Deborah Bloomfield

When meteorites crash land in Antarctica, they stick out like a black blob against a pure white backdrop. This is the reason why over 60 percent of discovered meteorites have been found on the frozen continent. However, warming temperatures could soon spell the end of this golden era of meteorite-hunting in the South Pole. Antarctica […]

There is no shortage of celestial events to gawp at this year, with the April 8 eclipse and the “Devil’s Comet” being the highlights.  These are events that come around only a few times a lifetime, but there are plenty of yearly events to keep the calendar full. One such event is known as “lāhainā […]

New evidence has confirmed theories of how the lunar mantle formed, and given increased precision to the timing of this important event for our astronomical companion. In the process, some important insight has emerged into the question of why the near and far sides have such different chemistry, and only one has seas. Like the […]

In the latest addition to the ambitious Human Cell Atlas project, launched in 2016, scientists have created the first-ever spatial map of all the different cell types that make up a human ovary. It’s already giving us a detailed look at how these organs function, and could help pave the way for the development of […]

Bad news everybody, according to the Internet’s finest minds the world is going to end today. After humanity survived eclipse after eclipse going right back to the birth of our species, it, apparently, is not going to make it through being briefly in the shade. Conspiracy theories surrounding April 8th’s total solar eclipse have been […]

Have you heard of Mount Shasta, the breathtakingly beautiful mountain in Northern California? If not, we’re willing to bet you’ve heard of at least one of the many oddities associated with it. For anyone with a fascination for the weird, wonderful, and barely rational, this site is a cornucopia of fantasies. It has UFOs, cults, […]

Nearly seven months after declaring a re-emergence of the New World screwworm fly in Costa Rica, a state of emergency was declared in the country on February 7 as the flesh-eating insect population continues to rise. New World screwworm (NWS) flies (Cochliomyia hominivorax), which are a species of blowfly (family Calliphoridae), are native to much […]

Mount Etna is an iconic volcano found on the eastern coast of Sicily, an island off the coast of Italy. This is the most active stratovolcano in the world and as of Saturday, April 6, Mount Etna has been up to a few tricks. Footage captured from the island shows plumes of what looks like […]

Our likelihood of celebrating a century of birthdays has increased dramatically since the Industrial Revolution, yet the absolute number of centenarians still remains low, with less than 100 per million people globally. With that in mind, receiving a congratulatory letter from the King on one’s hundredth birthday seems more than warranted, although whether or not […]

The discovery of a 150-million-year-old pliosaur skull rocked the world in 2023, after it was retrieved from 12 meters (39 feet) up a cliff along the Jurassic Coast. It belonged to a pliosaur, an ancient marine reptile with a bite force that could’ve bested Tyrannosaurus rex in a fight, and it’s just been entered into […]

In March 2022, Antarctica was struck by an extraordinary heatwave that saw temperatures rise by up to 40°C (72°F) above the seasonal average. This event – the highest jump above average seasonal temperature ever recorded – may seem like a freak anomaly, but it’s likely to be a sign of what’s ahead for planet Earth. […]

Dopamine – it’s the thing that makes us feel good, right? Well, it turns out it’s a bit more complex than that. In fact, it’s quite the multitasker. What is dopamine? Dopamine is a neurotransmitter – aka a chemical messenger released by a neuron that affects the activity of another. In dopamine’s case, that’s actually […]

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In a major step towards truly sustainable fashion, researchers have genetically modified bacteria to produce a vegan, plastic-free leather alternative that can dye itself black. Demonstrating the potential of their new method, the study authors were able to grow a whole shoe (minus the sole) from their tailored microbes in just two weeks. Like many […]

The world’s oceans have an average depth of around 3,682 meters (12,080 feet), yet there is one point where the seafloor plunges to around three times this profundity. Known as the Challenger Deep, the deepest spot in the ocean lies within the famous Mariana Trench in the western Pacific, and has only ever been visited […]

If you’ve looked in your utility drawer lately, you may have noticed the various shapes, sizes and types of batteries that power your electronic devices. First, there are the round, non-rechargeable button cells for your watches and small items. There’s also the popular AA and AAA cylindrical batteries for calculators, clocks and remotes. Then you […]

With only 75 individuals remaining in the wild, Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) are among the most high-profile species currently facing the threat of extinction. Highlighting the urgency of the situation, a new study has revealed that this risk is accelerating, with the SRKW population declining at a rate of around one percent per year. […]

Niagara Falls is set to receive its largest ever influx of visitors on April 8, with the iconic landmark lying slap bang on the path of the total solar eclipse. And with enormous numbers of people expected to travel from far and wide to view the event at the famous waterfall, hotel prices have become […]

Why did humans take over the world while our closest relatives, the Neanderthals, became extinct? It’s possible we were just smarter, but there’s surprisingly little evidence that’s true. Neanderthals had big brains, language and sophisticated tools. They made art and jewellery. They were smart, suggesting a curious possibility. Maybe the crucial differences weren’t at the […]

Sometimes it really is your lucky day, and for Christopher Columbus that day came on February 29, 1504. As well as being a leap day, this peculiar date also saw a total lunar eclipse occur in the Caribbean night sky, allegedly allowing the famous navigator to trick his native hosts into treating him and his […]