with cheer. For those with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the changing of the seasons can bring significant shifts in their mood, sleep, and energy levels. What is seasonal affective disorder? Rather than a standalone diagnosis, SAD is currently considered a […]

Our high school years were, many of us may have been told, the best days of our lives. But that’s no longer the case, according to a new working paper from Dartmouth University Professor David Blanchflower and colleagues – and the formerly inescapable “U curve” of well-being is now more of an uphill struggle towards […]

Back in 1967, the Soviet Union celebrated its 50th anniversary. As well as events on the ground, part of these celebrations involved a stunt to be carried out in space, which ultimately ended in the unnecessary death of cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, who became known as “the man who fell from space”. The plan was to […]

This week, after a 4-year controversy, a paper claiming the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine could treat COVID-19 has been retracted, a turtle with “bubble butt” syndrome gets a new 3D-printed custom harness, and could we make homes on Mars by harvesting human blood to make concrete? Finally, writer Ben Taub endures the dreaded hangover in the […]

A new spy drone with an unusually slender design has been cruising through Earth’s stratosphere in its latest test flights. With the potential to stay airborne for several months, perhaps a whole year, the novel aircraft is aiming to shake up the satellite game. It’s known as PHASA-35, an ultra-lightweight, solar-electric High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) […]

Pliny The Elder once wrote of elephants: “Of all other living creatures, they cannot abide a mouse or a rat.” Elephants being afraid of tiny rodents has become a popular theme in folklore and cinema – just look at Disney’s Dumbo – but is it true? Given that African elephants are the largest terrestrial animals […]

Why is it that the later months of the summer end up being the hottest, even though daylight hours are shortening? Similarly, the arse-end of winter always seems to feel much more bitter than it did in the so-called bleak middle part. The name of this oddity? Seasonal lag. Defining seasonal lag Seasonal lag is […]

A peculiar cluster of fossils was retrieved from the Green River Formation in Utah back in 1969 – the 47-million-year-old leaves of an “alien plant” that was thought to be an unusual member of the ginseng family. Now, scientists have revisited the specimens with a fresh fossil to boot, revealing that it isn’t ginseng and […]

The current job market has many people feeling the pressure, facing uncertainty and fierce competition at every turn. With the landscape unclear, gaining any advantage in this difficult job market is vital. Pittcon is here to help: as the greatest global conference and exposition on laboratory science, one of Pittcon’s promises is to be “Always […]

This week on Break It Down: Earth’s magnetic pole is in a new position, the second most cited paper to ever be withdrawn is finally retracted, Charlotte the bubble-butted turtle gets a special swimming harness, The Blob’s legacy marks the worst single-species mortality event in modern history, a Roman solution to Mars suggests blood makes […]

A newly developed sunscreen protects against ultraviolet light from the Sun while keeping skin nice and cool, even in summer, with the prototype formula capable of more dramatic skin cooling compared to other commercially available sunscreens. The approach, known as radiative cooling, has already been employed in creating cooling fabrics – as well as the […]

Although we think of our emotions as being controlled by our brains, that does not mean they’re limited to our heads alone. From feeling heavy-hearted when sad to butterflies in our stomachs when we’re excited or nervous, it seems emotions can be felt throughout our bodies. But has this been the case for past cultures […]

A team of researchers has built an exciting new device to dramatically amplify microwave signals. It seems like a science fiction MacGuffin: it uses a purple diamond in a quartz tube exposed to an intense magnetic field. The system creates a maser, the microwave equivalent of a laser. It is used to amplify weak microwave […]

Solar scientists think there is a very active sunspot on the far side of the Sun. Sunspots are a common feature, especially during Solar Maximum, but we are yet to see this particular one. It will come into view next week, but something must be stirring the solar activity. In the last 10 days, four […]