Lauren Leffer

  • What Happens When Your Body Becomes a Sensory Deprivation Chamber?

    What Happens When Your Body Becomes a Sensory Deprivation Chamber?

    When Renita Adams puts a pot on the stove in her Virginia home, she also puts a rubber band around her wrist. The 62-year-old retiree prefers a tight band that squeezes a little bit, so she won’t forget it’s there–usually one of the colourful, stretchy rings that come wrapped around produce bundles. Her years as…


  • To Survive Extreme Heat, Squirrels Go ‘Sploot’

    To Survive Extreme Heat, Squirrels Go ‘Sploot’

    When does a squirrel become a pancake? Answer: Apparently, when the world becomes a griddle. It’s officially sweat season for humans in the U.S., which means it’s sploot season for squirrels. And if you don’t know what that means, keep reading. Parts of 17 U.S. states are under active heat advisories and warnings as of…


  • Supreme Court Ruling Will Make Online Harassment Harder to Prosecute

    Supreme Court Ruling Will Make Online Harassment Harder to Prosecute

    This week, the U.S. Supreme Court made prosecuting online harassment more difficult. In a 7-2 ruling on Tuesday, SCOTUS determined that a lower court’s decision to convict and imprison a Colorado man for stalking was flawed. The majority opinion in the case (Counterman v. Colorado), authored by Justice Elena Kagan, clarifies limits on what sorts…