Around 31 million Americans are bitten by ticks each year, and about 476,000 are treated for Lyme disease. A new at-home test launching this month aims to give people a faster way to assess the risk after a bite. LymeAlert, developed by an MIT researcher, will ship an initial batch of 5,000 kits that can detect Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, in about 15 minutes. The device grinds open the tick before testing it with an assay, using a process similar to a pregnancy or COVID-19 test. Lyme disease is most common in the Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic, where black-legged ticks are prevalent. Because an infected tick generally must remain attached for at least 24 hours to transmit the disease, a quick result could help people decide whether to seek early antibiotic treatment, which may reduce the risk of longer-term fatigue, pain, and cognitive problems.
True Spies
Spy Cities - New York
How did New York become a spy hub?
New York’s espionage story begins before the United States itself. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring built one of America’s first intelligence networks, using codebooks, invisible ink, dead drops, and couriers to move information out of British-occupied Manhattan without exposing the people behind it.
The city played another intelligence role during the Civil War. George Curtis, an ordinary New Yorker recruited by the Pinkerton Detective Agency, infiltrated the Confederacy as a contraband merchant, secretly copying military messages while earning the trust of senior Confederate commanders.
By the 20th century, New York had become a crossroads for wealth, influence, and espionage. Financier Vincent Astor turned his business connections into an informal intelligence network, helping gather information for President Franklin Roosevelt before America’s entry into World War II and later supporting the Office of Strategic Services, the forerunner of the CIA.
New York remains a prime target today. Home to the United Nations and the FBI’s largest field office, the city continues to attract foreign intelligence services, from Cold War spies to recent Russian espionage investigations.
Join series producer Joe Foley in this week’s podcast selection, 'Brief Histories: Spy Cities - New York,' for a journey through America’s oldest spy networks, wartime intelligence, and the secrets hidden beneath the city’s skyline.
Take on immersive games and challenges at SPYGAMES! Test your team's skills and strategy, compete to climb the leaderboards, and recharge with food and drink in your own private space hosted by a dedicated staff member.
Book your next team social.
Take on immersive games and challenges at SPYGAMES! Test your team's skills and strategy, compete to climb the leaderboards, and recharge with food and drink in your own private space hosted by a dedicated staff member.
The Q Type is a personality type, like Myers-Briggs or the Enneagram, except yours comes from how you actually behave under pressure, not just how you answer questions about yourself. Developed with top spy trainers and leading psychologists, it maps your strengths, decision-making style, and hidden potential.
Are you the Special Ops Officer Q Type? Special Operations Officers conduct focused military operations to destroy targets or disrupt hostile activity against their nation. They also go behind enemy lines to gather intelligence or protect fellow intelligence collectors. When operating overseas, they will often assume the cover of businesspeople, academics, or other professionals.
In addition to explosives and weapons, they need skills in medicine, covert communication systems, and languages. They must have a high tolerance and capability for “hot risk” situations, where they might be in danger physically and psychologically. But they are not foolhardy. To limit risk, they plan their operations in great detail. And they undergo intense training regimes—following the military mantra, “Train hard, Fight easy.” Find out what type of spy you'd be at SPYSCAPE.
James Bond's dinner date, Dr. Lotta Todd—a SPECTRE agent in disguise—has introduced a deadly poison into his system! Before leaving, Dr. Todd informed Bond that the time-sensitive antidote exists in one of three bottles of champagne atop their table! Which bottle must 007 quickly open and drink?
Give your party guests an unforgettable experience designed to engage, entertain, and inspire. Our dedicated staff will be on hand to help, and you'll even get your own private space to celebrate.
Host your birthday at SPYSCAPE or SPYGAMES.
Give your party guests an unforgettable experience designed to engage, entertain, and inspire. Our dedicated staff will be on hand to help, and you'll even get your own private space to celebrate.
Researchers have documented a surprising hunting tactic in the Gulf of California. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Ethology, shows one orca releasing a dead sunfish just as another charges toward it, smashing the giant fish with enough force to send fragments flying through the water.
The behavior was recorded during two separate encounters. Sunfish, which can weigh up to 4,400 pounds, are among the largest fish in the world and common prey for orcas. In both cases, younger orcas fed on the scattered pieces afterward, leading researchers to think the adults may have been breaking the meal into smaller portions.
The scientists have another possibility too. Orcas are well known for behaviors that seem to have no obvious purpose, from balancing dead salmon on their heads to swarming tourist boats. It is possible the dramatic collisions are not just practical, but playful as well. Read the study here.
Try brain-teasing challenges at SPYSCAPE and pulse-racing fun in SPYGAMES.
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