Deborah Bloomfield

Around 2,000 years ago, three entirely different bodies of water were formed from one ancient Ethiopian lake splitting apart. Through a process of tectonic activity and changing rainfall patterns, the large Lake Galla disappeared, and in its place stood Lake Shala, Lake Abijata, and Lake Langando — three siblings that don’t even look related. So, […]

When shopping for art, you rarely find themes and subjects focused on things that appeal to scientists, science enthusiasts and even science-fiction enthusiasts. Sure, Picasso prints are particular and memorable to the eye, but what about some nice, grown-up-looking framed prints that feature astronauts, galaxies and iconic movie characters? What about bed sheets, shower curtains […]

Numerous investigations have failed to identify the Neanderthal diet. However, new research seems to have found the answer using a novel approach to sampling ancient remains. For the first time ever, zinc isotopes from Neanderthal tooth enamel were used for research, revealing that they were most likely carnivores, not vegetarians. Working with specimens over 50,000 […]

NATO has begun its annual exercise to test nuclear deterrence capabilities in Europe with the aid of 14 of the 30 member countries, Sky News has reported. The routine exercise, this year named “Steadfast Noon”, will run until October 30 and see 60 aircraft including fighter jets and surveillance and tanker aircraft. “This exercise helps […]

It’s been 10 years since Felix Baumgartner did the (almost) impossible and jumped from the edge of space all the way down to Earth. Carried up by balloon to almost 39 kilometers (127,852.4 feet) high, Baumgartner then took the leap in a specially-designed pressure suit and entered freefall before deploying a parachute to land safely […]

Among human livers exist a small but growing number of “super livers”, which have been transplanted and gone on to remain functional for a cumulative age of more than 100 years. The remarkable discovery has shown how some transplanted organs can not only outlive their original host but also go on to have a functional […]

Bird flu has been big in the press of late as the continued spread across the globe kills and infects thousands of animals including TikTok star Emmanuel and even dolphins and porpoises. A rare human case was confirmed in the UK in early 2022, and now an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been declared […]

Professor Ozlem Tureci and Professor Ugur Sahin, the married couple who co-founded BioNTech and led the way in developing its COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, have sat down with BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg and stated they believe a cancer vaccine using the same technology could be available in just eight years.   “Yes, we feel that a cure […]

Alaska’s snow crabs grow to a considerable size, making them a prized treat at the dinner table and an important source of income for those who catch them. This year, however, diners and fishing crew alike will have to look elsewhere – for the first time, the Alaskan Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has […]

With a face to rival Spiderman’s Venom, it’s no surprise this unusual deep-sea beastie is doing the rounds on Twitter again after its viral moment in 2018. However far from being fake or an internet prank this toothy creature is a real species with a surprising hidden talent, but don’t worry this one hasn’t learned […]

The iconic Arecibo observatory may no longer be a working telescope following news this week that it won’t be rebuilt after its 2020 collapse – but that doesn’t mean it’s finished contributing to our knowledge of the cosmos. In fact, new research reveals that it discovered something new and unusual about the well-known “potentially hazardous” […]

Viral TikTok star Emmanuel – an emu who gained a vast online following thanks to videos shared by his owner at Knuckle Bump Farms in Florida – has reportedly fallen sick with avian influenza. Farm owner Taylor Blake wrote on Twitter that wild geese brought avian influenza to the farm, with many birds having since […]

A video game, created in collaboration with former Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, has been shown to improve the short-term memory of older adults. Developed by the University of California San Francisco’s Neuroscape Center, the game challenges players to drum out a rhythm on a tablet and engages key brain regions associated with musical performance. […]

An emerging Omicron subvariant has raised concerns about a surge of COVID-19 cases this winter, after it was found to display a worrying proclivity for evading vaccine immunity. BA.2.75.2, as it is called, can largely dodge neutralizing antibodies in the blood and is resistant to several monoclonal antibody treatments, new research from Sweden has discovered. […]

From nearly the first minute it was detected, astronomers knew the explosion named GRB221009A was something special. We’re now learning just how extraordinary it was – including detecting how it temporarily changed our planet’s upper atmosphere, affecting the passage of radio waves. Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) involve possibly the greatest release of energy of any […]

If you’ve not been up at night wondering “how do eels reproduce?” you’ve not been paying attention. Arguably one of the most gripping mysteries of science (among us eel enthusiasts, anyway), the elusive nature of eel reproduction slipped through the net of scientific understanding for centuries – literally, people have been trying to crack the […]

Sitting at 3,350 meters (11,000 feet) above sea level is a glacier resembling “the skin of an elephant” – and it’s teeming with the preserved remains of an extinct species. A survey conducted in 1914 conducted by US Geological Survey mining geologist Dr J. P. Kimball led to the finding that gave Grasshopper Glacier its […]

You might suppose Hollywood is good at predicting the future. Indeed, Robert Wallace, head of the CIA’s Office of Technical Service and the US equivalent of MI6’s fictional Q, has recounted how Russian spies would watch the latest Bond movie to see what technologies might be coming their way. Hollywood’s continuing obsession with killer robots […]

It’s long been popular advice for people looking to lose weight to avoid late night snacking. It’s no wonder, with a host of research showing that late night eating is linked to greater body weight and increased risk of obesity. But until now, few studies have actually investigated precisely why late night eating is linked […]