# Twtxt is an open, distributed microblogging platform that # uses human-readable text files, common transport protocols, # and free software. # # Learn more about twtxt at https://github.com/buckket/twtxt # # This is an automated Yarn.social feed running feeds v0.1.0@72e53a9 # Learn more about Yarn.social at https://yarn.social # # nick = Phys_org # url = https://feeds.twtxt.net/Phys_org/twtxt.txt # type = rss # source = https://phys.org/rss-feed/ # avatar = # description = # updated_at = 2024-09-16T04:12:52Z # 2024-04-05T02:08:06Z **Do immigrants and immigration help the economy?**
When Americans mark their presidential election ballots later this year, immigration will be top of mind—it's the nation's number one issue, according to pollster Gallup. And one of the toughest talkers on the topic is former president and presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump. He's built his political career on calls to secure the border and defend America against what he says are immigration's dangers, warning of shrinking wages and stretched benefits pr ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-immigrants-immigration-economy.html) 2024-04-05T02:07:27Z **Propelling atomically layered magnets toward green computers**
Globally, computation is booming at an unprecedented rate, fueled by the boons of artificial intelligence. With this, the staggering energy demand of the world's computing infrastructure has become a major concern, and the development of computing devices that are far more energy-efficient is a leading challenge for the scientific community. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-propelling-atomically-layered-magnets-green.html) 2024-04-05T08:10:01Z **Scientists harness chemical dynamics for complex problem solving**
At the intersection of chemistry and computation, researchers from the University of Glasgow have developed a hybrid digital-chemical probabilistic computational system based on the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction which can be used for solving combinatorial optimization problems. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-scientists-harness-chemical-dynamics-complex.html) 2024-04-05T12:16:04Z **Youth grapple with interpreting the unspoken for their immigrant families**
UC Merced researchers are shedding light on a little-explored aspect of cross-cultural communication that involves no spoken words but sometimes can cause confusion and anguish for children acting as interpreters for older family members. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-youth-grapple-unspoken-immigrant-families.html) 2024-04-06T06:19:22Z **Dinosaur study challenges Bergmann's rule**
When you throw dinosaurs into the mix, sometimes you find that a rule simply isn't. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-dinosaur-bergmann.html) 2024-04-06T11:00:01Z **Jurassic shuotheriids reveal earliest dental diversification of mammaliaforms**
Paleontologists have presented a new insight into the initial dental variations across mammaliaforms, providing a fresh perspective on the evolutionary past of these ancient beasts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-jurassic-shuotheriids-reveal-earliest-dental.html) 2024-04-07T07:30:01Z **Scientists investigate information propagation in interacting bosonic systems**
A new study by scientists from Japan explores the propagation of quantum information within interacting boson systems like Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs), revealing the potential for accelerated transmission unlike previously thought. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-scientists-propagation-interacting-bosonic.html) 2024-04-07T11:40:02Z **Citizen science group plans to use the 2024 eclipse for ionospheric discovery**
As the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, draws closer, a vibrant community of enthusiastic amateur radio operators, known as "hams," is gearing up for an exciting project with the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) group. Our goal is clear and ambitious: to use the moon's shadow as a natural laboratory to uncover the intricacies of the ionosphere, a layer of Earth's atmosphere crucial for radio co ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-citizen-science-group-eclipse-ionospheric.html) 2024-04-07T16:20:01Z **Eclipse viewing safety: Keeping your & your kid's vision safe**
People preparing to watch Monday's total eclipse of the sun need to protect their vision during the event, eye doctors say. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-eclipse-viewing-safety-kid-vision.html) 2024-04-08T04:21:14Z **Weather is the hot topic as eclipse spectators stake out their spots in US, Mexico and Canada**
Eclipse spectators staked out their spots across three countries Sunday, fervently hoping for clear skies despite forecasts calling for clouds along most of the sun-vanishing route. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-weather-hot-topic-eclipse-spectators.html) 2024-04-08T08:50:01Z **Carbon trading solutions for declining coral reef management tested with game theory**
Climate change in the media is often represented through evocative images of polar bears on small floating ice rafts and bleached corals—stark white skeletons in the wasteland of a once-thriving marine community. Besides being diverse ecosystems, coral reefs have a vital role in dissipating wave energy to protect coastlines from erosion and natural disasters, as well as being important sources of tourism income ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-carbon-solutions-declining-coral-reef.html) 2024-04-08T12:55:03Z **Office gossip isn't just idle chatter. It's a valuable—but risky—way to build relationships**
Gossip flows through the offices and lunchrooms of our workplaces, seemingly filling idle time. But perhaps, through these ubiquitous and intriguing conversations, we are influencing our workplace relationships more than we realize. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-office-gossip-isnt-idle-chatter.html) 2024-04-08T12:54:04Z **The flavors of fire: How does heat make food taste good?**
Sure, cooking our food can make it safer to eat and more digestible. But let's be honest. We mainly cook to create something we enjoy—something delicious. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-flavors-food-good.html) 2024-04-08T16:59:02Z **On-surface synthesis of carbyne: An sp-hybridized linear carbon allotrope**
In a study led by Prof. Wei Xu (Interdisciplinary Materials Research Center, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University) and published in the journal National Science Review, a research team achieved the successful synthesis of a one-dimensional carbon chain on the Au(111) surface, with the longest chain containing approximately 120 carbon atoms, and the polyynic nature of the carbon chain was unambig ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-surface-synthesis-carbyne-sp-hybridized.html) 2024-04-09T04:18:39Z **Can't get enough of the total solar eclipse or got clouded out? Here are the next ones to watch for**
Whether you saw the moon completely block the sun, were foiled by cloudy weather or weren't along the path of Monday's total solar eclipse, there are still more chances to catch a glimpse. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-total-solar-eclipse-clouded.html) 2024-04-09T04:18:10Z **Broken record: March is 10th straight month to be hottest on record, scientists say**
For the 10th consecutive month, Earth in March set a new monthly record for global heat—with both air temperatures and the world's oceans hitting an all-time high for the month, the European Union climate agency Copernicus said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-broken-10th-straight-month-hottest.html) 2024-04-09T04:17:41Z **Total solar eclipse wows North America. Clouds part just in time for most**
After beholding the midday darkness of a total solar eclipse that raced across the continent, thousands of spectators in New England were stuck seeing only brake lights Monday night as highway traffic backed up for hours. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-total-solar-eclipse-wows-north.html) 2024-04-09T09:37:04Z **Research team exerts electrical control over polaritons, hybridized light-matter particles, at room temperature**
A research team has pioneered an innovative technique in ultra-high-resolution spectroscopy. Their breakthrough marks the world's first instance of electrically controlling polaritons—hybridized light-matter particles—at room temperature. The research has been published in Physical Review Letters. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-team-exerts-electrical-polaritons-hybridized.html) 2024-04-09T14:10:05Z **Four decades of glacial data reveals substantial losses and water worries**
An analysis of glacial data spanning four decades has provided valuable insights into the changes taking place in the glaciers of the Pir Panjal range within the Kashmir basin in India. The research, published in the International Journal of Hydrology Science and Technology, analyzed data for the period 1980 to 2020. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-decades-glacial-reveals-substantial-losses.html) 2024-04-09T20:00:01Z **A microbial plastic factory for high-quality green plastic**
Engineered bacteria can produce a plastic modifier that makes renewably sourced plastic more processable, more fracture-resistant and highly biodegradable even in seawater. The Kobe University development provides a platform for the industrial-scale, tunable production of a material that holds great potential for turning the plastic industry green. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-microbial-plastic-factory-high-quality.html) 2024-04-10T04:09:32Z **In some classrooms in Senegal, deaf and hard-of-hearing students now study alongside everyone else**
Mouhamed Sall stepped to the chalkboard with a glance and quick question in sign language to an assistant. Then he solved the exercise to the silent approval of his classmates, who waved their hands in a display of appreciation. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-classrooms-senegal-deaf-hard-students.html) 2024-04-10T09:00:01Z **Deforestation harms biodiversity of the Amazon's perfume-loving orchid bees**
A survey of orchid bees in the Brazilian Amazon state of Rondônia, carried out in the 1990s, is shedding new light on the impact of deforestation on the scent-collecting pollinators, which some view as bellwethers of biodiversity in the neotropics. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-deforestation-biodiversity-amazon-perfume-orchid.html) 2024-04-10T13:16:03Z **Polysaccharide-based membranes with high wet mechanical properties for bone repair**
Currently, membrane materials play an important role in tissue repair, especially polysaccharide-based membranes, attracting much attention due to their excellent biological properties. However, poor mechanical properties of polysaccharide-based membranes under wet conditions severely limit their in vivo applications. The fabrication of polysaccharide-based membranes with both robust wet mechanical proper ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-polysaccharide-based-membranes-high-mechanical.html) 2024-04-10T13:10:01Z **Tiny crystals capture millions of years of mountain range history: Geologist excavates the Himalayas with a microscope**
The Himalayas stand as Earth's highest mountain range, possibly the highest ever. How did it form? Why is it so tall? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-tiny-crystals-capture-millions-years.html) 2024-04-10T17:50:01Z **Talking to Americans reveals the diversity behind the shared opinion 'the country is on the wrong track'**
If you pay any attention to politics and polling, you have likely heard that your friends and neighbors are not very happy with the direction of the country. You might not be, either. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-americans-reveals-diversity-opinion-country.html) 2024-04-11T03:37:57Z **Scientists are grasping at straws while trying to protect infant corals from hungry fish**
South Florida researchers trying to prevent predatory fish from devouring laboratory-grown coral are grasping at biodegradable straws in an effort to restore what some call the rainforest of the sea. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-scientists-grasping-straws-infant-corals.html) 2024-04-11T09:42:33Z **Keys to the genome: Unlocking the package with 'pioneer transcription factors'**
Scientists at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute have discovered the molecular mechanisms responsible for opening up the human genome and expressing new genes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-keys-genome-package-transcription-factors.html) 2024-04-11T09:40:24Z **New advances promise secure quantum computing at home**
The full power of next-generation quantum computing could soon be harnessed by millions of individuals and companies, thanks to a breakthrough by scientists at Oxford University Physics guaranteeing security and privacy. This advance promises to unlock the transformative potential of cloud-based quantum computing and is detailed in a new study published in Physical Review Letters. The paper is titled "Verifiable blind quantum computing with trapped ions and ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-advances-quantum-home.html) 2024-04-11T09:40:02Z **Ghost roads speed destruction of Asia-Pacific tropical forests, finds study**
Researchers mapping tropical forests have found many more roads than declared by official sources, which is raising fears of a huge increase in environmental degradation as the pace of road building increases. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-ghost-roads-destruction-asia-pacific.html) 2024-04-11T09:39:57Z **Team finds evidence of commonly conducted ritualized human sacrifice across Europe in the Stone Age**
A team of archaeologists affiliated with several institutions in France and one in Germany has found that ritualized human sacrifice was common across Europe during the Neolithic. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-team-evidence-commonly-ritualized-human.html) 2024-04-11T13:50:01Z **Most countries do not take a fair share of refugees. Here's how we could incentivize them**
Since its introduction in 1951, the UN refugee convention has been the basis for the global refugee system. It defines who a refugee is and outlines the rights they are entitled to. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-countries-fair-refugees-incentivize.html) 2024-04-12T04:24:32Z **NASA unveils probe bound for Jupiter's possibly life-sustaining moon**
US space scientists on Thursday unveiled the interplanetary probe NASA plans to send to one of Jupiter's icy moons as part of humanity's hunt for extra-terrestrial life. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-nasa-unveils-probe-bound-jupiter.html) 2024-04-12T09:03:03Z **Microbial food as a food production strategy of the future**
The global food crisis is increasing due to rapid population growth and declining food productivity from climate change. Moreover, today's food production and supply system emits a huge amount of carbon dioxide, reaching 30% of the total amount emitted by humanity, further aggravating climate change. Sustainable and nutritious microbial food is attracting attention as a key to overcoming this impasse. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-microbial-food-production-strategy-future.html) 2024-04-12T13:41:03Z **One in 10 Australians sexually harassed by peers: Study**
The first nationally representative figures on the prevalence of sexual harassment across childhood reveal females and those who are gender or sexuality diverse are most at risk. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-australians-sexually-peers.html) 2024-04-12T13:39:03Z **Designing a cost-effective X-ray free electron lasers facility**
Many advances in structural science since the 1970s were made by probing materials with synchrotron radiation: that is, high energy X-rays generated through accelerating high-energy electrons. The latest generation of such sources, X-ray free electron lasers (XFEL), are far more powerful than their predecessors but are only accessible to international consortia and a few rich countries because of their high cost. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-effective-ray-free-electron-lasers.html) 2024-04-12T13:28:03Z **Problems with 3 Body Problem? Experts discuss physics, mathematics behind hit Netflix show**
The science fiction television series 3 Body Problem, the latest from the creators of HBO's Game of Thrones, has become the most watched show on Netflix since its debut last month. Based on the bestselling book trilogy Remembrance of Earth's Past by Chinese computer engineer and author Cixin Liu, 3 Body Problem introduces viewers to advanced concepts in physics in service to a suspenseful story involving i ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-problems-body-problem-experts-discuss.html) 2024-04-12T13:17:05Z **Environmental groups grateful but vigilant after Key Bridge collapse**
When Alice Volpitta watched the video of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, and the trucks tumbling into the Patapsco River in the darkness, she thought first for the people who had fallen. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-environmental-groups-vigilant-key-bridge.html) 2024-04-12T13:16:03Z **New species of ant found pottering under the Pilbara named after Voldemort**
A study by The University of Western Australia has unearthed a new species of subterranean ant that shares some traits with a well-known Harry Potter villain. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-species-ant-pottering-pilbara-voldemort.html) 2024-04-12T13:09:04Z **Biden plans sweeping effort to block Arctic oil drilling**
The U.S. set aside 23 million acres of Alaska's North Slope to serve as an emergency oil supply a century ago. Now, President Joe Biden is moving to block oil and gas development across roughly half of it. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-biden-effort-block-arctic-oil.html) 2024-04-12T13:07:06Z **Persistent socioeconomic gaps for Black Californians would take more than 248 years to close unless more is done: Report**
Almost two decades ago, the inaugural State of Black California report was the first to provide a comprehensive look at how the material conditions and socioeconomic outcomes for Black Californians fared compared to other racial and ethnic groups. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-persistent-socioeconomic-gaps-black-californians.html) 2024-04-12T13:05:05Z **The cicadas are coming: An entomologist's take on a once-in-200-years event**
Get ready. Billions of trillions of singing, winged insects with big red eyes are about to emerge from more than a decade of sleep underground. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-cicadas-entomologist-years-event.html) 2024-04-13T06:30:01Z **Study lists world's 'forever chemical' hotspots**
Dangerous concentrations of long-lingering "forever chemicals" have been found in surface and groundwater worldwide, according to a study released Tuesday that showed Australia, the United States and Europe as hotspots. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-world-chemical-hotspots.html) 2024-04-13T13:40:01Z **What did Roman wine taste like? Much better than previously thought, according to new research**
