Iceland

Right now, groups of Icelanders are taking to the streets late at night, armed with cardboard boxes and torches, in search of the white bellies of baby puffins. This annual tradition has become one of the most fascinating rescue missions on the planet.

A five-year trial in Iceland exploring the effects of a shorter working week is reporting positive outcomes. The results suggest cutting just four or five hours from a work week can lead to increases in worker well-being and improvements in productivity.

The Earth’s magnetic field is currently weakening, and there’s been a lot of talk in recent years that a reversal might be imminent. Now a new study has looked at the history of these events and found that a reversal probably isn’t about to happen.

New types of bacteria have been found in one of the most alien environments on Earth: a subglacial lake buried beneath almost a thousand feet of ice. Conditions could be strikingly similar to oceans of Europa or Enceladus, so studying these organisms could aid the search for extraterrestrial life.

A new world record for the highest wave has been recorded by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In the freezing, turbulent waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, somewhere between Iceland and the UK, an automated buoy detected a significant wave height of 19 m (62.3 ft).

Float unsurprisingly helps you to float. The obviously-named product is designed to aid water therapy by keeping the person wearing it upright and floating in a naturally relaxing position. At $135 it's a lot more affordable than even the cheapest isolation tank.