Deborah Bloomfield

This week, the discovery of a bird-like creature with the skull of a dinosaur leaves scientists scratching their heads, a study into ancient cave art depicting some of the earliest “written” language comes under scrutiny, and we get a grisly peek behind the autopsy room doors with forensic pathologist Dr Judy Melinek. Advertisement Discovery Of […]

Many believe our particularly large brain is what makes us human – but is there more to it? The brain’s shape, as well as the shapes of its component parts (lobes) may also be important. Results of a study we published today in Nature Ecology & Evolution show that the way the different parts of […]

March and August seem to be the most popular months when it comes to filing for divorce. Researchers from the University of Washington have analyzed the divorce filings in Washington state between 2001 and 2015 and discovered a biannual spike, at the end of winter and at the end of the summer holidays. The researchers […]

An anatomical structure, which has never before been described, has been discovered in the brain. The layer of tissue, called the subarachnoid lymphatic-like membrane (SLYM), plays an important role in both the brain’s waste disposal and immune systems, acting as a protective barrier as well as harboring immune cells. The newly-discovered membrane was first characterized […]

The age of stupid dinosaurs is over, according to new research that claims that theropods like the “tyrant lizard” Tyrannosaurus rex actually had the same number of brain neurons as modern primates. By comparing the brains of these animals to modern birds, the study mathematically calculated how many neurons could feasibly be stuffed inside theropod […]

Ancient Mesoamerican cultures were using complex 260-day calendars based on knowledge of the solar system far earlier than previously realized. Understanding how these early cultures kept track of time has proved tricky due to the lack of written sources from the time, but researchers discovered the use of this advanced calendar system by looking at […]

What have the Romans ever done for us, eh? Well, what they didn’t do was tell us exactly how to make their exceptional concrete, which continues to amaze material scientists as it stands the test of time.  Structures more than 2,000 years old don’t show the same issues that modern ones do. The secret to […]

Dalmatians are famous for their spots, but did you know that when they come into the world as puppies, all dalmatians have pure white coats? Dalmatian spots actually don’t start to develop until 10 to 14 days after birth, but the number and size of the spots are still predetermined. As a dog breed selected […]

The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy. The spiral arms do not rotate around a spherical core of stars, but a more elongated structure known as the bar. The evolution of bars is a very active field, and new observations from JWST are certain to add to it. The infrared telescope discovered two barred […]

Stunning works of art on cave walls at places like Lascaux and Chauvet are among humanity’s treasures, offering insight both into the ecology of a lost world and the talents and psychology of our ancestors. Although most famous for realistic depictions of animals, European Upper Paleolithic art also includes abstract symbols, of which at least […]

Archaeologists have discovered crocodile heads buried in an ancient necropolis. While it’s well known that ancient Egyptians were partial to mummifying obscure animals and placing them in tombs, the researchers say this is the first known case of reptile remains within the tombs of people.  In a study, an international team of researchers details the […]

Positively and negatively charged versions of the same particle have been entangled for the first time, allowing us to map the hearts of atoms more precisely and opening the doors to more powerful communication tools. The neutrons and protons that make up the nuclei of atoms are, in turn, composed of quarks. However, quarks alone […]

An international team of researchers has produced the latest projections for glacier mass loss, and it is not good news. If emissions are not curbed, mountain glaciers worldwide will lose 41 percent of their mass, which would lead to the disappearance of many small glaciers, wiping two-thirds of all glaciers from the map.  The best-case […]

There’s a lot to unpack about jeans. It might not be a starting point that’ll win you friends at a party, but from the seemingly useless tiny pockets to those random metal studs, it’s just a smorgasbord of confusing features in an otherwise simple wardrobe staple. Science has even proven that women’s jeans pockets are […]

A medieval cold case has been solved by a team of archeologists in Italy. According to their scientific sleuthing and his shattered skull, this young man was most likely killed by four sword blows to the head in what sounds like a deeply unpleasant execution.  The person was first unearthed during archaeological excavations inside the […]

Lol used to mean something. In days gone by, this staple of internet slang meant much more than an internal snigger or a brief burst of air from the nostrils. That’s why one man has invented the LOL Verifier, a device that only lets you type lol if you have actually laughed out loud. The […]

A wet nose is a staple of a good dog, ever twitching, seeking scents in the air that are invisible to the paltry human schnozz. It’s often said that a wet nose is the sign of a healthy dog, and while this is true to some extent, there’s another explanation as to why dogs’ noses […]

Fire crews were called to a dairy plant in Wisconsin to battle a buttery blaze on Monday, January 2. According to the Portage Fire Department, a fire broke out in a butter storage room at Associated Milk Producers Inc, melting it and causing it to “flow throughout the structure”. “The butter was running down like […]