From a modern, scientific perspective, the wine Romans drank is often seen as an inconsistent, poorly made and thoroughly unpleasant beverage. It is alleged that Roman winemakers had to mask their products' flaws by adding spices, herbs and other ingredients to the freshly pressed grape juice, which is known as "must." ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-roman-wine-previously-thought.html) 2024-04-14T07:00:01Z **Scientists find vast numbers of illegal 'ghost roads' used to crack open pristine rainforest**
One of Brazil's top scientists, Eneas Salati, once said, "The best thing you could do for the Amazon rainforest is to blow up all the roads." He wasn't joking. And he had a point. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-scientists-vast-illegal-ghost-roads.html) 2024-04-14T13:00:02Z **Tandem heat waves, storm surges increasingly batter coasts: Study**
Coastal communities need to prepare for simultaneous extreme weather events as heat waves increasingly overlap with surges in sea levels due to climate change, a study published on Thursday warned. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-tandem-storm-surges-batter-coasts.html) 2024-04-14T19:30:02Z **Digging up new species of Australia and New Guinea's giant fossil kangaroos**
Paleontologists from Flinders University have described three unusual new species of giant fossil kangaroo from Australia and New Guinea, finding them more diverse in shape, range and hopping method than previously thought. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-species-australia-guinea-giant-fossil.html) 2024-04-15T04:13:00Z **Japan's Sapporo sees earliest 25C day since records began**
Temperatures in Japan's northern city of Sapporo—famous for skiing—on Monday passed 25 degrees Celsius at the earliest point of any year on record, a weather agency official said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-japan-sapporo-earliest-25c-day.html) 2024-04-15T09:27:57Z **First insights into the genetic bottleneck characterizing early sheep husbandry in the Neolithic period**
Modern Eurasian sheep predominantly belong to only two so-called genetic matrilineages inherited through the ewes, so previous research has assumed that genetic diversity must already have decreased rapidly in the early stages of domestication of wild sheep. A study of a series of complete mitogenomes from the early domestication site Asıklı Höyük in central Anatolia, which was inha ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-insights-genetic-bottleneck-characterizing-early.html) 2024-04-15T09:27:20Z **Chemists stabilize ethylene on silver in search for better ethylene purification technology**
Production of ethylene is one of the most important chemical processes used today, with about 300 million metric tons of the tiny chemical produced each year. Ethylene gas is used to create everyday items like shopping bags and plastic film packaging. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-chemists-stabilize-ethylene-silver-purification.html) 2024-04-15T09:26:02Z **Lynx found at bottom of Roman era pit, along with four dogs, mystifies archaeologists**
A team of archaeologists at the Institute of Archaeology, HUN-REN Research Center for the Humanities, in Hungary, working with a colleague from Stockholm University, has revisited a mystery: a Roman era lynx skeleton buried in a pit with four dog skeletons, all layered above it. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-lynx-bottom-roman-era-pit.html) 2024-04-15T09:22:02Z **Clay-assisted organic carbon burial induced early Paleozoic atmospheric oxygenation, data show**
In a study published in Science Advances, scientists have used new lithium isotope (δ7Li) data to show that continental clay export promoted organic carbon burial and thus atmospheric oxygenation during the Cambrian period. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-clay-carbon-burial-early-paleozoic.html) 2024-04-15T13:30:01Z **Victorian London was a city in flux: Architectural models helped the public visualize the changes**
In 1848, the British government decided to draw up a precisely measured map of London. Imperial expansion had seen the city develop quickly, particularly around the docks and the City of London. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-victorian-london-city-flux-architectural.html) 2024-04-15T13:30:01Z **Officials sued over farm chemicals near Latino schools**
For Nelly Vaquera-Boggs, the plastic tarps that cover strawberry fields in Monterey County, California, when they are being fumigated with toxic chemicals offer little comfort—especially when those fields are close to schools. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-sued-farm-chemicals-latino-schools.html) 2024-04-15T19:00:01Z **New analysis reveals the brutal history of the Winchcombe meteorite's journey through space**
Intensive new nano-analysis of the Winchcombe meteorite has revealed how it was affected by water and repeatedly smashed apart and reassembled on the journey it took through space before landing in an English sheep field in 2021. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-analysis-reveals-brutal-history-winchcombe.html) 2024-04-16T03:00:01Z **Seed ferns experimented with complex leaf vein networks 201 million years ago, paleontologists find**
According to a research team led by paleontologists from the University of Vienna, the net-like leaf veining typical for today's flowering plants developed much earlier than previously thought, but died out again several times. Using new methods, the fossilized plant Furcula granulifer was identified as an early forerunner. The leaves of this seed fern species already exhibited the net-like veining in the ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-seed-ferns-complex-leaf-vein.html) 2024-04-16T03:00:01Z **Most massive stellar black hole in our galaxy found**
Astronomers have identified the most massive stellar black hole yet discovered in the Milky Way galaxy. This black hole was spotted in data from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission because it imposes an odd 'wobbling' motion on the companion star orbiting it. Data from the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT) and other ground-based observatories were used to verify the mass of the black hole, putting it at an impres ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-massive-stellar-black-hole-galaxy.html) 2024-04-16T08:24:04Z **Attosecond imaging made possible by short and powerful laser pulses**
Extremely short pulses of laser light with a peak power of 6 terawatts (6 trillion watts)—roughly equivalent to the power produced by 6,000 nuclear power plants—have been realized by two RIKEN physicists. This achievement will help further develop attosecond lasers, for which three researchers were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2023. The work is published in the journal Nature Photonics. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-attosecond-imaging-short-powerful-laser.html) 2024-04-16T12:40:01Z **'Urban form' and the housing crisis: Can streets and buildings make a neighborhood more affordable?**
As of 2007, most humans live in cities. Though this is a relatively recent trend, many of our settlements contain street, block, and building patterns that have developed over centuries. These patterns—which collectively make up what we call "urban form"—are far from a neutral backdrop: they influence who lives where, what businesses find footholds in which locations, and what makes some areas ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-urban-housing-crisis-streets-neighborhood.html) 2024-04-16T12:40:01Z **Supreme Court to consider whether local governments can make it a crime to sleep outside if no inside space is available**
On April 22, 2024, the Supreme Court will hear a case that could radically change how cities respond to the growing problem of homelessness. It also could significantly worsen the nation's racial justice gap. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-supreme-court-local-crime-space.html) 2024-04-16T16:41:01Z **NASA's VIPER moon rover gets its head and neck**
In this image from Feb. 12, 2024, engineers lift a mast into place on NASA's VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) robotic moon rover. VIPER's mast and the suite of instruments affixed to it look a lot like the rover's "neck" and "head." The mast instruments are designed to help the team of rover drivers and real-time scientists send commands and receive data while the rover navigates around hazardous crater slopes, boulders, and places that ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-nasa-viper-moon-rover-neck.html) 2024-04-17T04:00:01Z **Silver-based micromotors that eliminate bacteria can move freely in aqueous media**
Researchers at ICIQ in Tarragona have developed a simple technique to produce microscopic crystals that activate in the presence of light, releasing silver ions with antimicrobial activity. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-silver-based-micromotors-bacteria-freely.html) 2024-04-17T08:53:00Z **Astronomers discover the most metal-poor extreme helium star**
Using the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), astronomers have performed high-resolution observations of a recently detected extreme helium star designated EC 19529–4430. It turned out that EC 19529–4430 is the most metal deficient among the population of known extreme helium stars. The finding was reported in a research paper published April 5 on the pre-print server arXiv. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-astronomers-metal-poor-extreme-helium.html) 2024-04-17T13:00:04Z **Mountain chickadees have remarkable memories. A new study explains why**
Lost your keys? Can't remember where you parked the car? If only you had the memory of a mountain chickadee. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-mountain-chickadees-remarkable-memories.html) 2024-04-17T13:00:01Z **Higher density living is changing the way neighborhoods work in Canada**
There is growing concern about people's unwillingness to get to know their neighbors. This concern is significant enough to have spurred research into what has been termed the "emerging asocial society"—one of the challenge areas of an initiative called Imagining Canada's Future. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-higher-density-neighborhoods-canada.html) 2024-04-17T17:14:04Z **Researchers identify genetic variant that helped shape human skull base evolution**
Humans, Homo sapiens, have unique features compared with other closely related hominin species and primates, including the shape of the base of the skull. The evolutionary changes underlying these features were significant in allowing the evolution of our increased brain size. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-genetic-variant-human-skull-base.html) 2024-04-18T03:54:10Z **Indonesians leave homes near erupting volcano and airport closes due to ash danger**
Indonesian authorities closed an airport and residents left homes near an erupting volcano Thursday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-indonesians-homes-erupting-volcano-airport.html) 2024-04-18T03:53:58Z **Here's why experts don't think cloud seeding played a role in Dubai's downpour**
With cloud seeding, it may rain, but it doesn't really pour or flood—at least nothing like what drenched the United Arab Emirates and paralyzed Dubai, meteorologists said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-experts-dont-cloud-seeding-played.html) 2024-04-18T08:29:54Z **SpaceX tallies 1st of two launches over two days from Space Coast**
SpaceX launched Wednesday evening the first of a pair of Space Coast rockets in two days, both carrying batches of the company's Starlink satellites. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-spacex-tallies-1st-days-space.html) 2024-04-18T13:03:47Z **First evidence of ancient human occupation found in giant lava tube cave in Saudi Arabia**
If you look from above, you can see thousands of stone structures dotting the landscape of the Arabian peninsula. On the ground, you can find a bounty of stone tools and ancient fireplaces scattered along the edges of ancient lakes, as well as rock art depicting hunting and herding scenes in the surrounding mountains. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-evidence-ancient-human-occupation-giant.html) 2024-04-18T13:03:42Z **Why the kookaburra's iconic laugh is at risk of being silenced**
Once, while teaching a class of environmental science students in China's Hebei University of Science and Technology, I asked who knew what a laughing kookaburra was. There were many blank faces. Then I tilted my head, much like a kookaburra does, and opened my mouth: "kok-kak-KAK-KAK-KAK-KOK-KAK-KOK-kook-kook-kok, kok, kok." I became the "bushman's alarm clock". ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-kookaburra-iconic-silenced.html) 2024-04-18T13:03:39Z **Materials follow the 'Rule of Four,' but scientists don't know why yet**
Scientists are normally happy to find regularities and correlations in their data—but only if they can explain them. Otherwise, they worry that those patterns might just be revealing some flaw in the data itself, so-called experimental artifacts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-materials-scientists-dont.html) 2024-04-18T20:10:01Z **Key protein regulates immune response to viruses in mammal cells**
Researchers have revealed the regulatory mechanism of a specific protein that plays a key role in balancing the immune response triggered by viral infections in mammal cells. These findings could help drive the development of antiviral therapies and nucleic acid medicines to treat genetic disorders. The research is published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-key-protein-immune-response-viruses.html) 2024-04-19T03:59:20Z **Indonesia on alert for more eruptions at remote volcano**
Indonesian authorities were on alert Friday for more eruptions from a remote island volcano that forced thousands to evacuate this week, as nearby residents began clearing debris after molten rocks rained down on their villages. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-indonesia-eruptions-remote-volcano.html) 2024-04-19T08:09:09Z **Remote Indonesia volcano erupts again after thousands evacuated**
A remote Indonesian volcano sent a tower of ash spewing into the sky Friday, after nearly half a dozen eruptions earlier this week forced thousands to evacuate when molten rocks rained down on their villages. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-remote-indonesia-volcano-erupts-thousands.html) 2024-04-19T12:14:04Z **Global study finds there really are more insects out after dark**
Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-global-insects-dark.html) 2024-04-20T03:48:46Z **More than 2,100 people are evacuated as an Indonesian volcano spews clouds of ash**
More than 2,100 people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-people-evacuated-indonesian-volcano-spews.html) 2024-04-20T10:20:01Z **Astronomers discover largest black hole in Milky Way: Study**
Astronomers identified the largest stellar black hole yet discovered in the Milky Way, with a mass 33 times that of the Sun, according to a study published on Tuesday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-astronomers-largest-black-hole-milky.html) 2024-04-20T15:20:01Z **This ancient snake in India might have been longer than a school bus and weighed a ton**
A ancient giant snake in India might have been longer than a school bus and weighed a ton, researchers reported Thursday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-ancient-snake-india-longer-school.html) 2024-04-21T05:50:02Z **Q&A: B.C.'s 2024 wildfire season has started—here's what to know**
Last year's wildfire season marked B.C.'s most destructive on record: 2.8 million hectares burned, more than double any previous year. UBC researchers Dr. Lori Daniels and Dr. Mathieu Bourbonnais actively work on projects enhancing wildfire resilience, collaborating with community, government, private-sector and academic partners, and First Nations. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-qa-bc-wildfire-season.html) 2024-04-21T05:42:42Z **Malians struggle to cope after deadly heat wave**
In Mali's capital Bamako, Aboubacar Pamateck runs a scarf under a trickle of water and wraps it around his head to cope with the West African nation's soaring heat. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-malians-struggle-cope-deadly.html) 2024-04-21T11:50:02Z **Scientists find common genes defending coffee plants against devastating disease**
Arabica coffee is the most economically important coffee globally and accounts for 60% of coffee products worldwide. But the plants it hails from are vulnerable to a disease that, in the 1800s, devastated Sri Lanka's coffee empire. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-scientists-common-genes-defending-coffee.html) 2024-04-21T19:00:01Z **Everest mountaineer's letters digitized for the first time**
Letters written by the famous mountaineer George Mallory have been made available to a global audience for the first time, in the centenary year of his fatal attempt to scale Everest. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-everest-mountaineer-letters-digitized.html) 2024-04-22T04:02:24Z **In Ecuadoran Amazon, butterflies provide a gauge of climate change**
Biologists on a trail in the Ecuadoran Amazon hold their breath as they distribute a foul-smelling delicacy to lure butterflies, critical pollinators increasingly threatened by climate change. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-ecuadoran-amazon-butterflies-gauge-climate.html) 2024-04-22T08:51:03Z **Researchers uncover details of how bacteria build protective barriers, may inform new antibiotics**
Yale researchers have uncovered new details on how bacteria like E. coli build their protective barriers, which will inform new antibiotic development. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-uncover-bacteria-barriers-antibiotics.html) 2024-04-22T08:50:03Z **Astronomers offer new model for formation of recently discovered 'free-floating' planets**
The recent discovery of a potential new class of distant and mysterious "free-floating" planets has intrigued astronomers since stunning new images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope were shared late last year. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-astronomers-formation-free-planets.html) 2024-04-22T12:57:03Z **Novel graphene oxide spray coating advances antiviral protection of face masks**
In the relentless battle against airborne viruses, researchers have developed a new spray coating to improve the antiviral efficacy of personal protective equipment, notably face masks. The study is published in the journal ACS Applied Nano Materials. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-graphene-oxide-spray-coating-advances.html) 2024-04-22T17:01:03Z **Mitochondrial DNA copy number contributes to growth diversity in allopolyploid fish**
