Raw Milk Sales Soar as Misguided Notions of Bird Flu Immunity Spread

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This week, the Gizmodo science team explored the disturbing trend towards raw milk amid a bird flu outbreak among cattle, and the technological disruptions stemming from the historic geomagnetic storm that triggered stunning auroras across much of the globe. Reporter Ed Cara broke down a study weighing the long term benefits of Wegovy, while reporter Isaac Shultz explored a new technique for using sunlight to produce temperatures reaching nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. - George Dvorsky

A cow grazes in a field at a dairy farm on April 26, 2024 in Petaluma, California. Photo: Justin Sullivan (Getty Images)

Sales of raw milk in the U.S. have risen 21% since bird flu was first confirmed in dairy cattle in late March, according to a report from PBS Newshour, citing new data from research firm NielsenIQ. Why on Earth would people drink raw milk at a time when pasteurization has been shown to kill the virus? Because some people believe intentionally being exposed to H5N1 will give them "immunity" to the disease. Seriously. - Matt Novak Read More

The Northern lights were visible from the Bogus Basin ski resort in Boise, Idaho.Photo: Kyle Green (AP)

On May 10, Earth was hit by the strongest geomagnetic storm in 20 years. Intense solar activity sent bursts of radiation toward Earth, causing fluctuations in the upper atmosphere that led to disruptions in the power grid and radio blackouts, among other technologies and infrastructure. - Passant Rabie Read More

Photo: Mark Rightmire/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register (Getty Images)

An unknown number of orcas sunk a sailing yacht in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar on Sunday, according to Spain's maritime rescue service. While orcas are typically peaceful, this is the latest in a string of attacks that have hit the region in the past four years. - Maxwell Zeff Read More

Image: Getty Images (iStock by Getty Images)

Results from the longest-running trial of semaglutide—the active ingredient in the popular drugs Ozempic and Wegovy—are in, and the verdict is decidedly positive. The study found that people taking semaglutide tended to maintain their initial weight loss for up to four years. Other trial data presented this week also suggests that semaglutide can improve people's heart health even without causing weight loss. - Ed Cara Read More

Engineers are cooking up a new clean energy solution: charging up crystals with solar energy to temperatures of 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius), potentially making them a greener substitute for the carbon-intensive processes that smelt steel and cook cement. - Isaac Schultz Read More

An image of the black hole merger.Image: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, J. Dunlop, D. Magee, P. G. Pérez-González, H. Übler, R. Maiolino, et. al

The cutting-edge Webb Space Telescope has spotted the most distant black hole merger yet, which occurred when the universe was just 740 million years old. It's the first time astronomers have seen a merger so early in the universe's history, making it a record breaker. - Isaac Schultz Read More

New research is tryin to better understand why both athletes and those with diabetes tend to store high levels of fat inside their muscle cells.Image: David Davies/Press Association (AP)

Scientists in the U.K. seem to have unearthed yet another benefit of exercise: It could make our bodies better at using up certain kinds of fat. In a new study out this week, researchers found that endurance athletes were much better at burning off saturated fat compared to sedentary people with type 2 diabetes—a distinction that emerged in the diabetic group once they began to exercise as well. - Ed Cara Read More

NASA's Juno spacecraft captured this image of Europa during the mission's close flyby on September 29, 2022.Image: Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS. Image processing: Björn Jónsson (CC BY 3.0)

On September 29, 2022, NASA's Juno spacecraft made its closest flyby of Europa, coming to within 220 miles (355 kilometers) of the Jovian moon's frozen surface. The closeup view of Europa revealed incredible details of the moon's chaotic terrain, which suggest that its icy crust is not where it used to be. The images also showed a newly discovered feature that was nicknamed "Platypus" for its odd shape. - Passant Rabie Read More

The mostly empty Newport Beach in California.Image: Marcio Jose Sanchez (AP)

Earlier this month, Brent Norman from South Carolina injured his foot on seashells while walking barefoot on the beach, leading to a Vibrio infection that caused severe swelling and pain. Luckily, the infection was caught in time, and after a two-week course of antibiotics, Norman is expected to fully recover and resume his beach activities. Though Norman's case might be strange in terms of how he got sick, lakeside and coastal beaches are unfortunately home to all sorts of weird and horrifying infectious diseases. Here's a rundown of some of the worst offenders. - Ed Cara Read More

NASA's Juno mission captured these views of Jupiter during its 59th close flyby of the giant planet on March 7, 2024.Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS. Image processing by Gerald Eichstädt

Oh, there it is. Jupiter's unassuming moon Amalthea was spotted in two recent images captured by NASA's Juno probe. During its 59th close flyby of Jupiter on March 7, the Juno spacecraft captured its usual stunning views of the giant planet's swirling winds and colorful belts. The new photos offered an unexpected treat: a rare glimpse of one of Jupiter's tiny, mysterious moons. - Passant Rabie Read More