Deborah Bloomfield

In Doctor Who, an alien species called the Silurians exists – technologically-advanced humanoid reptiles who lived long before humans, going into hiding and being basically undiscovered again until everyone’s favorite time-traveling alien came along in his phone box. So far, so not science. However, in 2018 two University of Cambridge scientists named their paper – The […]

A metal that fills in cracks in itself without human intervention could be the key to making self-healing machines and infrastructure that could save trillions in repairs and maintenance. Things get more alarming if you think about applying it to robots, but maybe we’re there already.  Metallic parts develop small cracks under repeated stress, known […]

Last week, with no major fanfare, a paper appeared on the pre-print server ArXiv claiming that the holy grail of superconductivity has been achieved. Korean scientists claimed that they had created a superconductor – materials that conduct electricity perfectly without losing energy – that can work outside lab conditions at room temperature and ambient pressure. […]

An unusual earthquake that damaged villages in France’s Rhône Valley appears to have been caused by heavy rain. Although no one was killed in this event and its impact was quite localized, the findings show that human effects on climate can have unexpected indirect consequences we haven’t taken into account. Most earthquakes, particularly larger ones, take place […]

Watching birds in the wild has been found to have positive effects on your mental health as well as allowing you to spend time appreciating the great outdoors. Whether you see a snowy owl in Central Park or a bird that’s been missing since 1882, there is always something to be enjoyed. Recently, birders in […]

Last week, you might have seen a bunch of news stories about a new study that found the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), “the conveyor belt of the ocean” that carries warm water from the tropics northwards to the North Atlantic, is potentially facing collapse within the century. Some fairly sensational reporting of the study […]

One of the blackest animals on Earth is a chicken. In Java, Indonesia, where the bird is native, it’s known as Ayam Cemani. Across the internet, the majestic hyper-melanistic bird is known as the goth chicken. Black bones, tissue, and organs are rare in the animal kingdom, and the Ayam Cemani chicken is one of […]

While the meat paradox explains how people are able to be both animal lovers and meat eaters, the cheese paradox outlines a complex process of cognitive dissonance that allows those who practice ethical vegetarianism to still consume animal products sourced through wholly unethical means. Inspired by the meat paradox, a new study by researchers in […]

Scientists of the world, we have a request: please investigate the claim that some people can detect the smell of ants while others can’t. It’s painfully urgent.  Everyone now and again, a viral post will go around in which some people claim they can smell ants. In one TikTok video sharing the apparent fact, the […]

This article first appeared in Issue 10 of our free digital magazine CURIOUS. Have you ever seen the color yellow-blue? No, we don’t mean green – we’re talking about a color that’s simultaneously blue and yellow at the same time. OK, it’s hard to picture, as is the idea of a color that’s exactly as red […]

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way employees work, with much more of the workforce working from home or adapting to a hybrid home/office schedule. However, the modern world is full of distractions, from watching videos on TikTok to queuing for Eras tour tickets, there always seems to be a reason to put off sending that […]

When it comes to the climate crisis, political discussion often rests on the assumption that a technological solution will save us from ourselves and the greenhouse emissions that we continue to pump into the atmosphere. These solutions are far from ready to be deployed, but progress and proposals are being made. Now, scientists have put […]

Leprosy has made a surprising (and wholly unwelcome) comeback in Florida, as per a new report published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Worse still, the new report suggests that the infectious disease could be endemic in the Sunshine State, meaning it’s there to stay.  The case report cites that 159 […]

Thirty-nine million years ago, a majestic sea potato for a whale was drifting along coastal habitats off Peru. Following the discovery of 13 vertebrae and a few ribs, researchers now estimate it may have been the heaviest animal ever to exist, topping even the gargantuan weight of living blue whales. Gigantism became a big hit […]

On the face of it, internet conspiracies may seem trivial or just something else to roll our eyes at, but underneath it all is a harsh current that is gradually eroding trust in science and established research practices. That’s the point made by Mark Aldenderfer, a professor of anthropology, archaeologist, and Deputy Editor of Science […]

A 300,000-year-old human jawbone has been discovered in China with a curious mish-mash of traits belonging to both modern and ancient hominids. Analyzing the unique mandible, researchers say the owner of the ancient chops may have been an unknown ancestor of both modern humans and Neanderthals. The nearly complete jawbone was unearthed in Hualongdong in […]

Drops of water found inside mineral deposits are the remnants of an ocean that disappeared 600 million years ago. Remarkably, the best place to find the minerals in question is kilometers above sea level. The scientists who found them say the droplets may explain a much-debated event crucial to life as we know it. The […]

Scientists have been looking to see whether a fluoride-free form of toothpaste can keep teeth healthy and happy. In a new clinical trial of almost 200 people, the newly-developed toothpaste proved to be just as effective as traditional toothpaste.  Fluoride is perfectly safe in suitable doses and an excellent tool for oral hygiene. However, it […]

The age of the Solar System is an important question to answer in science. It connects the celestial question of how stars and planets come to be and the more Earthly one of how life arose on our planet. New measurements of meteorites suggest that the Solar System might be slightly older than previously thought. […]