When Fear Clouds Judgment- The Psychology Behind The Mysterious Fog Over US And Canada

Updated Jan 10, 2025 | 01:51 PM IST

SummaryA dense, chemical-smelling fog across the US, Canada, and UK triggered panic, respiratory symptoms, and conspiracy theories. Experts attribute it to pollutants trapped by natural fog, amplified by social media fears but is it true?
When Fear Clouds Judgment- The Psychology Behind The Mysterious Fog Over US And Canada

Image Credit: Canva (representational purpose only)

Mysterious Fog in the US , Canada and UK: A dense, eerie fog with a "burning chemical-like smell" has spooked a good part of North America and parts of the United Kingdom and Canada. With social media amplifying all concerns, this phenomenon has sparked attention across all social media platforms. However, at the heart of this mysterious fog are a conjunction of natural events, social psychology, and environmental conditions that culminated in all the conspiracy theories and public health fears. Here's a closer look at the mysterious fog, its potential causes, and the societal response it has triggered.

Fog that Feeds Fear

The first reports of this "mysterious fog" came in from Florida where a resident said that they experienced respiratory symptoms, feverish warmth, and stomach cramps after contact with the fog. Similar stories started flooding social media, and within a day or two, a sinister force seemed to sweep across the United States, Canada, and parts of the UK. From Texas to Minnesota, people reported weird odors and health issues that they thought were linked to this bizarre atmospheric event.

Some witnesses were said to see "white particles" swirling through the air; theories ranged from a chemical attack or experimental weapon to drone-related chemical dispersals and references to historical military experiments, such as the infamous 1950s "Operation Sea-Spray."

Fuel to the fire were added when videos and posts, hundreds of thousands in number, began circulating on social media sites like TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) speculating on the origin of the fog. Hashtags like #ToxicFog went trending for days. Hysteria created a self-reinforcing loop in which every post spurred further scrutiny and fear.

Scientific Explanation of the Dense Mysterious Fog

1. What is Fog?

Fog is essentially a low-lying cloud formed when the air temperature cools to its dew point, causing water vapor to condense into tiny droplets or ice crystals. Several types of fog—advection fog, radiation fog, and valley fog—can form depending on conditions such as warm, moist air moving over cooler land or when temperatures plummet rapidly under clear skies.

2. Why the Chemical Smell?

Such chemical-like smell as reported during the occurrence of fog events is sometimes attributed to air pollution. It acts like a sponge, where it absorbs these pollutants, which include sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, among others, that emit from industries. This mixture, therefore, leads to a stench that could be mistaken as unnatural or even toxic.

Also Read: Health Concerns Rise As US, Canada, and UK Come Under The Blanket Of Thick, Dense, Toxic Fog

3. What are the Health Concerns?

High moisture levels from fog can significantly exacerbate symptoms related to respiration, but especially in already predisposed asthmatics and allergy patients. The connection of these symptoms with actual fever, stomach cramps, and puffy eyes is too remote. Experts assume that the irritating effects of entrapped pollutants trapped in fog tend to affect more the eyes and throat rather than the rest of the body affected by some report.

Psychological Effects of Mass Panic Caused by Social Media

Social media amplified a natural weather event into a health epidemic. It made the personal experience of individuals become a cause for fear and speculation, a domino effect.

According to psychologists, this is a concept of selective perception, wherein once people's attention is drawn to environmental anomalies, they begin to notice them. This mirrors earlier panics, such as the Seattle windshield pitting panic of 1954. Then, atomic bomb testing caused fear in many and started to have people looking at their windshields for small marks that they had not seen before. Likewise, postings on the strangeness of the fog probably increased public awareness and suspicion, with people looking to attach unrelated symptoms to the phenomenon.

The fog hysteria shares a commonality with other instances of mass panic, such as the "drone sightings" of recent years or the Cold War-era fears of biological warfare.

Also Read: Mysterious Fog Is Making Americans Sick

These events underscore how fear can cloud judgment, especially when amplified by social media and sensationalist headlines. While historical cases, such as "Operation Sea-Spray," offer concrete evidence of the existence of unethical experiments, the jump from a natural weather condition to theories of chemical attacks exemplifies a more modern trend of connecting unrelated dots, all wonderfully seeded in distrust and anxiety.

Despite the swirling rumors, meteorologists and scientists are in agreement that the mysterious fog is not as alarming as it seems. It is well known that fog traps and amplifies pollutants, especially in urban and industrial regions. Moreover, winter months are the most conducive for fog formation, so its recent prevalence is unsurprising.

On the other hand, environmentalists advise that the fog should wake everyone up to increased levels of pollution. The reported odors and health irritations could be just symptoms of far deeper systemic issues like industrial emissions and lack of control over air quality.

The authorities must be transparent in their communication to combat misinformation and allay public fears. Governments and environmental agencies must provide timely updates on weather phenomena, air quality, and health risks. Initiatives like real-time pollutant tracking and public education campaigns can help demystify natural occurrences while addressing valid environmental concerns.

