Deborah Bloomfield

On the Faroe Islands, there is a space program different from all others. Its aim is not to leave Earth and head into space, but to venture out into the depths of the Atlantic to harness a renewable energy source that originates from space, right here on Earth. Staggeringly, over 80 percent of global energy […]

One of the most sensational Biblical-era structures ever discovered in the Judean Desert has just been announced by a team of Israeli archaeologists. Aided by citizen scientist volunteers, the researchers have located an enormous pyramid that dates back to the Ptolemaic era, when Israel was ruled by a dynasty of pharaohs. ADVERTISEMENT “What we have […]

Don’t underestimate the centipede – and never, ever call them an insect. Often shunned for being the creepiest of all crawlies, these many-legged masterpieces have a strange and unique evolutionary history that’s full of surprises.  ADVERTISEMENT Taxonomically speaking, centipedes are not insects. Insects – like beetles, bees, ants, and many, many others – belong to […]

Mighty mountain ranges can be found on every continent, yet the longest continuous chain of peaks is not located on any of these seven landmasses. Instead, the world’s most extensive range lies at the bottom of the sea, according to the NOAA. ADVERTISEMENT Known as the mid-ocean ridge system, it consists of a continuous range […]

A new study using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile has taken a look at the Lupus molecular cloud complex, one of the closest and largest low-mass star-forming regions in the Southern Hemisphere. There they found 73 protoplanetary disks to examine in closer detail, finding that these planet-forming rings of dust and gas […]

According to the results of a massive new synthesis study of over 2,000 publications, which leaves no room for ambiguity or doubt: humans are driving substantive and devastating biodiversity loss across the planet. ADVERTISEMENT Even though scientists have been collecting evidence of human impacts on biodiversity for decades, the overall trajectory of biodiversity in a […]

The great thing about having telescopes that can look further and further into the past is being surprised by what we see there.  ADVERTISEMENT With the infrared JWST, we were hoping to learn more about the formation of galaxies, as well as clear up mysteries about how supermassive black holes became so large. But we […]

If you think of wood as a material, you might describe it with many different adjectives. Sturdy, warm, flexible, maybe pretty, depending on the quality. Transparent is not usually one of them, but researchers have now developed a method to make semi-transparent wood a reality, and it could have interesting applications in the future. ADVERTISEMENT […]

A new study that involved in-depth interviews with 14 people living with long COVID has found they frequently feel dismissed and disbelieved by healthcare professionals. The study authors say that this can lead some patients to reject psychological support as part of their treatment – which can be helpful – as they fear the offer […]

We know that life was strange back in the mid-Cretaceous. There were dinosaurs, fine. They were even in Antarctica, which was covered in temperate rainforest, lovely. My brain is struggling to grapple with the latest addition to this otherworldly image, however, as scientists have revealed to the world amber fossils of a wasp that was […]

Many animals must sneak up on their prey to ensure that they can manage to catch a good meal. Whether it’s a big cat slinking through the grass or a stealthy slider, predators often go to extreme lengths to blend in and ambush their prey. Recently, researchers have looked at cuttlefish predatory movements and found […]

Modeling the quantum world is far from easy. The physical peculiarities of quantum mechanics are far removed from the world we inhabit, and there are systems whose complexity is even beyond mathematical descriptions. The quantum properties of solid states are a notoriously thorny problem. Now, researchers have found a way to simulate them using sound […]

Alarming reports from doctors in the US show how some children’s health is being harmed by alternative therapies touted by prominent figures as cures for measles. ADVERTISEMENT The first three months of 2025 have seen three measles outbreaks in the US and a total of 378 confirmed cases at time of writing, according to the […]

The deepest point in the Mediterranean Sea is littered with literal trash, starkly highlighting how human activity is impacting every last nook and cranny of the natural world (and not in a positive way). ADVERTISEMENT In a new study, scientists boarded a sub-like contraption, called Limiting Factor, to survey the amount of marine litter at […]

Astronauts, cosmonauts, and taikonauts have travelled into space since the 1960s, and humans have been in space continuously for the last 25 years – and will be for many more to come. Yet, all those humans tend to travel around the mid-latitudes of the planet, never straying too far north or south. Astronauts have not […]

Researchers isolated in Antarctica for months have reportedly pleaded for help, after allegations of physical assault, sexual harassment, and death threats. ADVERTISEMENT Nine researchers are currently in the South African-run SANAE IV research base, over 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) south of the country in Vesleskarvet, Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. The team are expected to stay […]

In the search for a vaccine that protects against a wide range of coronaviruses, the secret could be going sugar-free, one team has concluded. Progress has been reported at the American Chemical Society conference, while the team involved has also published two papers on how a related approach can improve the effectiveness of cancer vaccines. […]

It’s been quite a comeback for psilocybin. Banished for decades to the criminal narcotic realm, it seemed as though hell would have to freeze over before the psychedelic compound stood any chance of being accepted by mainstream society or medicine. Yet a flurry of recent scientific studies has seen the mind-bending drug brought in from […]

Fueled by environmental concerns, the anti-plastic movement, and the viral influence of hydration-obsessed self-care gurus, reusable water bottles have become the must-have accessory of our time. One poll found that up to 60 percent of American adults now use one. As eco-friendly as they might be, multi-use bottles might be harboring a dirty secret. ADVERTISEMENT […]

Ever wondered what noise a shark makes? If you have no idea, you’re not alone. For a long time we thought these animals were pretty much silent and didn’t make active sounds, but now new research has captured the first ever recordings of sharks making noises. And what do you know? They click. ADVERTISEMENT The […]