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.

The Neuralink chip is a piece of technology that’s hoped will one day allow people to operate devices like phones and computers using their thoughts. Its creator, tech mogul Elon Musk, describes it as a “Fitbit in your skull with tiny wires.” Elon Musk's brain implant company Neuralink said recently that 12 people worldwide have received its chips. The device is meant to have several applications, from restoring motor functionality within people to enabling a brain-computer interface. The question now is whether it will be able to reverse paralysis in the future or not.

Neuralink: What Is Neuralink, And What Does It Do?

Neuralink is a neurotechnology company Musk set up in 2016. The device is roughly the size of a coin and is implanted into the skull, with hair-thin threads placed inside specific parts of the brain to form a working brain-computer interface.

The implant records brain signals and transfers them to an external device, such as a smartphone, through Bluetooth. Its first product, Telepathy, is designed to let a person operate their phone or computer through intention alone. By placing the chip in regions that manage movement, Neuralink believes it could help people living with neurological conditions. Musk has said that early users would likely be people who cannot use their limbs.

Neuralink: What Testing Has Neuralink Carried Out In The Past?

As per Reuters, the company has run trials using monkeys and pigs. Demonstrations have featured monkeys moving a cursor or playing simple on-screen games using the implant. Neuralink maintains that no monkey died because of the device itself, though reports have circulated describing complications in some animals, including paralysis, seizures and swelling in the brain.

Neuralink: Can Neuralink Cure Paralysis?

The human brain contains millions of neurons responsible for movement, emotion and thought. These neurons send electrical signals down pathways that run from the brain to the rest of the body. If a person tries to stand up, the brain sends electrical instructions to the legs, and the reaction is instant. Paralysis develops when pathways in the spinal cord are damaged or blocked, according to the description on Neuralink’s website.

Because the Neuralink implant reads the brain’s signals, it can forward those signals to the limbs even when the spinal cord no longer relays them. This would require one implant in the brain and another placed below the injured area of the spinal cord. With steady training, a person could regain movement, raising the possibility that Neuralink may one day help restore mobility.

Neuralink Ethical Concerns

Experts have questioned the company’s experiments on animals and the general risks linked to brain operations, which can include seizures or bleeding. They have also pointed to worries about data privacy and long-term surveillance, since there is limited detail on how much control users will have over their neural information.

Earlier this year, the US Department of Transportation fined the company for failing to register as a carrier of hazardous biological material, including implants removed from primates, according to agency records reviewed by Reuters.

Neuralink Is FDA Approved

In late May 2023, the FDA granted Neuralink permission to start human testing. The company said on Twitter that the approval marked the beginning of its first clinical study in people, calling it a vital step toward making the technology accessible in the future.

Neuralink has continued to share updates, and in July 2025, it announced that it had completed two brain-implant procedures on the same day. Both individuals are said to be recovering well. Musk responded soon after, expressing confidence in what the technology might achieve in the coming years.

A newly mutated version of the familiar flu virus, Influenza H3N2, known as subclade K, is moving quickly across the northern hemisphere. This rise has raised concerns that the United States may be facing a tougher flu season. This specific offshoot of influenza has become the leading strain in several countries, including the US, Japan, the UK and Canada.

In the Southern Hemisphere, H1N1 led most of the flu activity this year, and H3N2 subclade K only began to spread near the end. Early figures from the UK and Japan show that about 90 percent of flu samples were linked to H3N2 subclade K, according to a report from the University of Minnesota. With a fresh variant circulating and fewer Americans choosing to get vaccinated, the coming months could be quite challenging.

Where Has The H3N2 Subclade K Strain Been Detected?

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reports that this strain has appeared across all continents and makes up roughly one third of all A (H3N2) sequences submitted to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data between May and November 2025 worldwide, and nearly half in the European Union. The agency notes that clear data on how well the current vaccine performs in real-world conditions remains limited. Even so, existing vaccines are still expected to help protect against serious illness.

The possibility of a flu season led mainly by H3N2 subclade K is considered moderate, based on the agency’s assessment. The threat is higher for people more likely to develop severe outcomes, including adults over 65, individuals with metabolic, lung, heart, neuromuscular or other long-term medical conditions, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems.

H3N2 Subclade K Strain: Symptoms To Watch For

The symptoms linked to H3N2 mirror those seen with most influenza viruses and include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches and chills

This strain may, however, push fevers higher and increase the chances of complications.