Understanding the relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and animal growth could provide valuable information for selective breeding in aquaculture. However, the complex interactions between genetics and environmental factors often hinders progress in this field. To that end, a recent study published in Reproduction and Breeding investigated the cross-sectional diameter of skeletal muscle fibers ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-mitochondrial-dna-contributes-growth-diversity.html) 2024-04-22T17:00:01Z **Research suggests historically redlined areas see more modern-day gun violence**
In the 1930s, the United States government introduced redlining, a discriminatory practice that categorized neighborhoods based on people's race or ethnicity and denied financial services to residents in certain areas—redlining disproportionately affected marginalized communities. While redlining was officially outlawed in 1968, new research from Boston Children's Hospital suggests a relationship between historic red ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-historically-redlined-areas-modern-day.html) 2024-04-23T04:02:47Z **To accelerate biosphere science, researchers say reconnect three scientific cultures**
Researchers who study Earth's biosphere tend to operate from one of three scientific cultures, each with distinct ways of conducting science, and which have been operating mostly independently from one another, find the authors of a Perspective published in PNAS on April 19, 2024. SFI Professors Christopher Kempes and Geoffrey West, together with External Professor Brian Enquist (University of Arizona) ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-biosphere-science-reconnect-scientific-cultures.html) 2024-04-23T04:01:52Z **Tunable quantum anomalous Hall effects in van der Waals heterostructures**
The quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) has unique advantages in topotronic applications, but realizing the QAHE with tunable magnetic and topological properties for building functional devices is still a key scientific challenge. Through first-principles calculations, researchers have predicted a candidate material that meets these requirements. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-tunable-quantum-anomalous-hall-effects.html) 2024-04-23T08:48:03Z **Manipulating the geometry of the 'electron universe' in magnets**
Researchers at Tohoku University and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency have developed fundamental experiments and theories to manipulate the geometry of the "electron universe," which describes the structure of electronic quantum states in a manner mathematically similar to the actual universe, within a magnetic material under ambient conditions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-geometry-electron-universe-magnets.html) 2024-04-23T08:46:05Z **Supercomputer simulation reveals new mechanism for membrane fusion**
An intricate simulation performed by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers using one of the world's most powerful supercomputers sheds new light on how proteins called SNAREs cause biological membranes to fuse. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-supercomputer-simulation-reveals-mechanism-membrane.html) 2024-04-23T12:51:03Z **Researchers create artificial cells that act like living cells**
In a new study published in Nature Chemistry, UNC-Chapel Hill researcher Ronit Freeman and her colleagues describe the steps they took to manipulate DNA and proteins—essential building blocks of life—to create cells that look and act like cells from the body. This accomplishment, a first in the field, has implications for efforts in regenerative medicine, drug delivery systems, and diagnostic tools. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-artificial-cells.html) 2024-04-23T12:50:01Z **NASA to overhaul mission returning samples from Mars—here's why it must and will go ahead**
NASA recently announced that it is seeking new ways to complete the return to Earth of rock cores drilled by the Perseverance Rover in the Jezero Crater on Mars. This has led to some anxiety among space scientists, who view the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission as a cornerstone of plans to explore the solar system. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-nasa-overhaul-mission-samples-mars.html) 2024-04-23T17:04:03Z **Study compares Salmonella rates in backyard, commercial poultry farm samples**
In a comparison of differently sized poultry farms, researchers at North Carolina State University found that rates of Salmonella in fecal and environmental samples were more prevalent on larger commercial farms than on smaller backyard farms. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-salmonella-backyard-commercial-poultry-farm.html) 2024-04-23T17:00:03Z **Researchers develop forest extent map for Mexico**
To properly protect forests and evaluate the state of natural resources, conservation practices and environmental policies, it is important to have accurate information on an area's forest extent. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-forest-extent-mexico.html) 2024-04-24T03:10:01Z **Future hurricanes could compromise New England forests' ability to store and sequester carbon**
Nature-based climate solutions can help mitigate climate change, especially in forested regions capable of storing and sequestering vast amounts of carbon. New research published in Global Change Biology indicates that a single hurricane in New England, one of the most heavily forested regions in the United States, can down 4.6–9.4% of the total above-ground forest carbon, an amount much greater ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-future-hurricanes-compromise-england-forests.html) 2024-04-24T07:30:01Z **Lunar landforms indicate geologically recent seismic activity on the moon**
The moon's steadfast illumination of our night sky has been a source of wonder and inspiration for millennia. Since the first satellite images of its surface were taken in the 1960s, our understanding of Earth's companion through time has developed immeasurably. A complex interplay of cosmic interactions and planetary systems, the moon's surface displays a plethora of landforms evidencing its history. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-lunar-landforms-geologically-seismic-moon.html) 2024-04-24T11:37:03Z **Giant virus discovered in wastewater treatment plant infects deadly parasite**
The single-celled organism Naegleria fowleri ranks among the deadliest human parasites. Researchers around Matthias Horn and Patrick Arthofer from the Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science at the University of Vienna, in an international collaboration, have discovered viruses that infect this harmful microbe. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-giant-virus-wastewater-treatment-infects.html) 2024-04-24T15:49:04Z **Ultrasensitive photonic crystal detects single particles down to 50 nanometers**
Using an ultrasensitive photonic crystal, TU/e researchers were able to detect single particles down to 50 nanometers in diameter. The new research has just been published in the journal Optica. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-ultrasensitive-photonic-crystal-particles-nanometers.html) 2024-04-25T03:44:08Z **The guardian angels of the source of the Seine**
The river Seine, the centerpiece of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony in July, starts with a few drops of water in a mossy grotto deep in the woods of central France. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-guardian-angels-source-seine.html) 2024-04-25T03:42:09Z **Heatstroke kills 30 in Thailand this year as kingdom bakes**
Thailand issued fresh warnings about scorching hot weather on Thursday as the government said heatstroke has already killed at least 30 people this year. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-heatstroke-thailand-year-kingdom.html) 2024-04-25T07:47:42Z **US announces sweeping cuts to power sector carbon emissions**
President Joe Biden's government on Thursday finalized sweeping plans to curb planet-warming emissions from the nation's fossil fuel plants as part of the United States' efforts to confront the climate crisis. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-power-sector-carbon-emissions.html) 2024-04-25T11:54:04Z **Impact investing in Paris suburban 'banlieue' neighborhoods: Untapped social and economic potential**
From July to August, Paris will host the 2024 Olympic games. However, once the athletes and spectators have packed up and left, the Games will leave behind a lasting social impact on the run-down neighborhoods on the outskirts of the French capital. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-impact-investing-paris-suburban-banlieue.html) 2024-04-25T11:53:07Z **Solar geoengineering to cool the planet: Is it worth the risks?**
When I first wrote about geoengineering in 2012 , it was considered far-fetched at best, and crazy by most. But 12 years later, while there is still controversy and considerable resistance to deploying it, respectable scientists and institutions are pushing for more research into geoengineering—the deliberate and large-scale intervention in our climate system to moderate global warming. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-solar-geoengineering-cool-planet-worth.html) 2024-04-25T16:09:03Z **Did climate chaos cultivate or constrain 2023's greenery?**
In the ongoing quest to track the progression of climate change, scientists frequently examine the state of our planet's vegetation—forests, grasslands, agricultural lands, and beyond. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-climate-chaos-cultivate-constrain-greenery.html) 2024-04-26T02:39:04Z **Philippine settlement submerged by dam reappears due to drought**
A centuries-old settlement submerged by the construction of a dam in the northern Philippines in the 1970s has reappeared as water levels drop due to a drought affecting swathes of the country. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-philippine-settlement-submerged-reappears-due.html) 2024-04-26T02:32:29Z **Long-term research shows herring arrive earlier in the Wadden Sea due to climate change**
Due to the changing climate, young herring arrive in the Wadden Sea earlier and earlier in spring. That is shown in a new publication by NIOZ ecologists Mark Rademaker, Myron Peck, and Anieke van Leeuwen in Global Change Biology. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-term-herring-earlier-wadden-sea.html) 2024-04-26T08:35:04Z **Canadian government plans to amend legislation to allow detained migrants to be held in federal prisons**
The Canadian government recently proposed earmarking $325 million in the 2024 federal budget to upgrade federal immigration detention centers to hold more people. The budget also proposes to amend the law to allow federal prisons to be used to detain "high-risk" immigrants. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-canadian-amend-legislation-detained-migrants.html) 2024-04-26T08:33:05Z **Nature conservation works, and we're getting better at it, says new study**
To work in nature conservation is to battle a headwind of bad news. When the overwhelming picture indicates the natural world is in decline, is there any room for optimism? Well, our new global study has some good news: we provide the strongest evidence to date that nature conservation efforts are not only effective, but that when they do work, they often really work. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-nature.html) 2024-04-26T12:40:02Z **Herds of endangered hippos trapped in mud in drought-hit Botswana**
Herds of endangered hippos stuck in the mud of dried-up ponds are in danger of dying in drought-struck Botswana, conservation authorities told AFP Friday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-herds-endangered-hippos-mud-drought.html) 2024-04-26T18:00:01Z **CRISPR is promising to tackle antimicrobial resistance, but bacteria can fight back**
In his presentation "How to use CRISPR-Cas to combat AMR" at the ESCMID Global Congress, Assistant Prof. Ibrahim Bitar, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital in Plzen, Charles University in Prague, Plzen, Czech Republic, will give an overview of the molecular biology of CRISPR technology in explaining how it can used to tackle antimicrobial resistance. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-crispr-tackle-antimicrobial-resistance-bacteria.html) 2024-04-27T05:40:01Z **Astronauts arrive at Kennedy Space Center as first crew for Boeing's Starliner spacecraft**
It's not just another ride for a pair of veteran NASA astronauts who arrived to the Space Coast ahead of their flight onboard Boeing's CST-100 Starliner. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-astronauts-kennedy-space-center-crew.html) 2024-04-27T10:50:01Z **Global study shows a third more insects come out after dark**
A groundbreaking study, led by Dr. Mark Wong of The University of Western Australia, has provided the first global picture of insect activity patterns across the fundamental day–night cycle. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-global-insects-dark-1.html) 2024-04-27T15:30:01Z **US labor market can affect 'people who are not even here'**
That the job market in Phoenix can affect a child's education in Mexico may strain credulity, but it's nevertheless true, according to a recent paper co-authored by Brian Cadena, a University of Colorado Boulder associate professor of economics. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-labor-affect-people.html) 2024-04-28T09:40:01Z **DNA study of Avar cemetery remains reveals network of large pedigrees and social practices**
An international team of archaeologists and archaeogenetics specialists, working with the Hungarian National Museum, has discovered a network of Avar pedigrees and community social practices after conducting a DNA study of the remains of people who once lived in what is now a part of Hungary. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-dna-avar-cemetery-reveals-network.html) 2024-04-28T14:30:01Z **Here's why we should put a gravitational wave observatory on the moon**
Scientists detected the first long-predicted gravitational wave in 2015, and since then, researchers have been hungering for better detectors. But the Earth is warm and seismically noisy, and that will always limit the effectiveness of Earth-based detectors. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-gravitational-observatory-moon.html) 2024-04-29T03:47:38Z **African farmers look to the past and the future to address climate change**
From ancient fertilizer methods in Zimbabwe to new greenhouse technology in Somalia, farmers across the heavily agriculture-reliant African continent are looking to the past and future to respond to climate change. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-african-farmers-future-climate.html) 2024-04-29T09:13:04Z **More than 2 million gazelle still roam the Mongolian steppe**
A study published in Oryx sheds light on the status of Mongolian gazelle populations across Mongolia, Russia, and China, revealing both successes and challenges in the conservation efforts of this iconic species ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-million-gazelle-roam-mongolian-steppe.html) 2024-04-29T09:11:04Z **Australians are having fewer babies and the local-born population is about to shrink: Why it's not that scary**
Australians are having fewer babies, so many fewer that without international migration the population would be on track to decline in just over a decade. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-australians-babies-local-born-population.html) 2024-04-29T13:27:45Z **Satellite maps boost mangrove conservation in China**
Mangroves are vital ecosystems along coastlines, providing essential services such as coastal protection, biodiversity enhancement, and carbon sequestration. Despite their critical importance, effective management of these areas is often hampered by the challenges of acquiring accurate, species-specific data. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-satellite-boost-mangrove-china.html) 2024-04-29T17:32:05Z **Maps developed with artificial intelligence confirm low levels of phosphorus in Amazonian soil**
As the impacts of climate change increasingly affect the daily lives of residents in several countries, including Brazil, the resilience of forests, especially tropical ones such as the Amazon, has become a frequent topic of research. In addition to studying various factors that influence the way vegetation reacts to global warming, scientists are seeking to improve vegetation models—tools ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-artificial-intelligence-phosphorus-amazonian-soil.html) 2024-04-30T00:00:01Z **Too many vehicles, slow reactions and reckless merging: New math model explains how traffic and bacteria move**
What do the flow of cars on a highway and the movement of bacteria towards a food source have in common? In both cases, annoying traffic jams can form. Especially for cars, we might want to understand how to avoid them, but perhaps we've never thought of turning to statistical physics. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-vehicles-reactions-reckless-merging-math.html) 2024-04-30T04:10:02Z **Behavioral therapy against aging: Researchers study the effect of therapies on older dogs**
It is well known that getting plenty of exercise and mental training are important for a long and healthy life. But which is more effective? Do the tasks develop abilities that go beyond them? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-behavioral-therapy-aging-effect-therapies.html) 2024-04-30T09:04:03Z **New research reveals terahertz waves' impact on dynamics of nanoconfined water molecules**
In a new discovery, researchers have revealed novel insights into the behavior of water molecules confined within nanostructures. Their study, published in Science Advances on April 24, delves into how terahertz (THz) waves influence the dynamics of water molecules confined in two-dimensional (2D) spaces within nanoresonators. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-reveals-terahertz-impact-dynamics-nanoconfined.html) 2024-04-30T13:10:06Z **Gum arabic from Africa's acacia trees in the Sahel is used in hundreds of products: What's worth knowing**
The conflict in Sudan has turned attention to a rarely discussed commodity: gum arabic. This product, the dried sap of certain species of acacia trees, is used mainly as an additive in the soft drinks industry. Sudan accounts for about 70% of global gum arabic exports. Asgar Ali, an expert in sustainable food systems, answers questions about the commodity and its prospects. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-gum-arabic-africa-acacia-trees.html) 2024-04-30T13:09:46Z **JWST uses interferometry mode to reveal two protoplanets around a young star**
The JWST is flexing its muscles with its interferometry mode. Researchers used it to study a well-known extrasolar system called PDS 70. The goal? To test the interferometry mode and see how it performs when observing a complex target. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-jwst-interferometry-mode-reveal-protoplanets.html) 2024-04-30T13:09:20Z **Astronomers significantly impact the climate by traveling to conferences, say researchers**
