Deborah Bloomfield

Supermassive black holes are found at the center of almost every galaxy, and when they get enough material around them they enter a feeding frenzy phase we call an active galactic nucleus, or AGN. There was an expectation that when the universe was more active in the past, with enhanced star formation and galaxy mergers, […]

Romantic relationships are known to have many benefits, but they can sometimes also threaten a person’s sense of independence, individuality, and autonomy. Now, researchers have developed a quick questionnaire to measure levels of individuality in your relationship, which can help develop healthier dynamics. What is individuality in a relationship?  Most adults will experience at least […]

September 8 is Star Trek Day, the 57th anniversary of the first broadcast of the groundbreaking original television series. IFLScience recently attended Destination Trek in the UK to speak with Chris Lee, the first Chief Scientist at the UK Space Agency. The challenge we put to him is how he envisions the near future of […]

This week India’s Chandrayaan-3 lander seems to be detecting movement from beneath the Moon’s surface, a few simple hacks could improve the Wi-Fi connection in your home, and an “Earth-sized planet” may be hiding in the solar system. Finally, we investigate why Neil Armstrong’s Moon poop is so important. Subscribe to the IFLScience newsletter for […]

Crows have a peculiar response to death. Folklore states they hold court to decide an individual bird’s capital fate, likely spurred on by observations of groups of crows – that come with the goth collective noun of “a murder of crows” – standing around a dead bird. This does happen but not in the way […]

Sometimes, in order to predict what might happen in the future, you need to be familiar with what came before. Predicting how our planet responds to the climate changes brought forward by humans is a difficult job – but so very important. One approach that researchers are taking is studying the climate of ages past, […]

Plumes of devastation known as “pyroclastic density currents” ripped across the seabed following the Tonga Eruption in 2022, a volcanic blast that’s claimed near-countless world records. Carrying debris like rock, mud, and ash, they traveled at speeds of up to 122 kilometers (75 miles) per hour and carried on for over 100 kilometers (62 miles). […]

In a world first, researchers have successfully grown humanized, early-stage kidneys in pig embryos, adding to the potential for using animals to grow human organs for transplantation. Kidneys are the most commonly transplanted organs in humans, with more than 25,000 kidney transplants performed in the US in 2022, coming from both living and deceased donors. […]

The risk of bird flu has been in the press a lot in the last few decades, and it is a virus that scientists are constantly watching. Now, researchers have identified a subtype of the avian flu virus that is currently undergoing changes that could increase the risk of transmission to humans. Bird flu has many strains, […]

Floating islands sound like the stuff of Avatar – but for residents of Chippewa Flowage, Wisconsin, they can be a real pain in the butt. Here, a particularly large giant floating island causes problems almost every year as it drifts about, getting in the way, and it takes the work of over 20 boats to […]

It’s commonly said that some languages – let’s say French or Italian – are easier on the ears than others – mentioning no names (German, obviously). But can a language be intrinsically beautiful, while another might just be innately unpleasant? In a new study, researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences and Lund University in […]

Japan’s “Moon Sniper” mission has blasted off on its mission to land on the lunar surface with pinpoint precision. While most Moon landings are designed to touch down within a range of several kilometers, this mission aims to land within just 100 meters (328 feet) of its target. A rocket holding the Smart Lander for […]

We are in dangerous waters. Global temperatures have risen, and this year the world’s oceans have become drastically hotter. However, these marine heatwaves produced by the ongoing climate crisis have coincided with the arrival of a strong El Niño, a team of experts has warned, which may make things even worse. So what can be […]

Socks and sandals are as divisive in the modern era as pineapple on pizza, but according to a handmade pair made 1,600 years ago, we’ve been rocking the look for eons. Now on display in London’s Victoria & Albert Museum labeled as Coptic socks, they originate from Egypt and are thought to date back to […]

Climbers scaling Yosemite came across a new crack near the Royal Arches cliff last week. According to park officials, a subsequent investigation concluded that cracking was actively occurring and so they have taken steps to close sections of the park as a safety precaution. The new crack has partially detached a large pillar of rock […]

In a recent interview, Jordan Peterson attempted to sound impressive by explaining to his host what a Rat King was, but ended up reciting a scene from James Bond as if it were true. Of course, the constantly controversial Peterson has since been criticized for this blunder, but it does highlight the fascinating and potentially […]

History is filled with reports of people surviving “unsurvivable” falls from great heights, whether it be from rock climbing accidents, adventurous stunts, or basic misfortune. So how did they do it? We consider the factors that may increase your chances of survival. Height from the ground The first thing to think about is how far […]

For the past century, we’ve inadvertently broadcast our presence to an estimated 75 nearby star systems. About a quarter of those stars have confirmed exoplanets orbiting in the habitable zone. A few may be harboring intelligent life capable of receiving our long-ago leaked transmissions. But what kind of emissions are seeping into space now? Could […]

Attempts to sell off parts of the Alaskan Arctic to further fossil fuel extraction have been thwarted. The Biden administration has officially canceled oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge – and some Republican politicians aren’t happy about it.  The US Secretary of the Interior announced this week that the remaining seven […]

Have you ever sprayed perfume on yourself, and then later a family member comments on how strong it is, but you can’t even smell a whiff? What is this nose blindness, and why can’t we smell ourselves as well as other people can? The world is a smelly place, and we often are overcome with […]