This Week In Science (06/01/2025)

First bird flu–related death in the US

The Louisiana Department of Health has reported the first death from H5N1 bird flu in the US. Public health experts emphasise, however, that the risk to the general public remains low. The individual who passed was a man over the age of 65 with underlying medical conditions, who was hospitalised in December with respiratory symptoms after contracting the virus from a backyard flock and wild birds. 

There have been no reports of human-to-human transmission and of the 66 confirmed human cases in the U.S since early 2024, most have resulted in only mild symptoms. Nevertheless, the evolving virus is being continuously monitored for any changes that could escalate it from low-risk to high-risk. 

Being bad at hula-hooping may not be your fault 

 A team of mathematicians explored what keeps a hula-hoop up against gravity by conducting experiments with robotic hula hoopers at New York University’s Applied Mathematics Laboratory. They tested various shapes and motions using 3D-printed bodies and high-speed video. The results revealed that the exact form of the gyration motion wasn’t in fact a significant factor in hula-hooping. 

A special body type, with sloping “hips” to provide the proper angle for pushing up the hoop, and a curvy “waist” to hold the hoop in place, was necessary for keeping the hoop elevated for a significant period of time.

 “Our results might explain why some people are natural hoopers and others seem to have to work extra hard.”