In 2019, global travel to international academic conferences in the field of astronomy caused the equivalent of 42,500 tons of climate-damaging CO2 emissions. This equates to an average of one ton of CO2 per participant and conference. The total distance covered adds up to a truly astronomical sum: one and a half times the distance between the Earth and the sun. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-astronomers-significantly-impact-climate-conferences.html) 2024-04-30T13:09:01Z **Many old books contain toxic chemicals—here's how to spot them**
In our modern society, we rarely consider books to be dangerous items. However, certain books contain elements so hazardous that they require scrutiny before being placed on the shelves of public libraries, bookstores or even private homes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-toxic-chemicals.html) 2024-04-30T20:00:01Z **New observatory in Chile—the highest in the world—aims to reveal origins of planets, galaxies and more**
How do planets form? How do galaxies evolve? And ultimately, how did the universe itself begin? A unique astronomical observatory that researchers hope will unravel some of the biggest mysteries out there marks its opening on April 30, 2024. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-observatory-chile-highest-world-aims.html) 2024-05-01T03:58:06Z **Study says El Nino, not climate change, was key driver of low rainfall that snarled Panama Canal**
The climate phenomenon known as El Niño—and not climate change—was a key driver in low rainfall that disrupted shipping at the Panama Canal last year, scientists said Wednesday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-el-nino-climate-key-driver.html) 2024-05-01T08:55:52Z **Horizontal running could help lunar astronauts retain physical conditioning**
A small team of pathophysiologists and human locomotion specialists at the University of Milan has found that it should be possible for astronauts on the moon to prevent muscle and bone deterioration by running horizontally in a cylinder. In their study, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the group mimicked the effects of the moon's gravity on volunteer runners inside of a borrowed "wall of death. ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-horizontal-lunar-astronauts-retain-physical.html) 2024-05-01T13:02:02Z **Survey: Most workers feel that AI can't replace soft skills**
A new survey from Wiley suggests workers do not feel artificial intelligence (AI) will be replacing the art of communication in the workplace. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-survey-workers-ai-soft-skills.html) 2024-05-01T17:10:09Z **Precipitation may brighten Colorado River's future, says modeling study**
The Colorado River's future may be a little brighter than expected, according to a new modeling study from CIRES researchers. Warming temperatures, which deplete water in the river, have raised doubts the Colorado River could recover from a multi-decade drought. The new study fully accounts for both rising temperatures and precipitation in the Colorado's headwaters, and finds precipitation, not temperature, will likel ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-precipitation-brighten-colorado-river-future.html) 2024-05-02T00:20:02Z **Why do male chicks play more than females? Study finds answers in distant ancestor**
Play is widespread, but far from ubiquitous, across the animal kingdom. Especially common in mammals, play is also known to occur in taxa as diverse as birds, fish, octopuses, and even insects. But what is its function, given that natural selection never selects fun for its own sake? One prominent hypothesis is that play is beneficial to individuals because it allows them to practice skills needed later in life. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-male-chicks-play-females-distant.html) 2024-05-02T06:42:39Z **Long-awaited Chicago policy doesn't do enough to protect migrating birds, advocates say**
Annette Prince peered between glossy downtown buildings: "There's a bird in that grate." ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-awaited-chicago-policy-doesnt-migrating.html) 2024-05-02T10:50:01Z **Researchers develop near-chromosome-level genome for the Mojave poppy bee**
Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and university research partners have developed a near chromosome-level genome for the Mojave poppy bee, a specialist pollinator of conservation concern, according to a recent paper published in the Journal of Heredity. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-04-chromosome-genome-mojave-poppy-bee.html) 2024-05-02T14:57:05Z **Coastal hurricanes around the world are intensifying faster, new study finds**
Hurricanes are among the world's most destructive natural hazards. Their ability to cause damage is shaped by their environment; conditions like warm ocean waters, guiding winds, and atmospheric moisture can all dictate storm strength. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-coastal-hurricanes-world-faster.html) 2024-05-03T00:00:01Z **Research shows bumblebee nests are overheating due to climate change, threatening future populations**
As a result of the climate crisis, global warming is driving up temperatures around the world—and bumblebees, like humans, are struggling to cope with homes that can't beat the heat. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-bumblebee-overheating-due-climate-threatening.html) 2024-05-03T05:00:01Z **Research quantifies 'gap' in carbon removal for first time—shows countries need more awareness, ambition and action**
New research involving the University of East Anglia (UEA) suggests that countries' current plans to remove CO2 from the atmosphere will not be enough to comply with the 1.5ºC warming limit set out under the Paris Agreement. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-quantifies-gap-carbon-countries-awareness.html) 2024-05-03T09:17:04Z **New mirror that can be flexibly shaped improves X-ray microscopes**
A team of researchers in Japan has engineered a mirror for X-rays that can be flexibly shaped, resulting in remarkable precision at the atomic level and increased stability. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-mirror-flexibly-ray-microscopes.html) 2024-05-03T13:29:41Z **Rising mercury levels may contribute to declining Steller sea lion populations**
A team of researchers from Texas A&M University and other institutions has made a surprising discovery about rising mercury levels in Steller sea lion pups that may have detrimental effects on the endangered species. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-mercury-contribute-declining-steller-sea.html) 2024-05-03T13:27:46Z **Five-day work week builds work–life balance in construction**
Construction workers typically work six days a week but research tracking a five-day work week in the industry shows flexibility is key to improving worker well-being, with minimal perceived impact on productivity. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-day-week-worklife.html) 2024-05-04T04:17:34Z **Boeing's Starliner joins select club of crewed US spaceships**
Throughout the annals of American space exploration, a select few spacecraft have had the distinction of carrying human beings beyond Earth. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-boeing-starliner-club-crewed-spaceships.html) 2024-05-04T04:16:01Z **Vietnam temperature records tumble as heat wave scorches**
More than 100 temperature records fell across Vietnam in April, according to official data, as a deadly heat wave scorches South and Southeast Asia. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-vietnam-temperature.html) 2024-05-04T09:00:01Z **Saturday Citations: Parrots on the internet; a map of human wakefulness; the most useless rare-earth element**
We field a torrent of science news updates every week and on Saturday morning, we highlight three or four of them based on the observed preferences of a panel of dogs as shown by the Paired-Stimulus Preference Assessment, a standardized evaluation of preferred stimuli. This week, the dogs selected stories about parrot-to-parrot video calling, loud human noises, and a new neural map of ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-saturday-citations-parrots-internet-human.html) 2024-05-04T13:20:02Z **Nanotech opens door to future of insulin medication**
An international team, led by researchers from Australia, have developed a system using nanotechnology that could allow people with diabetes to take oral insulin in the future. The researchers say the new insulin could be eaten by taking a tablet or even embedded within a piece of chocolate. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-nanotech-door-future-insulin-medication.html) 2024-05-04T18:50:02Z **Opinion: Why women would prefer to be alone in the woods with a bear than a man**
Would you rather find yourself alone in the woods with a bear or a man? This is the question currently dividing social media. Based on the responses online, it looks like most women answering the question say they would choose the bear, a decision that is shocking many men. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-opinion-women-woods.html) 2024-05-05T08:50:01Z **First steps toward a whole-body map of molecular responses to exercise**
Research definitively confirms that muscle-moving, calorie-burning activity slows the advance of disease, improves cognitive function, boosts the immune system, and reduces rates of mortality from all causes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-body-molecular-responses.html) 2024-05-05T13:30:02Z **Cellphone ban won't address mental health, classroom concentration issues, say experts**
While a ban on cellphones in Ontario classrooms will temporarily keep them out of students' hands, the move will do little to support the mental health of youth across the province, say Brock University experts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-cellphone-wont-mental-health-classroom.html) 2024-05-06T02:39:46Z **Want to show teachers appreciation? This top school gives them more freedom**
When teachers at A.D. Henderson School, one of the top-performing schools in Florida, are asked how they succeed, one answer is universal: They have autonomy. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-teachers-school-freedom.html) 2024-05-06T07:10:02Z **Boaters dumping trash in South Florida's waters? Teens face felony charges**
Two teen boaters are facing felony charges for pollution after they were caught on video dumping trash into the Atlantic Ocean during a South Florida boating party. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-boaters-dumping-trash-south-florida.html) 2024-05-06T07:06:29Z **Boeing faces critical launch ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station**
Ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station has almost become routine—but not for Boeing and not on Monday, when after years of delay it's finally set to launch two crew members to the orbiting platform on a critical test flight. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-boeing-critical-ferrying-astronauts-international.html) 2024-05-06T07:06:16Z **Calif. state Sen. Blakespear says coastal railroad is at a climate crossroads**
A coordinated, multiagency effort is essential to save Southern California's coastal rail corridor from sea-level rise and erosion, state Sen. Catherine Blakespear warned last week. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-calif-state-sen-blakespear-coastal.html) 2024-05-06T11:47:51Z **Scientists directly measure a key reaction in neutron star binaries**
An X-ray burst (XRB) is a violent explosion that occurs on the surface of a neutron star as it absorbs material from a companion star. During this absorption, increasing temperatures and densities on the surface of the neutron star ignite a cascade of thermonuclear reactions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-scientists-key-reaction-neutron-star.html) 2024-05-06T11:44:04Z **Attosecond core-level spectroscopy reveals real-time molecular dynamics**
Chemical reactions are complex mechanisms. Many different dynamic processes are involved, affecting both the electrons and the nucleus of the present atoms. Very often, the strongly coupled electron and nuclear dynamics induce radiation-less relaxation processes known as conical intersections. Such dynamics, which are at the basis of many biological and chemical relevant functions, are extremely difficult to detect exper ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-attosecond-core-spectroscopy-reveals-real.html) 2024-05-06T15:51:03Z **Team describes MXene-supported PtCo bimetallic catalyst for hydrogen evolution in acidic conditions**
Hydrogen energy is considered a promising solution with high energy density and zero pollution emissions. Currently, hydrogen is mainly derived from fossil fuels, which increases energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, hindering efforts to achieve carbon neutrality goals. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-team-mxene-ptco-bimetallic-catalyst.html) 2024-05-07T01:34:40Z **Researchers explain how following the dietary guidelines is smart—for you and the climate**
For the first time, Norwegian researchers have calculated what effect the average Norwegian diet has on the climate and environment and have studied the potential benefits for the climate and environment if we start following a diet in line with existing dietary guidelines. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-dietary-guidelines-smart-climate.html) 2024-05-07T01:34:36Z **Unraveling isopods' culinary secrets and why it matters for ecosystems**
New research on desert isopods' dietary preferences is the revelation of the complex factors influencing their food choices. By understanding how these animals meticulously regulate their nutrient intake and prefer biological soil crusts over plant litter, the study highlights the intricate dynamics of trophic interactions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-unraveling-isopods-culinary-secrets-ecosystems.html) 2024-05-07T01:34:22Z **Contradictory thoughts lead to more moderate attitudes, psychologists find**
Researchers from the Leibniz Institute for Psychology (ZPID) and the University of Hohenheim present rhetorical tools that can help to reduce the polarization of discussions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-contradictory-thoughts-moderate-attitudes-psychologists.html) 2024-05-07T01:33:56Z **Researchers develop bioinspired Bouligand structure for enhanced mechanical properties**
Bouligand structures, found in natural materials like fish scales, lobster peritoneum and bones, are known for providing exceptional mechanical properties to biomaterials. While progress has been made in creating bioinspired materials, most research has focused on putting the fibers together. A deeper understanding of how the fibers interact to enhance the mechanical functions is needed now. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-bioinspired-bouligand-mechanical-properties.html) 2024-05-07T01:33:41Z **Rich molecular language guides tiny liquid droplet formation in cells**
Peering into a biological cell reveals a bustling microscopic world. The workhorses within this realm are specialized structures called organelles that perform vital cellular functions. Curiously, some organelles defy accepted convention: Instead of being enclosed within a protective membrane, they are without membranes and take the form of isolated liquid droplets. The rules that govern the formation of these droplets, a proces ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-rich-molecular-language-tiny-liquid.html) 2024-05-07T01:33:33Z **Why parrots sometimes adopt—or kill—each other's babies**
Infanticide and adoption in the animal kingdom have long puzzled scientists. While both males and females of many species are known to kill the babies of their rivals to secure sexual or social advantage, other animals have been observed caring for the young of dead or missing comrades. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-parrots-babies.html) 2024-05-07T06:53:29Z **White House environmental official tours PFAS-site in Minnesota**
A member of President Joe Biden's administration stopped in the city of Lake Elmo, Minnesota, on May 6 to talk PFAS with local officials, visiting an area that's been at the forefront of contamination just three weeks after the Biden administration released the first-ever drinking water standards for the so-called "forever" chemical. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-white-house-environmental-pfas-site.html) 2024-05-07T11:04:05Z **In Brazil, 76% of deforestation in three Amazonian states occurred in a planned agricultural development zone**
The Brazilian government is discussing the creation of an "agricultural development zone" at the confluence of three states in the Amazon region—Amazonas, Acre, and Rondônia (hence the proposed acronym AMACRO). ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-brazil-deforestation-amazonian-states-agricultural.html) 2024-05-07T15:07:16Z **New patent for bio-based polymer to be used in piezoelectric devices**
UD engineers are the lead inventors on a new patent for making piezoelectric devices, such as sensors and actuators, using Nodax, a biodegradable, bio-based polymer. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-patent-bio-based-polymer-piezoelectric.html) 2024-05-07T15:07:07Z **The quantum theory of gravitation, effective field theories and strings: Past and present**
Gravity is one of four fundamental interactions. The most precise description of this force is still provided by Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, published in 1915, an entirely classical theory. This description sets gravity apart from the other three forces—strong, weak, and electromagnetism—all described by quantum fields. Therefore, any attempt to unify the four forces must depend on a descr ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-quantum-theory-gravitation-effective-field.html) 2024-05-07T15:06:57Z **Researchers establish commercially viable process for manufacturing with promising new class of metals**
Nanostructured high entropy alloys—metals made from a chaotic mix of several different elements—show a lot of promise for use in industries such as aerospace and automotive because of their strength and stability at high temperatures compared with regular metals. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-commercially-viable-class-metals.html) 2024-05-07T20:10:02Z **Study exposes alarming risks to Scotland's food delivery couriers**
A new study highlighting the risks encountered by food delivery couriers reveals a majority feel 'unsafe' when at work with every woman surveyed having experienced sexual harassment or abuse. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-exposes-alarming-scotland-food-delivery.html) 2024-05-08T03:24:46Z **Boeing's first astronaut launch is off until late next week to replace a bad rocket valve**
Boeing's first astronaut launch is off until late next week because of a bad valve in the rocket that needs to be replaced. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-boeing-astronaut-late-week-bad.html) 2024-05-08T08:18:48Z **World extends run of heat records for an 11th month in a row**
April was the Earth's 11th consecutive month of record-breaking heat, with warmer weather already sweeping across Asia and a hotter-than-usual summer expected in Europe. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-world-11th-month-row.html) 2024-05-08T08:18:44Z **Bird flu is bad for poultry and dairy cows: It's not a dire threat for most of us—yet**
