Deborah Bloomfield

A widely-used drug that currently treats liver disease could prevent COVID-19 infections, a recent study has found. It may also offer protection against emerging variants and other coronaviruses – something that could be vital in the fight against COVID-19, particularly for the most vulnerable individuals. Existing treatments and vaccines target SARS-CoV-2 – the virus responsible […]

NASA’s Perseverance has been doing some pretty awesome science on Jezero Crater – but the industrious rover is also looking at the future, collecting samples that will be taken to Earth in the next decade. It has started planning how to build the first extraterrestrial stash for the Mars Sample Return mission. This extraterrestrial depot […]

Describing your junk as a weapon is a pretty undesirable trait in humans, but for wasps, it could be a lifesaving adaptation. New research has found that the mason wasp got pretty creative when it cooked up its genital structures, evolving to possess spiky bits that double up as a defense mechanism against predators like […]

An encounter with a mysterious and extinct human relative – the Denisovans – has left a mark on the immune traits of modern Papuans, in particular those living on New Guinea Island. This is a new discovery we describe in a study published in PLoS Genetics today. It further suggests that our modern human diversity […]

With impeccable timing, the International Space Station (ISS) will be making its annual trek across the night sky on Christmas Eve – so if you are a parent, guardian, or know a small person who will be delighted to see “proof” of Santa on his busy mission, here’s how you win all the brownie points.  […]

There are many folk remedies for having over-indulged in alcohol, but alas they usually fail in testing. This is fine when you’ve just had one beer too many, less so when facing fatal alcohol poisoning. However, a study has shown you can achieve surprising results through controlled heavy breathing. An estimated 3 million people die […]

During the holidays, it’s typical for people to indulge in special foods. Being a pet owner myself, I know that many pet parents want to give their fur babies special treats as well. As a veterinarian and clinical veterinary researcher, however, I also know that some very common foods – including many popular holiday staples […]

Looking a bit like a cluster of frozen cowpats, peculiar “ice pancakes” appeared on the River Bladnock, Scotland, after a sudden drop in temperatures across the UK this month. Project manager for the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative (SISI) Callum Sinclair snapped the images of these strange disks on December 9, sharing them to Twitter along […]

In our lifetimes, it is almost certain we will see humans set foot on Mars. If the modern-day space race between private companies and nations continues, it is not out of the question that we will see a long-term human presence on either the Moon or Mars in that time frame too, an incredible yet […]

Researchers claim to have found a method to break up “forever chemicals”, or PFAS, into smaller and less harmful compounds in drinking water. The technique could be added to the water purification process to prevent the concerning build-up of these chemicals in our water supply, as more research highlights possible health problems associated with PFAS […]

A combination of two existing medications for concussion and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may help to alleviate brain fog in those suffering from long COVID. In a small-scale study, eight out of 12 patients experienced improvements in executive function, working memory, and concentration after being treated with the FDA-approved drugs. Long COVID is a […]

Do you have an Adam’s Apple? It’s a lump that sits in the middle of the throat of many adult humans, prone to bouncing around when we laugh and swallow. But what is an Adam’s Apple? And what does it actually do? Adam’s Apples are just one of many changes we see set in during […]

A model of the Earth’s ecosystems indicates many species capable of surviving in a hotter world themselves are dependent on others that are more vulnerable. Consequently, we can expect a great many more “co-extinctions” than previous estimates have anticipated, although it’s still very much within humanity’s power to minimize the damage. Endangered species lists indicate […]

Twitter has been in free fall since billionaire Elon Musk took over on October 27. Bad decision after bad decision has led to fleeing advertisers, the return of neo-Nazis, and recently the banning of journalists covering Elon Musk negatively.  Yesterday, a controversial new policy was brought in, stopping any links to any other social media […]

An ancient murder mystery appears to have been solved. Archaeologists suspect that an ancient body that was preserved in a bog in Denmark may have been placed there as part of a grisly sacrificial ritual.  While carrying out building work at a peat bog in Stenløse Mose in Egedal Municipality, workers recently stumbled across a […]

Dynamite fishing can devastate coral reefs turning them to rubble, so left with nothing on which to grow, how do you reestablish an ecosystem? Non-profit Coral Guardian has been using metal frames to do just that, and the astonishing results off Hatamin Island, Indonesia, show that it can be very effective. Prior to 2015, dynamite […]

The Fermi Paradox has long puzzled humanity and over the years countless solutions have been proposed, some of them darker than others. Now, yet another paper offers an answer to the question of why haven’t aliens got in touch yet, one that is pretty scathing for us humans: maybe we’re just not smart enough. Earth […]

Dieting to lose weight can be a real slog, and anyone who has ever given up on an eating regimen will probably have noticed that the pounds tend to pile up again pretty quickly. According to a new study on mice, the body’s tendency to gain back weight after dieting may be caused by an […]