Deborah Bloomfield

Metals aren’t typically something we think of as chewable (unless you happen to be the Iron Giant), but there appears to be an exception – indium. Try to gnaw on some steel and you could land yourself a visit to the dentist, but indium? That can be chomped on like a slightly stale stick of […]

The gene that enables East Asian adults to drink milk without getting side effects like stomach cramps was probably inherited from Neanderthals, thousands of years before humans started consuming dairy, according to a new study. Therefore, researchers think that this genetic variant may have initially spread through hunter-gatherer populations because it enhanced immune system function, […]

It’s a question just about every new parent has wondered at some point: what’s the world like for my little one? How do they experience life? How much can they understand? In other words: how conscious is my baby? It’s a question that has long baffled researchers – but can a new way of thinking […]

In a new step forward on the quest for better painkillers, scientists have developed a synthetic cannabinoid that keeps the pain-relieving properties of cannabis without being addictive or psychoactive.  ADVERTISEMENT Chronic pain is a common problem. A 2023 study from the National Institutes of Health indicated that new cases of chronic pain conditions occur more […]

A mission intended to bring two astronauts left on the International Space Station much longer than originally planned back to Earth is currently in limbo after the launch was aborted. The delay may last as little as two days, but it comes uncomfortably close to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s claims that political interference prevented the […]

In 1821, the English Romantic poet John Keats died at the young age of 25 after succumbing to tuberculosis. Although his work inspired many influential poets throughout the 19th century, his short life was also one of intense suffering, especially in the run-up to his early death. But while many people are aware of the role […]

What kind of creatures were kicking about in the oceans 340 million years ago? We’ve now got a slightly clearer picture thanks to the discovery of a small but mighty ancient shark species found fossilized in the depths of the world’s longest cave system, Mammoth Cave. ADVERTISEMENT The new species has been named Clavusodens mcginnisi, […]

Astronomers have spotted a red dwarf star in a system that is almost certainly the source of a radio signal that, for a while, repeated once every 125 minutes. Moreover, there’s evidence of a white dwarf companion. The discovery is a close match for one made last year, and confirms the type of system that […]

A total of 866 new marine species have been discovered in just 16 months by the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census as they embark on the world’s most extensive mission to discover ocean life.  ADVERTISEMENT Among the new-found critters are the good, the badass, and the ugly. This includes new species of shark, sea butterfly, mud […]

They might seem like a harmless, nostalgic summer treat, but a little-known ingredient in some frozen slushies can pose a serious health risk for some kids. In a new study, experts review 21 cases of children who became unwell after consuming these products and ask whether the time is right to update public health guidance, […]

A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge believe they have uncovered the mechanism behind how aspirin, a common and inexpensive painkiller, might be able to stop cancer from spreading – and they made this discovery somewhat by accident. ADVERTISEMENT What they’d been looking at was how the immune system responds to metastasis. This […]

The oldest hominid facial bones ever discovered in Western Europe have revealed that the region was initially inhabited by a previously unknown human lineage. Dated to between 1.1 and 1.4 million years ago, the skeletal remains don’t match those of Homo antecessor, which until now was thought to have been the first to reach this […]

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is planning a large study into whether vaccines are linked to autism, despite this myth being robustly debunked by years of careful scientific research. ADVERTISEMENT Vaccines are an astonishing achievement of modern science, saving an estimated 154 million lives (including 101 million infants) over the last […]

Physicists have struggled for seven decades with the question of why there is more matter in the universe than antimatter. Analysis of decay of certain subatomic particles observed using the Large Hadron Collider has provided two small pieces of the puzzle, although we’re still some way from the full picture emerging. ADVERTISEMENT The universe has […]

Thousands upon thousands of years ago, humans skillfully crafted a giant subterranean structure beneath a hill in Malta, close to the Grand Harbour of Valletta. Though it later became a cemetery, its original function, size, and method of construction remain shrouded in mystery. ADVERTISEMENT Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum is a unique underground burial complex on the […]

If you grew up in the 1990s, there’s a good chance you played such hits as Super Mario World, Star Fox, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past on the beautiful Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or SNES. ADVERTISEMENT If you still have the console, you may want to pick it up and […]

A snorkeler had a dangerously close call after picking up a stunning seashell, unaware that it was potentially home to one of the ocean’s most venomous sea snails.  ADVERTISEMENT An anonymous Redditor recently shared a photo of a seashell in his hand on r/AnimalID, a subreddit dedicated to identifying animal species from pics and video, […]

If you’ve ever peeked at other people’s shopping in a busy supermarket queue, you’ll know that what we buy says a lot about us. Is the person in front getting all those chips and soft drinks hosting a party? Do we need to be worried about the person behind with flu tablets and wine?  ADVERTISEMENT […]

Saturn has taken an impressive lead in the “who has the most moons” race with Jupiter after the discovery of a further 128 natural satellites orbiting the gas giant. ADVERTISEMENT From 2019 to 2021, the Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) repeatedly monitored the space around Saturn for signs of moons and other objects. That first […]

As soon as the cat’s out of the bag that someone is trying for a baby, or is already pregnant, best believe they’re going to hear some tall tales about what they’re going through. “Have you tried doing missionary? That gets you pregnant every time!” or “Oh, [insert bonkers pregnancy myth of choice here] means […]