Headlines are flying after the Department of Agriculture confirmed that the H5N1 bird flu virus has infected dairy cows around the country. Tests have detected the virus among cattle in nine states, mainly in Texas and New Mexico, and most recently in Colorado, said Nirav Shah, principal deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at a May 1 event held by the Council on Foreign Relations. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-bird-flu-bad-poultry-dairy.html) 2024-05-08T12:37:02Z **Using AI to predict grade point average from college application essays**
Jonah Berger and Olivier Toubia used natural language processing to understand what drives academic success. The authors analyzed over 20,000 college application essays from a large public university that attracts students from a range of racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds and found that the semantic volume of the writing, or how much ground an application essay covered predicted college performance, as measured by gr ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-ai-grade-average-college-application.html) 2024-05-08T12:36:02Z **Few tenure-track jobs for engineering Ph.D.s, study finds**
A study finds that most engineering Ph.D. graduates will never secure a tenure-track faculty position. Over the past 50 years, the number of full-time faculty positions in US universities has steadily declined while production of science and engineering Ph.D. graduates has nearly doubled. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-tenure-track-jobs-phds.html) 2024-05-08T16:42:02Z **Global warming may boost mosquito habitats, study finds**
A research team at Los Alamos National Laboratory is using computer models to simulate how climate change could expand the geographical range in which mosquitoes live, which may cause an increase in mosquito-borne illness. The study was recently published in the Journal of Climate Change and Health. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-global-boost-mosquito-habitats.html) 2024-05-08T16:41:03Z **Researchers target spermidine production to combat emerging drug resistance in Salmonella**
Food-borne diseases like typhoid, caused by Salmonella Typhimurium, are a severe threat to public health, especially in India. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics has allowed this bacterium to become resistant, posing a major hurdle in treating infections. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-spermidine-production-combat-emerging-drug.html) 2024-05-08T16:39:03Z **NASA and JAXA XRISM spot iron fingerprints in nearby active galaxy**
After starting science operations in February, Japan-led XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) studied the monster black hole at the center of galaxy NGC 4151. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-nasa-jaxa-xrism-iron-fingerprints.html) 2024-05-09T00:10:01Z **Bleaching of coral reefs shows severe ocean circulation changes**
A new paper in Oxford Open Climate Change indicates that extensive bleaching and deaths are widespread at several major coral reefs around the world. This suggests that climate change has resulted in shifting patterns in ocean circulation. Coral reefs may soon be a thing of the past. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-coral-reefs-severe-ocean-circulation.html) 2024-05-09T05:00:02Z **Team develops an epigenome editing toolkit to dissect the mechanisms of gene regulation**
Understanding how genes are regulated at the molecular level is a central challenge in modern biology. This complex mechanism is mainly driven by the interaction between proteins called transcription factors, DNA regulatory regions, and epigenetic modifications—chemical alterations that change chromatin structure. The set of epigenetic modifications of a cell's genome is referred to as the epigenome. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-team-epigenome-toolkit-mechanisms-gene.html) 2024-05-09T09:23:01Z **Research investigates the environment of globular cluster NGC 6355**
Using the Dark Energy Camera (DECam), Argentinian astronomers have investigated the environment of a galactic globular cluster known as NGC 6355. The study, presented in a paper published May 2 on the pre-print server arXiv, found that the cluster has several extra-tidal features. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-environment-globular-cluster-ngc.html) 2024-05-09T13:27:04Z **Why some receiving federal benefits don't consider themselves poor, although poverty rates have increased**
For the past 25 years, my research as a cultural anthropologist has taken me into the homes and neighborhoods of people living in poverty in cities and rural communities throughout the U.S. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-federal-benefits-dont-poor-poverty.html) 2024-05-10T00:00:01Z **Team compares robot-assisted language learning systems and human tutors in English conversation lessons**
Advancements in large language models, robotics, and software such as text-to-speech, have made it possible to develop robots that can understand language, interact physically, and communicate verbally. These breakthroughs have opened up possibilities for robots to be used for educational purposes. However, this raises the question of whether robots are as good as human tutors. While robots offer ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-team-robot-language-human-english.html) 2024-05-10T08:35:16Z **Elephants use gestures and vocal cues when greeting each other, study reports**
A team of animal behaviorists from the University of Vienna, the University of Portsmouth, Elephant CREW, Jafuta Reserve and the University of St Andrews has found that elephants use gestures and vocal cues when they greet one another. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-elephants-gestures-vocal-cues.html) 2024-05-10T08:33:05Z **Designer peptoids mimic nature's helices**
Nature is filled with extraordinarily precise molecular shapes that fit together like a hand in glove. Proteins, for example, can assemble into a wide variety of well-defined shapes that grant them their function. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-peptoids-mimic-nature-helices.html) 2024-05-10T12:50:04Z **Q&A: Researcher exposes child labor trafficking as a hidden crime after investigating 132 victims**
Children trafficked for their labor often work in public view in restaurants, laundromats, agricultural fields and water parks, but little has been known about their plight. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-qa-exposes-child-labor-trafficking.html) 2024-05-11T04:35:29Z **Fresh rains pound Brazil's flood-hit south as evacuations double**
The skies opened once again Friday in southern Brazil, offering little respite for those whose homes have been swallowed by floodwaters, while the number of people forced to evacuate doubled in 24 hours. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-fresh-pound-brazil-south-evacuations.html) 2024-05-11T11:50:01Z **AI may be to blame for our failure to make contact with alien civilizations**
Artificial intelligence (AI) has progressed at an astounding pace over the last few years. Some scientists are now looking towards the development of artificial superintelligence (ASI)—a form of AI that would not only surpass human intelligence but would not be bound by the learning speeds of humans. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-ai-blame-failure-contact-alien.html) 2024-05-12T05:47:58Z **Brazil authorities warn of more floods, landslides as new rains hit south**
New rains in waterlogged southern Brazil are expected to be heaviest between Sunday and Monday, authorities have warned, bringing fresh misery to victims of flooding that has killed 136 people so far. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-brazil-authorities-landslides-south.html) 2024-05-12T13:50:02Z **What deadly Venus can tell us about life on other worlds**
Even though Venus and Earth are so-called sister planets, they're as different as heaven and hell. Earth is a natural paradise where life has persevered under its azure skies despite multiple mass extinctions. On the other hand, Venus is a blistering planet with clouds of sulfuric acid and atmospheric pressure strong enough to squash a human being. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-deadly-venus-life-worlds.html) 2024-05-13T04:07:35Z **Indonesia flood death toll rises to 41 with 17 missing**
The number of people killed by flash floods and cold lava flow from a volcano in western Indonesia over the weekend has risen to 41 with 17 more missing, a local disaster agency official told AFP Monday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-indonesia-death-toll.html) 2024-05-13T09:18:04Z **Nature's 3D printer: Bristle worms form bristles piece by piece**
A new interdisciplinary study led by molecular biologist Florian Raible from the Max Perutz Labs at the University of Vienna provides exciting insights into the bristles of the marine annelid worm Platynereis dumerilii. Specialized cells, called chaetoblasts, control the formation of the bristles. Their mode of operation is astonishingly similar to that of a technical 3D printer. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-nature-3d-printer-bristle-worms.html) 2024-05-13T13:30:02Z **More desalination is coming to Australia's driest states—but super-salty outflows could trash ecosystems and fisheries**
From around 1996 to 2010, Australia was gripped by the millennium drought. As water shortages bit hard, most of Australia's capital cities built large seawater desalination plants—Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. Remote towns have also built smaller desalination plants. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-desalination-australia-driest-states-super.html) 2024-05-13T13:30:02Z **Divorce rates are falling: Are Canadians too poor to break up?**
Why did Al and Peg Bundy from the sitcom Married… with Children never get divorced? After all, they were rarely happy and constantly arguing. Maybe they felt they were the best they could do for each other—a middle-aged homely shoe salesman and a stay-at-home mom with two kids. They cared for each other, but they also hated each other deeply. And neither ever cheated, despite having the opportunity. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-divorce-falling-canadians-poor.html) 2024-05-13T17:32:04Z **Machine learning and AI aid in predicting molecular selectivity of chemical reactions**
There are few problems now that AI and machine learning cannot help overcome. Researchers from the Yokohama National University are using this modern advantage to resolve what conventional methods cannot. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-machine-ai-aid-molecular-chemical.html) 2024-05-14T04:37:23Z **More evacuated as early wildfires sweep western Canada**
One of the year's first major wildfires in Canada closed in Monday on the British Columbia town of Fort Nelson, as thousands of people across the nation were forced to flee advancing blazes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-evacuated-early-wildfires-western-canada.html) 2024-05-14T08:44:04Z **Scientists develop sticky pesticide to combat pest insects**
Researchers from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and Leiden University have engineered a biological barrier that protects plants from diseases and pests. It concerns a sticky substance that is sprayed on leaves, to which pests stick. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-scientists-sticky-pesticide-combat-pest.html) 2024-05-14T12:47:04Z **New optical tweezers can trap large and irregularly shaped particles**
Researchers have developed new optical tweezers that can stably trap particles that are large—about 0.1 mm—and irregularly shaped. While conventional optical tweezers use highly focused laser beams to trap micro- or nano-scale rod shaped or spherical particles, the advance could expand light-based trapping to a wider range of objects such as groups of cells, bacteria and microplastics. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-optical-tweezers-large-irregularly-particles.html) 2024-05-14T16:50:03Z **Investigating the poisoning effect of carbon deposition during CO₂ electroreduction**
A research team has proposed new understandings of the poisoning effect of carbon deposition during carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) on the active sites of Cu electrode. The study was published in Precision Chemistry. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-poisoning-effect-carbon-deposition-co8322.html) 2024-05-15T03:10:04Z **Climate change could significantly alter distribution of jellyfish and other gelatinous zooplankton in the Arctic Ocean**
Gelatinous zooplankton, including jellyfish and other diverse, nearly transparent organisms, play important roles in marine ecosystems. Climate change is expected to significantly alter their populations and distributions. New research published in Limnology and Oceanography examines their fate in the Arctic Ocean, one of the fastest warming oceans on Earth. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-climate-significantly-jellyfish-gelatinous-zooplankton.html) 2024-05-15T03:10:01Z **How do mindfulness, compassion and need fulfillment affect satisfaction in midlife married couples?**
Many people practice mindfulness or self-compassion techniques in their everyday life as part of their normal self-care routine. Although many studies support the individual benefits of mindfulness and self-compassion, few have focused on romantic relationship outcomes. A new study published in Personal Relationships has examined how mindfulness, self- and other-compassion, and ne ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-mindfulness-compassion-fulfillment-affect-satisfaction.html) 2024-05-15T09:06:48Z **Raw sewage pumped into England's largest lake due to fault**
Raw sewage was pumped into Windermere, England's largest and best-known lake, over a 10-hour period after a fault caused pumps to stop working, according to documents seen by the BBC and reported Wednesday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-raw-sewage-england-largest-lake.html) 2024-05-15T09:00:01Z **Avian flu detected in New York City wild birds**
A small number of New York City wild birds carry highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, according to a study published in the Journal of Virology,. The work highlights that the interface between animals and humans that may give rise to zoonotic infections or even pandemics is not limited to rural environments and commercial poultry operations, but extends into urban centers. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-avian-flu-york-city-wild.html) 2024-05-15T09:00:01Z **Repurposed beer yeast encapsulated in hydrogels may offer a cost-effective way to remove lead from water**
Every year, beer breweries generate and discard thousands of tons of surplus yeast. Researchers from MIT and Georgia Tech have now come up with a way to repurpose that yeast to absorb lead from contaminated water. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-repurposed-beer-yeast-encapsulated-hydrogels.html) 2024-05-15T13:19:03Z **New strategy suppresses unwanted deletion events to make genome editing safer and more precise**
A simple and robust strategy developed by KAUST scientists could help to improve the safety and accuracy of CRISPR gene editing, a tool that is already approved for clinical use for the treatment of inherited blood disorders. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-strategy-suppresses-unwanted-deletion-events.html) 2024-05-15T13:14:26Z **SpaceX plans to launch 90 rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base by 2026: Could that harm the coast?**
SpaceX plans to launch 90 rockets into space from a Santa Barbara County military base by 2026, tripling the number of blasts rocking the coastal community—and raising concerns from neighbors and environmental groups about the effects on marine life. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-spacex-rockets-vandenberg-space-base.html) 2024-05-15T13:13:58Z **Air quality alerts are a climate change alarm**
The sky over Minnesota was the subject of fascination and frustration over the weekend. Awe over solar-storm triggered northern lights turned to "Aw, not again!" over an air quality alert sparked by smoke drifting from wildfires in western Canada. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-air-quality-climate-alarm.html) 2024-05-15T18:30:01Z **The tide is turning against a controversial term accused of covering up deaths in police custody**
Updated medical guidance on "excited delirium," the controversial term accused of covering up deaths in police custody, including that of George Floyd, is being brought forward before its scheduled date of October 2025, reports The BMJ. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-tide-controversial-term-accused-deaths.html) 2024-05-16T04:00:01Z **A golden layer unlocks sharper imaging and faster scanning with X-rays**
Scientists have made a breakthrough in significantly improving the sharpness of X-ray imaging and potentially boosting the speeds at which X-ray scans can be processed. This lays the groundwork for both better medical imaging and faster security clearance. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-golden-layer-sharper-imaging-faster.html) 2024-05-16T08:57:03Z **Researchers discover new family of bacteria with high pharmaceutical potential**
Most antibiotics used in human medicine originate from natural products derived from bacteria and other microbes. Novel microorganisms are therefore a promising source of new active compounds, also for the treatment of diseases such as cancer or viral infections. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-family-bacteria-high-pharmaceutical-potential.html) 2024-05-16T13:10:07Z **Leopard DNA study in South Africa traces ancestry to ice age—and will guide conservation**
An ice age almost one million years ago led to a meeting between leopards from central and southern Africa that were searching for grassland. New research into the leopards' genetics—their mitogenome—has revealed that the descendants of these two groups are the leopards found today in South Africa's Mpumalanga province. One of the researchers, molecular ecologist Laura Tensen, has been studying the genetic struc ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-leopard-dna-south-africa-ancestry.html) 2024-05-16T17:18:04Z **Airborne technology brings new hope to map shallow aquifers in Earth's most arid deserts**
Water shortages are expanding across the Earth. This is particularly acute in desert areas of the Middle East that are subject to both drought and extreme conditions such as flooding. As a result of these uncertainties, there is an increasing reliance on shallow aquifers to mitigate these shortages. However, the characteristics of these aquifers remain poorly understood due to the reliance on sporadic w ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-airborne-technology-shallow-aquifers-earth.html) 2024-05-16T17:14:03Z **Detecting influence campaigns on X with AI and network science**