The mysterious Canada fog is a compelling case study in how environmental events intersect with psychology and societal dynamics. While rooted in natural phenomena, the fog became a vessel for collective fears, amplified by modern technology and historical anxieties.

In this information era where communication occurs at an almost lightning pace, the fog becomes a metaphor that reminds everyone about scientific literacy, environmental responsibility, and an effective balance when considering public concern. Whether perceived as a marvel of nature or as a tale that serves to teach, it left a very powerful mark in people's minds.

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Sepsis: India Joins Global Trial To Screen Newborns For Deadly Drug-Resistant Infections

Updated Jun 26, 2026 | 10:07 PM IST

SummaryThe NeoSep1 trial is expected to enroll 3,000 newborns across Asia and Africa by the end of 2028. ​Along with India, newborns have already been enrolled in Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. Hospitals in Vietnam, Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Uganda are also expected to join the study.
Sepsis: India Joins Global Trial To Screen Newborns For Deadly Drug-Resistant Infections

Credit: iStock

India has joined the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP)-led NeoSep1 clinical trial, a landmark international study evaluating new antibiotic treatments for newborns with drug-resistant sepsis.

Sepsis is the second leading cause of neonatal mortality in India after prematurity and low birth weight, accounting for an estimated 30–40 per cent of all newborn deaths.

The NeoSep1 trial began in India with the first baby enrolled at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry, followed by Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS in Rohtak. Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital in Mumbai is also expected to begin enrolling newborns soon.

"Every day doctors face the heartbreaking reality of losing babies to sepsis due to lack of safe and effective treatments," said Dr Nishad Plakkal, Principal Investigator of the NeoSep1 trial in India and Associate Dean (Research) and Professor and Head of the Department of Neonatology at JIPMER.

"Having the right antibiotics at the right dose can tip the balance between life and death. This trial offers hope to change that," Plakkal added.

"The trial will give neonatologists new tools, and give babies with sepsis a fighting chance at life," said Sally Ellis, who leads GARDP's Children's Antibiotics Program.

Why Newborns Are At Greater Risk

Also read:US Woman Nearly Died After Brushing Off Sepsis Symptoms As Flu

According to Ellis, newborns are particularly vulnerable to life-threatening sepsis because of their underdeveloped immune systems.

The growing burden of antibiotic resistance in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has further worsened the problem by reducing the effectiveness of standard treatments. Studies have reported extremely high resistance to the combination of ampicillin and gentamicin, the antibiotic regimen currently recommended by the World Health Organization for the initial treatment of neonatal sepsis.

"Today, we stand at a tipping point. The antibiotics for newborns that we have relied on for decades are failing against resistant infections in many hospital settings," Ellis said.

What Is The NeoSep1 Trial?

Read More: Andhra Pradesh To Launch Rare Disease Policy, Expand Universal Newborn Screening

An estimated 3 million newborns develop sepsis every year. The condition occurs when the body's response to an infection triggers widespread inflammation, potentially leading to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. More than 90% of neonatal sepsis deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

The NeoSep1 trial aims to identify safe and effective antibiotic regimens that can reduce deaths caused by drug-resistant neonatal sepsis.

The first phase of the study, conducted in South Africa and Kenya in 2023, validated the appropriate doses of fosfomycin and flomoxef when used in combination with other antibiotics in newborns.

The second phase is using a Personalised Randomised Controlled Trial (PRACTical) design to evaluate and rank multiple antibiotic regimens for newborns with sepsis. The approach is expected to help clinicians choose the most effective treatments based on local patterns of antibiotic resistance while also informing future national and international treatment guidelines.

The NeoSep1 trial is expected to enroll 3,000 newborns across Asia and Africa by the end of 2028.

Along with India, newborns have already been enrolled in Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. Hospitals in Vietnam, Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Uganda are also expected to join the study.

Warning Signs of Sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that harms the immune system, tissues, and organs. It can lead to organ failure or death if not treated urgently, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

According to Sepsis Alliance, the acronym TIME can help people recognize potential warning signs of sepsis and seek urgent medical care.

T — Temperature: Body temperature is unusually high or low.

I — Infection: Signs or symptoms of an infection are present.

M — Mental Decline: Confusion, excessive sleepiness, or difficulty waking up.

E — Extremely Ill: Severe pain, extreme discomfort, or shortness of breath.

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Bella Hadid Opens Up About Challenges Of Living With Lyme Disease

Updated Jun 26, 2026 | 08:00 PM IST

SummaryIn a series of Instagram Stories, the 29-year-old supermodel shared about the daily hardships and emotional toll of recurring health flare-ups despite trying various treatment protocols.
Bella Hadid Opens Up About Challenges Of Living With Lyme Disease

Credit: Instagram

American supermodel Bella Hadid has opened up about the mental toll of living with Lyme disease, a chronic illness she has battled for years.

Bella Hadid was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2013 and has endured an ongoing battle with physical pain, extreme fatigue, brain fog, and associated depression.

In a series of Instagram Stories, the 29-year-old model shared about the daily hardships and emotional toll of recurring health flare-ups despite trying various treatment protocols.

