Jess Thomson
Science Reporter
Jess Thomson is a Newsweek Science Reporter based in London UK. Her focus is reporting on science, technology and healthcare. She has covered weird animal behavior, space news and the impacts of climate change extensively. Jess joined Newsweek in May 2022 and previously worked at Springer Nature. She is a graduate of the University of Oxford. Languages: English.
You can get in touch with Jess by emailing [email protected].
Thousands of schools shut amid eye virus outbreak
Nearly 60,000 schools across the Punjab region of Pakistan will be closed over the next few days to prevent the spread of viral conjunctivitis.
Remains of 14th century shoes discovered at construction site
"Ceramic fragments found in the area suggest, that the shoe dates from the 14th century AD," archaeologist Christoph Heiermann told Newsweek.
Orcas are killing porpoises but not eating them
Researchers say that the orcas might be playing with the dead porpoises, practicing their hunting skills, or even maybe attempting to mother them.
Why are carrots orange? Scientists reveal the answer
"We identified three genes responsible for the accumulation of alpha and beta carotene, which make carrots orange," study author Massimo Iorizzo told Newsweek.
Whale calf euthanized after stranding on Florida beach
The 12-foot sperm whale was discovered stranded on the sand of a beach near Marineland on Wednesday, but could not be saved.
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Farmer unknowingly captures animal extinct in region for over a century
"The species was considered extinct in South Australia, with no official records for some 100 years or more," district ranger Ross Anderson told Newsweek.
NOAA raises risk of strongest solar flares amid high sunspot activity
There is a 15 percent chance of X-class solar flares on Wednesday, and a 40 percent chance of M-class flares.
Scientists confirm decriminalizing drugs doesn't increase overdose deaths
"Our analysis suggests that state decriminalization policies do not lead to increases in overdose deaths," study author Corey Davis said.
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Ocean acidification set to triple by 2100—What this means for the US coast
"We found evidence that [ocean acidification] could make seaweeds more vulnerable," study author Alexandra Kinnby told Newsweek.
Spider venom toxin could help with erectile dysfunction
The venom of the Brazilian wandering spider causes long-lasting, painful erections, sparking its development into a drug treating erectile dysfunction.
Archaeologists find skeleton and mirror in 1,800-year-old Roman sarcophagus
"It's quite exceptional, it's the first time that we have found a tomb intact and which has not been looted," archaeologist Agnès Balmelle told French news.
Rare dumbo octopus spotted a mile beneath ocean surface
The octopus was seen by cameras on a remote-controlled underwater vehicle crossing the Pacific Ocean floor.
Lake Tahoe's ecosystem facing invasive threat
This marks the first time that these quickly reproducing New Zealand mud snails have been found in Lake Tahoe.
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Scientists estimate when humans could become extinct
"It could be between 25-30 degrees Celsius [45-54 F] warmer on average than today," study author Alexander Farnsworth told Newsweek.
Tropical storm Philippe model shows path as it moves toward the US
Storm Philippe was upgraded to a tropical storm on Saturday night, making it the 16th named storm of the hurricane season.
Highly contagious cat virus outbreak forces pet shelter closure
Feline panleukopenia "can live in environments for months," an animal shelter in Ohio said in a Facebook post about the outbreak of the deadly virus.
Juvenile whale hit by boat propeller left with "severe" head injuries
The whale is thought to have very low chances of survival after its collision, and has not been seen since Sunday.
Rocket carrying Space Force satellite punches hole in ionosphere
The rocket's exhaust fumes reacted with the ionosphere layer of the atmosphere, changing the ionization levels as it moved through during its ascent.
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Flash drought strikes the U.S. South, will continue into fall
U.S. Drought Monitor data shows that very dry spells across southern states have gotten significantly worse in the past three months.
Eco-friendly fibers possible as silkworms spin spider silk for first time
"It can be utilized in the production of high-end clothing and even in the manufacturing of innovative ballistic vests," study author Junpeng Mi told Newsweek.
Thousands of dead fish are washing up across Florida - here's why
"This will most certainly have been caused by the huge dead zone off that coastline," expert Ian Hendy told Newsweek.
Psychotherapists flip Freudian thinking on treating depression
Study participants who learned to block out negative thoughts were found to have "less worry, less depression, less negative affect, and greater well-being."
Scientists link ultraprocessed foods to depression
Artificial sweeteners and artificially sweetened drinks were the worst offenders, the researchers found.
Man's stomach pain turns out to be knife blade
The man, who had been stabbed the day prior, was found to have a 6-inch knife blade inside his body, which had moved to the opposite side to the stab wound.
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Mystery of strange marks on sea floor solved by scientists
Researchers found that the markings matched up perfectly with the mouthparts of a bizarre deep-sea fish.
Infectious disease found in dogs has begun spreading to humans
"As of July 2023, 2 laboratory-confirmed cases of B. canis human infection have been identified in the UK," a government report states.
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Fishmongers buy extremely rare lobster, release it for a long "happy life"
"This lobster is rare because of its color, which is due to a genetic mutation. There are 1 case in 1 to 2 million," Les Viviers de Noirmoutier told Newsweek.
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Geomagnetic storm triggers spectacular aurora across U.S. states
The northern lights were seen across Wyoming, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Montana, and faintly above Nebraska.
Texas woman finds huge venomous rattlesnake in toilet
The snake was identified as a Western diamond-backed rattlesnake, responsible for more human bites than any other rattlesnake species.
Parasite controls ants' minds to turn them into "zombies"
"The successful completion of the life cycle requires that the grazing mammal eats infected ants," study author Brian Lund Fredensborg said.