In the age of generative-AI and large language models (LLMs), massive amounts of inauthentic content can be rapidly broadcasted on social media platforms. As a result, malicious actors are becoming more sophisticated, hijacking hashtags, artificially amplifying misleading content, and mass resharing propaganda. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-campaigns-ai-network-science.html) 2024-05-17T00:00:01Z **A devastating fire 2,200 years ago preserved a moment of life and war in Iron Age Spain, down to a single gold earring**
A ruined building in the middle of the Pyrenees records a tragedy for the people who lived there—a devastating fire that burned a settlement to the ground, destroying almost everything except a hidden gold earring. Now archaeologists' excavation of Building G, in the strategically placed Iron Age site of Tossal de Baltarga, reveals a way of life derailed by violence: potentially, a ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-devastating-years-moment-life-war.html) 2024-05-17T04:21:24Z **Weather eases Canadian oil sands city wildfire menace**
Rain and cooler weather have halted the advance of a huge wildfire threatening the Canadian city of Fort McMurray in a major oil-producing region, officials said Thursday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-weather-eases-canadian-oil-sands.html) 2024-05-17T04:14:28Z **For sale: unique piece of land in strategic Arctic archipelago**
The last piece of privately owned land in the strategic Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic is up for grabs, a property likely to entice China but which Norway does not intend to let go without a fight. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-sale-unique-piece-strategic-arctic.html) 2024-05-17T09:34:58Z **Data from MAXI J1820+070 shows Einstein was right about how matter plunges into a black hole**
A team of astrophysicists from the University of Oxford, Newcastle University and the Institute of Astronomy, all in the U.K., working with a colleague from the University of Virginia, in the U.S., has found evidence showing that Albert Einstein was correct when his theory of general relativity predicted how matter that came to close to a black hole would fall into it. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-maxi-j1820070-einstein-plunges-black.html) 2024-05-17T13:39:03Z **Research: Technology is changing how companies do business**
In the fast-paced world of modern business, technology plays a crucial role in shaping how companies operate. One area where this impact is particularly significant is in the organization of production chains—specifically the way goods are made and distributed. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-technology-companies-business.html) 2024-05-17T13:37:07Z **Canada's wildfire season begins**
Wildfire season has arrived in full force in Canada, prompting evacuation orders and alerts in several towns in British Columbia and Alberta due to the danger of uncontrolled blazes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-canada-wildfire-season.html) 2024-05-17T13:37:03Z **Earth from space: New Zealand's North Island**
Captured on 7 May 2024, this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image shows part of New Zealand's North Island. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-earth-space-zealand-north-island.html) 2024-05-18T02:25:37Z **Physicists propose path to faster, more flexible robots**
In a May 15 paper released in the journal Physical Review Letters, Virginia Tech physicists revealed a microscopic phenomenon that could greatly improve the performance of soft devices, such as agile flexible robots or microscopic capsules for drug delivery. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-physicists-path-faster-flexible-robots.html) 2024-05-18T02:24:18Z **First crewed flight of Boeing Starliner postponed again**
The first crewed launch of Boeing's Starliner to the International Space Station has been delayed again due to a technical issue, NASA said Friday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-crewed-flight-boeing-starliner-postponed.html) 2024-05-18T02:23:44Z **Death toll from Texas storm rises to 7**
The death toll from severe weather that lashed the Texas city of Houston has risen to seven, authorities said Friday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-death-toll-texas-storm.html) 2024-05-18T02:20:40Z **'Danger behind the beauty': More solar storms could be heading our way**
Tourists normally have to pay big money and brave cold climates for a chance to see an aurora, but last weekend many people around the world simply had to look up to see these colorful displays dance across the sky. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-danger-beauty-solar-storms.html) 2024-05-18T06:30:01Z **Why so many animals, including our pets, have a third eyelid—yet humans don't**
Our family dog used to have a rather noticeable extra eyelid that became especially apparent when he dozed off, usually upturned on the rug. This is the fleshy curtain seen at the corner of each eye, closest to the nose. It's also commonly called the nictitating (literally "blinking") membrane. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-animals-pets-eyelid-humans-dont.html) 2024-05-18T10:50:01Z **When the first warm-blooded dinosaurs roamed Earth**
Scientists once thought of dinosaurs as sluggish, cold-blooded creatures. Then research suggested that some could control their body temperature, but when and how that shift came about remained a mystery. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-blooded-dinosaurs-roamed-earth.html) 2024-05-18T15:30:01Z **Proposed sex education guidance in England goes against evidence and may well lead to harm**
The UK government has released new plans for relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) in primary and secondary schools in England. This would see age parameters introduced for key issues in sex education, with no education on sex at all for children under the age of 9. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-sex-guidance-england-evidence.html) 2024-05-19T08:30:02Z **Denser housing can be greener, too: How NZ can build better for biodiversity**
Cities across Aotearoa New Zealand are trying to solve a housing crisis, with increasing residential density a key solution. But not everyone is happy about the resulting loss of natural habitats and biodiversity. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-denser-housing-greener-nz-biodiversity.html) 2024-05-19T15:46:22Z **Blue Origin flies thrill seekers to space, including oldest astronaut**
After a nearly two-year hiatus, Blue Origin flew adventurers to space on Sunday, including a former Air Force pilot who was denied the chance to be the United States' first Black astronaut decades ago. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-blue-flies-thrill-seekers-space-1.html) 2024-05-19T20:30:02Z **Are we really about to talk to whales?**
The past decade has seen an explosion of new research into some of the most fascinating sounds in the sea: the vocalizations of whales and dolphins. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-whales.html) 2024-05-20T04:11:31Z **Black farmers in Brazil changing views on coffee production**
Raphael Brandao beams with pride as he describes the high-end Brazilian coffee he produces with beans sourced exclusively from Black farmers in a country where many still associate the product with slavery. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-black-farmers-brazil-views-coffee.html) 2024-05-20T09:00:01Z **Record low Antarctic sea ice 'extremely unlikely' without climate change, says scientists**
Scientists at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have found that the record-low levels of sea ice around Antarctica in 2023 were extremely unlikely to happen without the influence of climate change. This low was a one-in-a-2000-year event without climate change and four times more likely under its effects. The results are published (20 May) in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, in a paper titled "CMIP6 ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-antarctic-sea-ice-extremely-climate.html) 2024-05-20T09:00:01Z **Study finds evidence that subduction zone splay faults compound hazards of great earthquakes**
Research has provided new insight into the tectonic plate shifts that create some of the Earth's largest earthquakes and tsunamis. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-evidence-subduction-zone-splay-faults.html) 2024-05-20T13:03:34Z **Scientists discover single atom defect in 2D material can hold quantum information at room temperature**
Scientists have discovered that a "single atomic defect" in a layered 2D material can hold onto quantum information for microseconds at room temperature, underscoring the potential of 2D materials in advancing quantum technologies. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-scientists-atom-defect-2d-material.html) 2024-05-20T13:03:24Z **NA64 uses the high-energy SPS muon beam to search for dark matter**
The NA64 experiment started operations at CERN's SPS North Area in 2016. Its aim is to search for unknown particles from a hypothetical "dark sector." For these searches, NA64 directs an electron beam onto a fixed target. Researchers then look for unknown dark sector particles produced by collisions between the beam's electrons and the target's atomic nuclei. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-na64-high-energy-sps-muon.html) 2024-05-20T17:14:03Z **Illegitimate interruptions reduce productivity in the workplace, finds study**
A team of researchers from The University of Queensland has found employees experience more stress at work when interrupted with requests for unnecessary or unreasonable tasks. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-illegitimate-productivity-workplace.html) 2024-05-20T17:11:04Z **NASA study provides new look at orbital debris, potential solutions**
New data analysis indicates that NASA and its partners could have more cost-effective methods for dealing with the growing issue of orbital debris than previously thought. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-nasa-orbital-debris-potential-solutions.html) 2024-05-20T23:10:01Z **Landfill study shows flawed detection methods, higher methane emissions in Illinois, other states**
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's method of detecting methane leaks at landfills is flawed, and emissions of this powerful heat-trapping gas are likely much higher than what is being reported, according to a new study analyzing landfills in Illinois and seven other states. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-landfill-flawed-methods-higher-methane.html) 2024-05-21T03:38:51Z **In Darwin's footsteps: Scientists recreate historic 1830s expedition**
Like Charles Darwin did in 1831, a group of scientists and environmentalists last year set sail from the English port of Plymouth, headed for the Galapagos islands off the coast of Ecuador. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-darwin-footsteps-scientists-recreate-historic.html) 2024-05-21T03:37:48Z **India shuts schools as temperatures soar**
Indian authorities in the capital have ordered schools shut early for the summer holiday, after temperatures hit 47.4 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit) with Delhi gripped by a "severe heat wave". ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-india-schools-temperatures-soar.html) 2024-05-21T08:36:27Z **Observations investigate properties of nearby brown dwarf HD 33632 Ab**
Using the Keck II telescope in Hawaii, astronomers have observed a nearby brown dwarf known as HD 33632 Ab. Results of the observational campaign, presented in a paper published May 14 on the pre-print server arXiv, provide more insights into the properties of this substellar object and its atmosphere. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-properties-nearby-brown-dwarf-hd.html) 2024-05-21T12:46:07Z **Kenya is badly prepared for floods: Four steps to reduce devastation and deaths**
Floods in Kenya in April/May 2024 led to the deaths of over 250 people and caused damage estimated at 4 billion Kenya shillings (US$35 million). ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-kenya-badly-devastation-deaths.html) 2024-05-21T12:46:04Z **California is about to tax guns more like alcohol and tobacco—and that could put a dent in gun violence**
Starting in July 2024, California will be the first state to charge an excise tax on guns and ammunition. The new tax—an 11% levy on each sale—will come on top of federal excise taxes of 10% or 11% for firearms and California's 6% sales tax. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-california-tax-guns-alcohol-tobacco.html) 2024-05-21T12:45:04Z **Researchers: We're helping farmers access future climate projections as easily as checking the weather**
How often do you check your local weather forecast? How about your local climate projections for 2050? For many farmers, the answer to the first question is all the time. But the answer to the second is almost certainly less than that, even though this information is crucial for understanding climate-related risks and opportunities on their patch. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-farmers-access-future-climate-easily.html) 2024-05-21T16:53:04Z **Neutrons open window to explore space glass**
Thanks to human ingenuity and zero gravity, we reap important benefits from science in space. Consider smart phones with built-in navigation systems and cameras. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-neutrons-window-explore-space-glass.html) 2024-05-22T03:19:57Z **Half of mangrove ecosystems at risk: conservationists**
Half of the world's mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse due to climate change, deforestation and pollution, according to a study published Wednesday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-mangrove-ecosystems-conservationists.html) 2024-05-22T03:18:51Z **Volunteers race to save Mexico's howler monkeys in heat wave**
Volunteers are rushing to hoist food and water up into trees in sweltering southern Mexico, but help came too late for the howler monkeys whose lifeless bodies lay still on the ground. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-volunteers-mexico-howler-monkeys.html) 2024-05-22T07:30:01Z **The tunable coupling of two distant superconducting spin qubits**
Quantum computers, computing devices that leverage the principles of quantum mechanics, could outperform classical computing on some complex optimization and processing tasks. In quantum computers, classical units of information (bits), which can either have a value of 1 or 0, are substituted by quantum bits or qubits, which can be in a mixture of both 0 and 1 simultaneously. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-tunable-coupling-distant-superconducting-qubits.html) 2024-05-22T11:33:04Z **Researchers report a simpler method for precise molecular orbital visualization**
Discoveries and progress in materials science often lay the foundation for technological breakthroughs that reshape many industrial and commercial fields, including medicine, consumer electronics, and energy generation, to name a few. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-simpler-method-precise-molecular-orbital.html) 2024-05-22T15:41:47Z **Study finds mitochondrial phosphate carrier plays an important role in virulence of Candida albicans**
In a paper published in Mycology, Professor Yan Wang's team found that in both nematode and murine infection models, the lack of MIR1 gene, which encodes mitochondrial phosphate carrier, can lead to severe virulence defects in Candida albicans. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-mitochondrial-phosphate-carrier-plays-important.html) 2024-05-22T15:40:03Z **Study enhances plasticity of spontaneous coagulation cast oxide ceramic green bodies**
Spontaneous coagulation casting (SCC), a new type of colloidal forming process, has garnered significant attention since 2011 due to various advantages of a high bulk density and non-toxicity, as well as the ability to achieve dispersion and coagulation with very low additions (< 1 wt%) of copolymers of isobutylene and maleic anhydride (PIBM). ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-plasticity-spontaneous-coagulation-oxide-ceramic.html) 2024-05-22T15:38:10Z **Study finds sea-level rise and weather-related shocks caused Louisiana marsh to die back**
In 2016, observers in the wetlands of Louisiana's Bird's Foot Delta began to note dying stands of Phragmites australis, locally known as Roseau cane. By 2021, nothing but mud flats remained in some areas where the reeds once stood. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-sea-weather-louisiana-marsh-die.html) 2024-05-23T03:32:17Z **Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica calves new iceberg**
A large iceberg (380 km2), about the size of the Isle of Wight, has broken off the 150m-thick Brunt Ice Shelf. It broke off after a crack suddenly appeared in the ice shelf a few weeks ago. The final break happened in the early hours of Monday, 20 May. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-brunt-ice-shelf-antarctica-calves.html) 2024-05-23T08:56:34Z **Here's where Colorado's wolves traveled in May, including closer to some I-70 mountain communities**
At least one of Colorado's 11 wild wolves entered the watershed surrounding Vail in the last month, according to a new map showing where the canines traveled recently. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-colorado-wolves-closer-mountain-communities.html) 2024-05-23T13:10:10Z **Workplace besties: How to build relationships at work while staying professional**
Having meaningful connections in the workplace is essential for personal and organizational success. Most of us form these bonds naturally, as we spend a significant amount of our lifetimes at work. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-workplace-besties-relationships-staying-professional.html) 2024-05-23T17:21:03Z **Researchers develop framework for databasing properties of crystal defects**
Point defects (e.g. missing, extra or swapped atoms) in crystalline materials often determine the actual electronic and optical response of a given material. For example, controlled substitutions in semiconductors like silicon are the backbone of modern technology. Despite their importance, point defects are notoriously difficult to simulate and characterize, particularly across wide regions of the periodic tabl ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-framework-databasing-properties-crystal-defects.html) 2024-05-23T17:20:04Z **Researchers create new software for the new European-Japanese Earth observation satellite EarthCARE**
Preparations for the launch of the new Earth observation satellite EarthCARE (Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer) at the end of May are in full swing. The joint mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will measure clouds, aerosol and radiation more accurately than ever before. This will be made possible by linking four state-of-the- ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-software-european-japanese-earth-satellite.html) 2024-05-24T04:23:36Z **El Nino not responsible for East Africa floods: Scientists**
The El Niño weather pattern did not have "any influence" on widespread flooding that killed hundreds in East Africa this year, an expert group of scientists said Friday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-el-nino-responsible-east-africa.html) 2024-05-24T08:49:05Z **New resource pinpoints inner workings of sorghum plant cells for designing better bioenergy feedstock**