The supermodel said it is "intimidating" to explain her symptoms of pain, exhaustion, fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, infections and trauma, and how they lead "to severe isolation and depression, especially over long periods of time," People.com reported.

"Especially when you try anything you can," she said, adding that she has read books and personal stories to better understand her symptoms, yet still experiences setbacks.

Bella Hadid On Lyme Disease Flare Ups

"You demand answers that no one can find. You fight. You finally have a few good days. You think you've found the right protocol, the right routine, the right treatment... and then a flare-up comes back and all of a sudden nothing feels certain again."

Hadid said flare-ups of the chronic illness often force her to cancel plans.

"You wake up with anxiety already living in your body," Hadid wrote.

"Physical pain before your feet even touch the floor....And somehow, still have to find the strength to move through another day in a body and mind that are completely exhausted."

Bella Hadid's Hope In God

The model said she has learned to mask her feelings.

"Sometimes it feels like unless you've lived something like this, or loved someone who has, it's impossible to fully understand."

She also reminded followers facing similar struggles that "there is light, even if you can't see it today... There is hope," before sharing a message she often tells herself during difficult times.

"As so many have said..I have to remind myself that healing isn't linear...I believe God puts before us, somehow, only what we are capable of carrying, even when we don't understand why at the time," she wrote, saying there's a "deeper purpose to all things in life."

Hadid acknowledged that although it is hard, she believes "every hardship leaves us with a lesson, a deeper compassion, or a strength we never knew we had."

What Is Lyme Disease?

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to people through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.

Every year, an estimated 31 million people in the United States are bitten by a tick.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States, with an estimated 476,000 patients treated for Lyme each year.

Typical symptoms include:

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • A characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans.
If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.

How to Prevent

The best defense against Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites. This will reduce your risk of other tickborne diseases as well.

What to do after a tick bite:

  • Remove attached ticks as soon as possible.
  • Depending on the type of tick and how long it was attached, antibiotic prophylaxis might help to prevent Lyme disease.
  • Call your doctor if you develop fever, rash, or other symptoms.

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New Book Examines Donald Trump's Health, Age Concerns; White House Responds

Updated Jun 26, 2026 | 06:00 PM IST

SummaryThe book, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, written by New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman and investigative reporter Jonathan Swan, is based on more than 1,000 interviews conducted over three years. The White House dismissed the book's claims.
New Book Examines Donald Trump's Health, Age Concerns; White House Responds

Credit: AP News

Donald Trump, the oldest president in US history, has come under increased scrutiny after turning 80 this year. The president has frequently been seen with swollen ankles and bruises on his hands, though the White House maintains he is in "excellent health."

Several doctors have also raised concerns about Trump's physical and mental health, citing instances where he appeared to fall asleep during White House meetings and international summits, as well as verbal fumbles and slurred speech.

A new book, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, claims the president's medical condition is one of the administration's most tightly controlled areas of information. Written by New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman and investigative reporter Jonathan Swan, the book is based on more than 1,000 interviews conducted over three years.

New Book Examines Donald Trump's Health, Age Concerns; White House Responds

Book Claims Trump Changed Routine Due to Age

Also read: Did Donald Trump Take Eli Lilly's Weight Loss Drug? What Did White House Say

According to the authors, Trump struggles with his hearing and began moving meetings from the East Wing to the Oval Office because of better acoustics. The change also allowed him to remain seated during lengthy meetings.

The book says some aides privately felt Trump was "beginning to seem old to them," pointing to "moments of fatigue" and a "cupped hand" behind his ear.

Questions Over Transparency on Trump's Health

Speaking to Kaitlan Collins on CNN's The Source, Swan said Trump's health is "very well concealed" from the public.

"I'm not even sure that his most senior aides have a clear picture of his health, about all the aspects of his medical reports," Swan said.

Trump reportedly spent three hours at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on May 26, where he was examined by 22 specialists, compared with 14 doctors during his previous medical check-up

"We have no indication of who those specialists are or what their specialties are," Swan said. "They haven't released all the imaging results."

According to CNN medical expert Jonathan Reiner, Trump's medical examination by 22 specialists "is an extraordinary number."

But the White House has continued to insist Trump remains sharp and energetic.

Book Describes Shift in Trump's Schedule

Read More: ‘Sea Or See?’ Donald Trump's Remark Sparks Fresh Cognitive Health Speculation

According to the Daily Mail, the book claims Trump now prefers seated events, shorter public appearances and staying close to the White House.

The authors describe Trump in his second term as a "homebody," compared with his extensive travel during the 2024 campaign.

"He had never been a big sleeper, but now it seemed to his staff that he was sleeping even less, keeping stranger hours than he had in his first term," the authors wrote.

They added that Trump would often spend the early hours watching television, talking on the phone and posting on Truth Social.

White House Rejects the Claims

The White House dismissed the book's claims.

"President Trump's sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration when Democrats and the legacy media intentionally covered up Joe Biden's serious mental and physical decline from the American people," spokesperson Davis Ingle told the Daily Mail.

"President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible President in American history who is working nonstop to solve problems and deliver on his promises."

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