Deborah Bloomfield

Cannabis, methamphetamine, cocaine, and opiate use are associated with a significant increase in atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat), according to a new observational study by the American Heart Association. The research suggests the substances could increase the risk of long-term heart conditions.  “To my knowledge, this is the first study to look at marijuana use […]

The face of a man suspected of being a vampire in the 19th century has been digitally reconstructed. Furthermore, the work may have pinned down the identity of this mysterious man using DNA submitted to genealogy websites.  Parabon NanoLabs and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory worked together to produce the reconstruction, which was revealed […]

An unusual looking species of bee has been discovered in bushland in Perth, Western Australia, with a wide dog-like snout. Given its canine protrusion, the species has been named Leioproctus zephyr, after study author Dr Kit Prendergast of Curtin University’s own pet dog Zephyr. The new discovery belongs to the highly diverse genus Leioproctus, which […]

Whales swimming off the coast of California gulp down up to 10 million pieces of microplastic every single day, according to a new study. Clearly, plastic is not part of a well-balanced diet for a whale and the researchers arre concerned that this literal junk food is taking its toll on their health.  The study […]

Alarming new research from the University of Queensland has found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19, activates the same inflammatory processes in the brain as those observed in dementia-related diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The findings might serve as a potential risk indicator for neurodegenerative disorders in people who have had COVID-19 but could […]

Having a baby is a big undertaking, and as such, it comes with a whole set of responsibilities and sacrifices. That in itself may not be surprising news – but what you might not have realized is that many of them actually begin well before your tiny half-clone ever sees the light of day. From […]

In the decades that humanity has actively looked for life beyond our planet, many have wondered how the initial contact between us and another intelligent civilization might take place. A new feature-length BBC drama-documentary, First Contact: An Alien Encounter, goes right to the heart of the matter, mixing interviews with world-leading experts and clever fictional […]

New research suggests that vaping may cause specific, harmful cardiovascular effects, with the authors pointing out that it is not the harmless alternative to smoking that marketing may have you believe. In addition, due to the unique airway irritation and cardiovascular damage that both smoking and vaping cause, the findings suggest that switching between the […]

A worrying rise in social media posts, suggesting that people leave their Halloween pumpkins in the woods to feed wildlife after October 31, has seen wildlife experts concerned. Thousands of discarded pumpkins are left in woods across Britain, according to The Telegraph. While well-meaning pumpkin carvers might think they are doing the local fauna a […]

A child who had the honor of being made into a trophy head by the ancient Nazca culture of southern Peru was drugged up on a mescaline-containing cactus prior to being sacrificed, a new analysis has revealed. The same study also found evidence of ayahuasca use among other mummified individuals from the Early Nazca Period […]

For centuries empires were the dominant form of political organisation. In the west there is some degree of familiarity with the British, French and German empires, and the empires of Spain and Portugal. Not to mention the Romans or the Greeks. But one empire that sometimes gets forgotten, outside Turkey, is the Ottoman. On the […]

In 2016, astronomers saw a supernova going off in a nearby galaxy. Over the following years, they saw the light of this event interacting with the interstellar dust, creating light echoes of the powerful explosion. This is a very rare phenomenon, and the fact that Hubble was able to capture it is fantastic.  The first […]

The two Martian moons Phobos and Deimos are puny compared to our own, but what were once considered ordinary asteroids captured by the planet’s gravity have turned out to be much more interesting. Now, a view inside the larger of the pair could help us understand whether its mysterious origins lie in the asteroid belt, […]

A common household chemical that’s found in many products by your bathroom sink may be a major driving force of superbugs that are not killed by antibiotics, according to a new study. The research by the University of Toronto looked at triclosan – an antibacterial and antifungal agent often included in household items like shampoos, […]

A man in Arizona has offered trick-or-treaters a glimpse of Jupiter and Saturn instead of candy. Andrew McCarthy, an amateur astronomer and astrophotographer told his Twitter followers with telescopes to “spread the love”. “I just spent the whole night showing trick-or-treaters Saturn and Jupiter,” he wrote. “Watching them (and their parents) suddenly realize space is […]

Permanent bases on worlds beyond the Earth are going to need abundant electricity. Now that a renewed space race includes plans for Lunar bases in the near future, it’s time to think about how we can provide that at a price that won’t scuttle the project. Surprisingly, it seems battery storage for long lunar nights […]

Fewer than ten years have passed since the science fiction movie ‘Her’ depicted the seemingly far-fetched concept of human-chatbot relationships, yet new research suggests that virtual love may now be in the air. Introducing the concept of “romantic anthropomorphism”, the study authors reveal how players of romantic video games (RVGs) attribute human qualities to “digital […]

The list of benefits of good home security is vast. From protecting your home to deterring burglars to peace of mind, home security is a must for everyone. The best part is you don’t need expensive equipment or an expensive monthly third-party company contract. In fact, you can have the convenience of home security for […]

The demise of the Neanderthals has been a mystery for quite some time, with explanations from competition for resources with Homo sapiens, to Homo sapiens finishing them off with violence. However, a new paper suggests that the extinction was a lot more bow chicka wow wow than we thought, placing the blame for their demise […]