Will the New Flu Strain Make for a More Severe Flu Season?

It remains unclear how flu activity will evolve in the United States, and specialists say delays in reliable information have made it trickier to monitor patterns. During the 44-day government shutdown, the CDC paused all updates on respiratory illness. In the most recent “FluView” report for the week ending Nov. 15, national flu activity stayed low, though numbers are climbing, particularly in children. Test positivity and hospital admissions are also going up.

What To Know About The Flu Vaccine?

The CDC advises that everyone aged 6 months and older, with very few exceptions, should get their flu shot.

Still, despite this guidance, fewer people seem to be getting vaccinated each year. CDC figures show that flu vaccine distribution has steadily fallen since the 2021–22 season.

Is the Flu Shot Effective Against the New Strain?

Scientists select the strains for each year’s vaccine based on the viruses circulating globally early in the year, Hopkins explains. The 2025–2026 vaccine includes H1N1, H3N2 and influenza B.

Because the mutated subclade K appeared too late in the cycle, researchers could not adjust this season’s formula. It is not an exact match for the chosen H3N2 strain, but experts stress that the vaccine will still provide valuable protection during the season.

A flu shot does not always stop infection, but it does lower the chances of developing serious illness, needing hospital care or facing life-threatening complications. “The goal of vaccines is to reduce the severity of illness, and reduce the disease impact on our population,” Hopkins says.

This year’s vaccine is also expected to be a strong fit for the H1N1 and influenza B strains that are circulating, Hopkins adds. “You’ll get the protection against two other strains of flu, even if H3N2 isn’t optimal,” Pekosz notes.

As flu activity intensifies, getting vaccinated remains one of the simplest ways to build protection, even against the mutated strain, as doctors continue to underline.

In November, Delhi reported 67 malaria case, the highest November tally in four years. However, dengue cases have declined when compared to the same month's data from previous four years. The data is released by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

As per the MCD data, in November 2025, Delhi reported 67 malaria cases, whereas in 2024, it was 57; in 2023, it was 26; in 2022, the number of cases were 36; and in 2021, only 7 cases were recorded.

As for the year 2025, so far 690 cases have reported, which is slightly lower than 744 cases in 2024. However, the number is higher than 369 cases recorded in 2023. The silver lining is that no malaria-related deaths have been reported so far this year. As per the data, malaria cases have gone up in the capital since August. 203 cases were recorded in September, 252 in October, and 67 so far cases in November.

The highest numbers of cases have come from West, South and Civil Line zones of Delhi.

Among other mosquito-borne diseases, chikungunya cases have also seen a drop this month, as only 23 cases were reported so far in November. This number is lower than the 75 cases recorded in November 2024, however is higher than the 15 cases recorded in November 2023, 4 in 2022, and 8 in 2021.

What Is Malaria?

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites that are transmitted through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Common symptoms include high fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, and fatigue. In some cases, especially when untreated, malaria can cause severe complications such as organ failure, difficulty breathing, or even death. The symptoms typically appear 10 to 15 days after being bitten and can resemble those of the flu, making early diagnosis and treatment crucial.

Are There any Ways For You To Identify Malaria?

Malaria is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some types of mosquitoes. It is mostly found in tropical countries and is preventable and curable. The infection is caused by a parasite and does not spread from person to person. Symptoms can be mild or life-threatening.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mild symptoms include fever, chills and headache. Severe symptoms include fatigue, confusion, seizures, and difficulty breathing. Infants, children under 5 years, pregnant women and girls, travellers and people with HIV or AIDS are at higher risk of severe infection.

There is empirical evidence that it can also be transmitted through blood transfusion and contaminated needles. Transfusion-transmitted malaria (TTM) occurs when an uninfected person receives blood from a donor who is infected with malaria parasites. While malaria transmission through transfusion is rare, especially in non-endemic areas, it remains a significant concern in certain regions. According to a systematic review of studies conducted by National Library of Medicine, Plasmodium parasites were shown to survive in whole blood and plasma when stored at 4°C for up to 18 days, and detectable parasites can present even up to 28 days when frozen, although with diminished infectivity.

Common Symptoms Of Malaria

• extreme tiredness and fatigue
• impaired consciousness
• multiple convulsions
• difficulty breathing
• dark or bloody urine
• jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
• abnormal bleeding