Deborah Bloomfield

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 […]

Have you ever learned about something – be it a new product or a certain phrase – and suddenly started to notice it everywhere, all the time? If so, you may have encountered the Baader–Meinhof phenomenon, also known as the frequency illusion.  Though these sorts of terms are usually named after the person who coined […]

The sunken wreck of a schooner that sunk in Lake Michigan during its final voyage in 1881 has been discovered by a team of shipwreck hunters. Still loaded with its crew’s possessions, the shipwreck has been described as a “time capsule” from 19th-century America.  Maritime historians Brendon Baillod and Bob Jaeck located the wreck of […]

Scientists have created “complete” human embryos using stem cells in a lab and managed to grow them outside the womb for 14 days. Fear not, this is not an attempt to make a living Franken-baby in a test tube or anything of the kind. Instead, the researchers aim to provide a model that can help […]

A distinct new dialect has been emerging in certain pockets of Miami in recent times as a result of cultural intermingling between Spanish and English speakers.  The new parlance is a Spanish-influenced dialect of English being spoken in Southern Florida, a lingo-infusion born out of decades of immigration from Spanish-speaking countries, most notably Cuba since […]

A Florida man has been arrested after attempting to “run to London” across the Atlantic Ocean in a floatation device resembling a hamster wheel.  Reza Baluchi, 44, was intercepted by the US Coast Guard on August 26, 110 kilometers (70 miles) off the coast of Tybee Island, Georgia. According to officials, the man was asked […]

The biggest fish in the ocean may not like you swimming with them, according to new research that found ecotourism can have a significant and lasting impact on whale sharks. These gentle giants are a popular tourist attraction for animal lovers, but it may be that current practices surrounding swimming with whale sharks aren’t fit […]

Astronomers have observed for the first time an intermediate-mass black hole tearing chunks off a star as it repeatedly passes by it. These mouthfuls are roughly equivalent to the mass of three Earths every 25 days or so. The star in question is roughly the mass of our Sun, but the black hole is the […]

There is a common stereotype of teenagers sleeping into the afternoon but older adults getting up at the crack of dawn. It turns out that there seems to be a pinch of truth in this stereotype, and it is in fact part of the natural aging process. It is recommended by experts that people get seven or […]