Bioenergy sorghum is an important resource for the production of biofuels and bioproducts and a critical component of a sustainable agricultural future. Researchers have been working hard to make this tall, drought-tolerant plant even more productive and resilient to harsh environmental conditions. But those efforts are hampered by a lack of knowledge about the inner working of plant cells, ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-resource-sorghum-cells-bioenergy-feedstock.html) 2024-05-24T13:02:03Z **New study challenges conventional wisdom that Americans are 'pocketbook voters'**
A new study that examined voting in the 2022 United States congressional elections shows that views on abortion were central to shifting votes in the midterm elections. Despite severe inflation and grave concerns about deteriorating economic conditions, economic perceptions did not change votes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-conventional-wisdom-americans-pocketbook-voters.html) 2024-05-24T12:57:03Z **Persistent gender imbalances in UK political candidate selections: A call for systemic reform**
In a comprehensive analysis by Dr. Sofía Collignon, Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics at Queen Mary University of London, new light has been shed on the persistent gender disparities in the selection of parliamentary candidates by the U.K.'s Conservative and Labor parties. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-persistent-gender-imbalances-uk-political.html) 2024-05-25T03:04:58Z **Mexico heat waves leave 48 dead since March**
Mexico has registered 48 deaths in a series of heat waves since March, the government said Friday, as scientists warned that new temperature records could be coming. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-mexico-dead.html) 2024-05-25T03:03:20Z **Massive landslide hits Papua New Guinea, many feared dead**
A massive landslide struck remote villages in Papua New Guinea's highlands Friday, with many homes buried and scores of residents feared dead. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-massive-landslide-papua-guinea-dead.html) 2024-05-25T03:00:18Z **Life in water and mud: Colombians fed up with constant flooding**
The Berrio family moves around their home on raised planks, upon which their beds and furniture have been raised, to avoid the knee-high, murky waters that have invaded their modest brick house. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-life-mud-colombians-fed-constant.html) 2024-05-25T08:30:02Z **Saturday Citations: The cheapness horizon of electric batteries; the battle-worthiness of ancient armor; scared animals**
Sometimes, science requires traveling into hazardous environments; sometimes it requires a vast influx of state capital and an army of researchers and technicians. But sometimes, science has to call in the Marines. We reported on that this week, along with news about a new cathode for electric batteries made from an Earth-abundant element that will stun you into silence ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-saturday-citations-cheapness-horizon-electric.html) 2024-05-25T14:20:02Z **First proof that 'plunging regions' exist around black holes in space**
An international team led by researchers at Oxford University Physics have proved Einstein was correct about a key prediction concerning black holes. Using X-ray data to test Einstein's theory of gravity, their study gives the first observational proof that a "plunging-region" exists around black holes: an area where matter stops circling the hole and instead falls straight in. Furthermore, the team found that this region exerts ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-proof-plunging-regions-black-holes.html) 2024-05-26T03:10:01Z **Setting minimum targets for wildlife conservation excludes restoration and ecosystem management, researcher argues**
Although the grizzly is featured prominently on the California state flag, the golden bear has been extinct in the wild since the 1920s. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-minimum-wildlife-excludes-ecosystem.html) 2024-05-26T09:50:02Z **TESS finds intriguing world sized between Earth and Venus**
Using observations by NASA's TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) and many other facilities, two international teams of astronomers have discovered a planet between the sizes of Earth and Venus only 40 light-years away. Multiple factors make it a candidate well-suited for further study using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-tess-intriguing-world-sized-earth.html) 2024-05-26T19:00:01Z **Baby bonuses and wedding bells: How life's big moments can challenge startups**
Life-changing events like the birth of a child, the purchase of a new home, or a lottery win could threaten the survival of a new business venture, research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found. The work is published in the International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-baby-bonuses-bells-life-big.html) 2024-05-27T04:08:06Z **Cyclone hits Bangladesh as nearly a million flee inland for shelter**
An intense cyclone smashed into the low-lying coast of Bangladesh on Sunday, with nearly a million people fleeing inland for concrete storm shelters away from howling gales and crashing waves. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-cyclone-bangladesh-million-inland.html) 2024-05-27T08:52:05Z **Scientists report unified framework for diverse aurorae across planets**
The awe-inspiring aurorae seen on Earth, known as the Northern and Southern Lights, have been a source of fascination for centuries. Between May 10 and 12, 2024, the most powerful aurora event in 21 years reminded us of the stunning beauty of these celestial light shows. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-scientists-framework-diverse-aurorae-planets.html) 2024-05-27T12:55:47Z **The Earth's changing, irregular magnetic field is causing headaches for polar navigation**
The Earth's liquid molten outer core, composed mostly of iron and nickel, exerts an electromagnetic field extending from the north and south pole that protects the planet from harmful solar particle radiation. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-earth-irregular-magnetic-field-headaches.html) 2024-05-27T12:55:31Z **New method for modeling free-ranging animal populations finds macaque numbers smaller than expected**
A team of researchers created a new method of modeling to estimate the population of free-ranging animals and in doing so discovered that there were far fewer numbers of an Old World monkey, the macaque, than expected. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-method-free-ranging-animal-populations.html) 2024-05-27T12:55:19Z **Study shows relatively low number of superspreaders responsible for large portion of misinformation on Twitter**
A small team of social media analysts at Indiana University has found that a major portion of tweets spreading disinformation are sent by a surprisingly small percentage of a given userbase. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-superspreaders-responsible-large-portion-misinformation.html) 2024-05-28T00:10:06Z **Biodiversity in the margins: Merging farmlands affects natural pest control**
A new study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology demonstrates how the diversity and abundance of arthropods decrease when hedgerows and field margins covered by wild grass and flowers are removed. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-biodiversity-margins-merging-farmlands-affects.html) 2024-05-28T00:10:06Z **Algorithms could help improve judicial decisions**
A new paper in the Quarterly Journal of Economics finds that replacing certain judicial decision-making functions with algorithms could improve outcomes for defendants by eliminating some of the systemic biases of judges. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-algorithms-judicial-decisions.html) 2024-05-28T05:00:01Z **Simple food swaps could cut greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by a quarter**
Switching food and drink purchases to very similar but more environmentally friendly alternatives could reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by more than a quarter (26%), according to a new Australian study from The George Institute for Global Health and Imperial College London published today in Nature Food. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-simple-food-swaps-greenhouse-gas.html) 2024-05-28T05:00:01Z **Porous materials and machine learning provide inexpensive microplastic monitoring method**
Optical analysis and machine learning techniques can now readily detect microplastics in marine and freshwater environments using inexpensive porous metal substrates. Details of the method, developed by researchers at Nagoya University with collaborators at the National Institute for Materials Sciences in Japan and others, are published in the journal Nature Communications. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-porous-materials-machine-inexpensive-microplastic.html) 2024-05-28T05:00:01Z **Mystery of 'slow' solar wind unveiled by Solar Orbiter mission**
Scientists have come a step closer to identifying the mysterious origins of the "slow" solar wind, using data collected during the Solar Orbiter spacecraft's first close journey to the sun. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-mystery-solar-unveiled-orbiter-mission.html) 2024-05-28T09:28:40Z **Unveiling the microscopic mechanism of superconducting metallic transistors**
Transistors are the basis for microchips and the whole electronic industry. The invention of transistors, by Bardeen and Brattain in 1947, awarded with a Nobel prize, is regarded as one of the most important discoveries of the 20th century. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-unveiling-microscopic-mechanism-superconducting-metallic.html) 2024-05-28T13:31:58Z **New approach uses 'cloaked' proteins to deliver cancer-killing therapeutics into cells**
An interdisciplinary collaboration has designed a way to "cloak" proteins so that they can be captured by lipid nanoparticles, which are akin to tiny bubbles of fat. These bubbles are small enough to sneak their hidden cargo into living cells, where the proteins uncloak and exert their therapeutic effect. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-approach-cloaked-proteins-cancer-therapeutics.html) 2024-05-28T13:30:01Z **Key tiger habitat swamped by deadly Bangladesh cyclone**
Bangladesh forest experts warned Tuesday a key tiger habitat hit by a deadly cyclone had been submerged by seawater deeper and longer than ever before, raising fears for endangered wildlife. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-key-tiger-habitat-swamped-deadly.html) 2024-05-28T17:39:03Z **Paper proposes a unified account of Darwinism's varieties**
A new paper published in The Quarterly Review of Biology examines the question of what Darwinism is and how its nonscientific uses relate to the scientific theory of evolution. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-paper-account-darwinism-varieties.html) 2024-05-29T00:00:01Z **'Extraordinary' 4,000-year-old Egyptian skull may show signs of attempts to treat cancer**
From ancient texts we know that—for their times—the ancient Egyptians were exceptionally skilled at medicine. For example, they could identify, describe, and treat diseases and traumatic injuries, build protheses, and put in dental fillings. Other conditions, like cancer, they couldn't treat—but they might have tried. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-extraordinary-year-egyptian-skull-cancer.html) 2024-05-29T00:00:01Z **Marine Protected Areas don't line up with core habitats of rare migratory fish, finds new research**
According to a new modeling study, 62% of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) designated to protect rare migratory fish species are outside of their core habitats. The findings are published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-marine-areas-dont-line-core.html) 2024-05-29T07:11:28Z **New report shows perils of air pollution persist nationwide**
The American Lung Association's latest State of the Air report concludes that even though Americans have changed their ways significantly over the last 50-plus years, the struggle to provide cleaner air is far from being won. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-perils-air-pollution-persist-nationwide.html) 2024-05-29T11:35:03Z **Students say they've found an 'eco-friendly' way to trap and kill Japanese beetles**
Aditya Prabhu loved eating the peaches off the tree in the backyard of his mom's house. The only problem was the plant produced only a few fruits a year because Japanese beetles in the hundreds would eat at the leaves, depleting the plant's energy to make peaches. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-students-theyve-eco-friendly-japanese.html) 2024-05-29T11:29:03Z **Scientists identify gene that could lead to resilient 'pixie' corn**
A widely found gene in plants has been newly identified as a key transporter of a hormone that influences the size of corn. The discovery offers plant breeders a new tool to develop desirable dwarf varieties that could enhance the crop's resilience and profitability. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-scientists-gene-resilient-pixie-corn.html) 2024-05-29T15:52:04Z **Study indicates that as racial diversity and income rise, civilian injuries by police fall**
An analysis of civilian injuries resulting from interactions with police in Illinois found that residents of all races and ethnicities are more likely to sustain injuries if they live in economically under-resourced areas. The risk of injury decreases as communities become more racially diverse, the researchers found. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-racial-diversity-income-civilian-injuries.html) 2024-05-29T20:10:01Z **Antibiotic pollution disrupts the gut microbiome and blocks memory in aquatic snails, study finds**
Antibiotics prevent snails from forming new memories by disrupting their gut microbiome—the community of beneficial bacteria found in their guts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-antibiotic-pollution-disrupts-gut-microbiome.html) 2024-05-30T06:33:37Z **Projection says 0% chance Lake Mead falls below 1K feet before 2028**
Lake Mead's five-year outlook is slightly better after two wet winters, according to projections released May 29 by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-chance-lake-mead-falls-1k.html) 2024-05-30T10:48:03Z **Light-activated antitumor drug could inspire new cancer treatments that have minimal side effects**
RIKEN chemists have demonstrated a gold-nanocluster system that carries two components of a drug in a controlled ratio for maximum cancer-cell killing effect. The active drug remains safely masked until red light triggers its release, minimizing collateral damage to healthy cells near the tumor. The study is published in Chemical Science. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-antitumor-drug-cancer-treatments-minimal.html) 2024-05-30T14:53:02Z **The missing puzzle piece: A striking new snake species from the Arabian Peninsula**
Researchers have discovered a new distinctive and secretive snake species in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-puzzle-piece-snake-species-arabian.html) 2024-05-30T19:00:01Z **Trout in mine-polluted rivers are genetically 'isolated,' new study shows**
Trout living in rivers polluted by metal from old mines across the British Isles are genetically "isolated" from other trout, new research shows. The work appears in Diversity and Distributions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-trout-polluted-rivers-genetically-isolated.html) 2024-05-31T03:57:34Z **World's biggest companies snap up 'likely junk' carbon offsets: analysis**
Globally recognized companies—from oil and gas majors to the banking sector and tech—are contributing to greenwashing by snapping up vast quantities of "likely junk" carbon offsets, a watchdog warned Thursday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-world-biggest-companies-snap-junk.html) 2024-05-31T08:40:02Z **Plant that vanished from Vermont 108 years ago accidentally rediscovered, botanists say**
A plant that hasn't been seen in Vermont since 1916 was just rediscovered by accident, the state's Fish and Wildlife Department said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-vermont-years-accidentally-rediscovered-botanists.html) 2024-05-31T12:41:30Z **A pregnant stingray with no male companion now has a 'reproductive disease,' aquarium says**
A North Carolina aquarium that said it had a pregnant stingray with no male companion now says the fish has a rare reproductive disease. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-pregnant-stingray-male-companion-reproductive.html) 2024-06-01T06:01:33Z **Boeing will try to launch its first crew on Starliner, again**
Troubled aerospace giant Boeing will try once more to fly its first crew to the International Space Station aboard a Starliner spaceship on Saturday, after the last attempt was scrubbed hours before liftoff. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-boeing-crew-starliner.html) 2024-06-01T14:30:01Z **The universe's biggest explosions made elements we are composed of, but there's another mystery source out there**
After its "birth" in the Big Bang, the universe consisted mainly of hydrogen and a few helium atoms. These are the lightest elements in the periodic table. More-or-less all elements heavier than helium were produced in the 13.8 billion years between the Big Bang and the present day. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-universe-biggest-explosions-elements-mystery.html) 2024-06-01T20:10:01Z **Researchers report new solid contact, ion-selective electrodes**
A research team led by Prof. Huang Xingjiu from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences constructed a highly stable solid contact calcium ion-selective electrode. They used synchrotron radiation technique to reveal the transduction mechanism by which the solid contact layer participated in the potential response. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-solid-contact-ion-electrodes.html) 2024-06-02T06:42:52Z **California firefighters battle wind-driven wildfire east of San Francisco**
California firefighters aided by aircraft battled a wind-driven wildfire burning Saturday in an area straddling the San Francisco Bay Area and central California, authorities said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-california-firefighters-driven-wildfire-east.html) 2024-06-02T06:42:21Z **Sri Lanka monsoon floods kill 14, schools shut**
Flash floods, mudslides and falling trees have killed at least 14 people in Sri Lanka as the island nation is battered by monsoon storms, the country's disaster center said Sunday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-sri-lanka-monsoon-schools.html) 2024-06-02T13:10:01Z **'Innocuous-looking' fern wins world record for largest genome**
A small, seemingly unremarkable fern that only grows on a remote Pacific island was on Friday crowned the Guinness World Record holder for having the largest genome of any organism on Earth. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-innocuous-fern-world-largest-genome.html) 2024-06-02T17:30:01Z **Race still divides South Africa: Study shows little transformation in new suburbs in country's economic hub**
As South Africa reflects on 30 years of democracy, it's important to ask whether its cities have changed for the better when it comes to racial mixing. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-south-africa-suburbs-country-economic.html) 2024-06-03T03:58:10Z **Earthquakes in north-central Japan collapse 5 homes that were damaged in deadly January quake**
Earthquakes early Monday again struck Japan's north-central region of Ishikawa, still recovering from the destruction left by a powerful quake on Jan. 1, but the latest shaking caused no major damage. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-earthquakes-north-central-japan-collapse.html) 2024-06-03T09:16:04Z **Autophagic organelles restrict mouth size to regulate cellular clean-out, study reveals**
Autophagy, which literally means "self-eating," is a cellular cleaning-out process that maintains our bodies in good order, but excessive autophagy can be too much of a good thing. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-autophagic-organelles-restrict-mouth-size.html) 2024-06-03T13:21:02Z **Australian study finds increased risk of homelessness for youth leaving out-of-home care**
New research from the University of South Australia (UniSA) and Curtin University finds that up to 36% of young people leaving out-of-home care (OHC) in Australia wind up homeless—compared to less than 10% of the general youth population. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-australian-homelessness-youth-home.html) 2024-06-03T13:20:02Z **Gut microbes' pathogen defense arsenal unveiled**
A study conducted by researcher Juan Du's research group at the Karolinska Institutet sheds light on the capabilities of our gut microbes and their metabolites. The findings reveal potent inhibitory effects on the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and suggest interactions and signaling between gut microbes and pathogens. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-gut-microbes-pathogen-defense-arsenal.html) 2024-06-03T13:20:01Z **Human culture is changing too fast for evolution to catch up—here's how it may affect you**
Research is showing that many of our contemporary problems, such as the rising prevalence of mental health issues, are emerging from rapid technological advancement and modernisation. A theory that can help explain why we respond poorly to modern conditions, despite the choices, safety and other benefits they bring, is evolutionary mismatch. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-human-culture-fast-evolution-affect.html) 2024-06-03T23:00:02Z **New 3D-printed microscale photonic lantern opens opportunities for spatial mode multiplexing**
Optical waves propagating through air or multi-mode fiber can be patterned or decomposed using orthogonal spatial modes, with far-ranging applications in imaging, communication, and directed energy. Yet the systems that perform these wavefront manipulations are cumbersome and large, restricting their utilization to high-end applications. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-3d-microscale-photonic-lantern-opportunities.html) 2024-06-04T04:02:10Z **Informal water contracts could provide quicker, cheaper ways to reduce impact of droughts**
Droughts continue to overburden the systems and infrastructure that bring water to citizens and businesses. This is especially true in places like the western United States, where water resources are scarce, and the rules that determine who gets water mean that farmers and other landowners who use water for irrigation often have first priority. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-quicker-cheaper-ways-impact-droughts.html) 2024-06-04T04:01:10Z **Three boys found a T. rex fossil in North Dakota. Now a Denver museum works to fully reveal it**
Two young brothers and their cousin were wandering through a fossil-rich stretch of the North Dakota badlands when they made a discovery that left them "completely speechless": a T. rex bone poking out of the ground. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-boys-rex-fossil-north-dakota.html) 2024-06-04T09:20:01Z **New model suggests partner anti-universe could explain accelerated expansion without the need for dark energy**
The accelerated expansion of the present universe, believed to be driven by a mysterious dark energy, is one of the greatest puzzles in our understanding of the cosmos. The standard model of cosmology called Lambda-CDM, explains this expansion as a cosmological constant in Einstein's field equations. However, the cosmological constant itself lacks a complete theoretical understanding, par ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-partner-anti-universe-expansion-dark.html) 2024-06-04T09:19:21Z **Study uncovers a quantum acoustical Drude peak shift in strange metals**
Researchers at Harvard University, Sabanci University, and Peking University recently gathered findings that could shed light on the origin of the high-temperature absorption peaks observed in strange metals, a class of materials exhibiting unusual electronic properties that do not conform to the conventional theory of metals. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-uncovers-quantum-acoustical-drude-peak.html) 2024-06-04T09:19:01Z **Eight new millisecond pulsars discovered with FAST**
Using the Five-Hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), astronomers from the Guizhou University in China and elsewhere have discovered eight new millisecond pulsars in the globular cluster NGC 6517. The finding was reported in a research paper published May 28 on the pre-print server arXiv. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-millisecond-pulsars-fast.html) 2024-06-04T13:27:49Z **Investors underestimated risk, impact of hurricanes prior to feeling 'Superstorm' Sandy's fury on Wall Street**
Weather experts are warning that this year's Atlantic hurricane season, which officially began June 1, could be among the most active on record. Hurricanes annually cause millions of dollars in damage to households and public infrastructure, but also to businesses. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-investors-underestimated-impact-hurricanes-prior.html) 2024-06-04T13:26:15Z **Researchers use tin to toughen bioimplant titanium alloys through the cocktail effect**
Beta(β)-type titanium (Ti) alloys are renowned for their strength, formability and resistance to harsh environments. This, along with their excellent biocompatibility, has made them adequately suited for implants and prosthetics, from joint replacement to stents. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-tin-toughen-bioimplant-titanium-alloys.html) 2024-06-04T13:22:48Z **Mushroom stump waste could be inexpensive, healthy chicken feed supplement**
Feed costs for producing broiler chickens accounts for 60% to 70% of total production costs, and stump waste from the production of button mushrooms comprises nearly 30% of total mushroom weight. Marrying the two has the potential to reduce both cost and waste, especially in Pennsylvania, which is a national leader in the production of broiler chickens and button mushrooms. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-mushroom-stump-inexpensive-healthy-chicken.html) 2024-06-04T13:21:04Z **Training in formal classes proves the most effective way to prepare engineers to protect public welfare at work: Study**
Engineers who received public welfare responsibility training in classes are more likely to consider the societal impact of technologies they design and to take action when concerns arise, according to a study by University of Michigan researchers published in The Journal of Engineering Education. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-formal-classes-effective-welfare.html) 2024-06-04T19:10:01Z **Rate of global warming caused by humans is at an all-time high, say scientists**
The second annual Indicators of Global Climate Change report, which is led by the University of Leeds, reveals that human-induced warming has risen to 1.19 °C over the past decade (2014-2023)—an increase from the 1.14 °C seen in 2013-2022 (set out in last year's report). ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-global-humans-high-scientists.html) 2024-06-05T00:00:01Z **Tiny tropical puddle frogs show that protecting genetic variation is essential for animals to survive the climate crisis**
Scientists have studied puddle frogs to identify genetic variation hotspots and places where the climate crisis could wipe out populations too homogenous to adapt. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-tiny-tropical-puddle-frogs-genetic.html) 2024-06-05T04:11:19Z **New study finds Earth warming at record rate, but no evidence of climate change accelerating**
The rate Earth is warming hit an all-time high in 2023 with 92% of last year's surprising record-shattering heat caused by humans, top scientists calculated. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-earth-evidence-climate.html) 2024-06-05T09:32:06Z **AI-powered jet origin identification technology opens new horizons in high-energy physics research**
A research team in China has initiated and successfully developed a jet origin identification technology which can significantly enhance the scientific discovery capabilities of high-energy collider experiments. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-ai-powered-jet-identification-technology.html) 2024-06-05T09:31:03Z **Key mechanism for maintaining proper telomere length identified**
The length of telomeres that protect the ends of our chromosomes should be tightly regulated. Those that are too long predispose to cancer, and those that are too short lose their protective ability, resulting in telomere disorders with serious health consequences. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-key-mechanism-proper-telomere-length.html) 2024-06-05T14:00:01Z **Flapping frequency of birds, insects, bats and whales predicted with just body mass and wing area**
A single universal equation can closely approximate the frequency of wingbeats and fin strokes made by birds, insects, bats and whales, despite their different body sizes and wing shapes, Jens Højgaard Jensen and colleagues from Roskilde University in Denmark report in a new study published in PLOS ONE on June 5. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-frequency-birds-insects-whales-body.html) 2024-06-05T14:00:01Z **Study finds US Islamist extremist co-offenders form close-knit groups driven by mutual contacts, homophily effects**
The formation of relationships within violent US Islamist extremist groups is highly driven by mutual contacts and the tendency for people to bond with others similar to themselves, according to new research. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-islamist-extremist-groups-driven-mutual.html) 2024-06-05T14:00:01Z **Study finds simple headlines attract more online news readers**
The competition for online attention in today's news environment is fierce. High-quality news from credible sources must compete for attention with misinformation and a rapidly increasing amount of partisan content. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-simple-headlines-online-news-readers.html) 2024-06-05T19:00:02Z **Minimum pricing for alcohol helped curb demand during COVID lockdown, finds UK study**
Minimum pricing can be very effective in reducing demand for cheap high-strength alcohol amid concerns about affordability fueling problematic drinking, according to a study on the impact of the measure during the COVID lockdown. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-minimum-pricing-alcohol-curb-demand.html) 2024-06-06T04:35:23Z **Engineering enzymes to break down microplastics in sewage and wastewater**
There are over 5 billion tons of plastic waste accumulated across the planet, much of which are microplastics that may harm human health and pose a long-term threat to agricultural productivity and food security. The gargantuan task of cleaning up this pollution could be aided by a tiny protein: a specialized enzyme designed to break down plastics into simple components that natural bacteria in the environment can use as ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-enzymes-microplastics-sewage-wastewater.html) 2024-06-06T08:47:04Z **Silkworms help grow better organ-like tissues in labs**
Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed a silk-based, ultrathin membrane that can be used in organ-on-a-chip models to better mimic the natural environment of cells and tissues within the body. When used in a kidney organ-on-a-chip platform, the membrane helped tissues grow to recreate the functionality of both healthy and diseased kidneys. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-silkworms-tissues-labs.html) 2024-06-06T08:40:01Z **New rare 'green bean' galaxy discovered**
Astronomers from New Mexico State University (NMSU) and elsewhere report the discovery of a new galaxy of a rare class, dubbed "green bean." The finding, made with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), was presented in a research paper published May 29 on the preprint server arXiv. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-rare-green-bean-galaxy.html) 2024-06-06T12:53:01Z **During a year of extremes, carbon dioxide levels surge faster than ever**
Carbon dioxide is accumulating in the atmosphere faster than ever—accelerating on a steep rise to levels far above any experienced during human existence, scientists from NOAA and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego announced today. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-year-extremes-carbon-dioxide-surge.html) 2024-06-06T12:52:11Z **Research suggests AI could help teach ethics**
Artificial intelligence brings with it a host of ethical questions. A researcher at The University of Alabama explored whether AI can be harnessed to teach students how to navigate those very questions, among others. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-ai-ethics.html) 2024-06-06T12:51:18Z **How to build a team of 'appropriately skeptical' financial statement auditors**
A new study identifies the characteristics that make auditing professionals more likely to reward skepticism in the people they supervise, which is associated with an increased likelihood of identifying potential fraud during the auditing process. One key takeaway is that encouraging appropriate skepticism in auditors is closely tied to the culture of the workplace, offering valuable insights to firms that w ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-team-appropriately-skeptical-financial-statement.html) 2024-06-06T12:51:06Z **New instrument to search for signs of life on other planets**
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has signed an agreement for the design and construction of ANDES, the ArmazoNes high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-instrument-life-planets.html) 2024-06-07T03:54:24Z **Boeing Starliner crew aboard ISS after challenging docking**
A Boeing Starliner capsule carrying its first ever astronauts docked with the International Space Station on Thursday after overcoming unexpected challenges arising from thruster malfunctions and helium leaks. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-boeing-starliner-crew-aboard-iss.html) 2024-06-07T08:20:01Z **Feds expect to decide this year on Mosaic's 'radioactive roads' plan in Florida**
Federal environmental regulators said they expect to decide this year on a controversial proposal that would allow Tampa-based Fortune 500 mining company Mosaic to test its phosphate waste as an ingredient in road construction. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-feds-year-mosaic-radioactive-roads.html) 2024-06-07T12:36:59Z **NASA, global astronomers await rare nova explosion**
Around the world this summer, professional and amateur astronomers alike will be fixed on one small constellation deep in the night sky. But it's not the seven stars of Corona Borealis, the "Northern Crown," that have sparked such fascination. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-nasa-global-astronomers-await-rare.html) 2024-06-08T05:55:57Z **Virgin Galactic set for final spaceflight before two-year pause**
Virgin Galactic is poised on Saturday for its last spaceflight before heading into a two-year pause on commercial operations to upgrade its fleet, as the company seeks to finally turn a profit. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-virgin-galactic-spaceflight-year.html) 2024-06-08T11:40:01Z **Records of Pompeii's survivors have been found—archaeologists are starting to understand how they rebuilt their lives**
On Aug. 24, in A.D. 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted, shooting over 3 cubic miles of debris up to 20 miles (32.1 kilometers) in the air. As the ash and rock fell to Earth, it buried the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-pompeii-survivors-archaeologists-rebuilt.html) 2024-06-08T18:40:01Z **Neuroscience can explain why voting is so often driven by emotion**
The British electorate has been more volatile than ever in recent years. The elections of 2015 and 2017 saw the highest number of voters switching parties in modern history. And current polling suggests we're about to see more of the same. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-neuroscience-voting-driven-emotion.html) 2024-06-09T03:50:01Z **Maps of heavy metals in Wellington, New Zealand soils show impacts of urbanization**
A new study from GNS Science marks a significant step in the assessment of environmental contamination in Aotearoa New Zealand's capital. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-heavy-metals-wellington-zealand-soils.html) 2024-06-09T10:30:01Z **New method could allow multi-robot teams to autonomously and reliably explore other planets**
While roboticists have developed increasingly sophisticated systems over the past decades, ensuring that these systems can autonomously operate in real-world settings without mishaps often proves challenging. This is particularly difficult when these robots are designed to be deployed in complex environments, including space and other planets. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-method-multi-robot-teams-autonomously.html) 2024-06-09T14:50:01Z **Who's better off and who's worse off four years on from the outbreak of COVID? The financial picture might surprise you**
A lot has happened to the economy since COVID struck, and reading the economic tea leaves has become more difficult. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-worse-years-outbreak-covid-financial.html) 2024-06-10T04:38:44Z **India's heat wave longest ever, worse to come**
India's heat wave is the longest ever to hit the country, the government's top weather expert said Monday as he warned people will face increasingly oppressive temperatures. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-india-longest-worse.html) 2024-06-10T04:37:57Z **Flooding and landslides kill three in Vietnam's north**
Flooding and landslides in northern Vietnam have killed three people, state media said Monday, after days of heavy rain that partially submerged thousands of homes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-landslides-vietnam-north.html) 2024-06-10T08:44:08Z **Astronomers observe giant outburst of a distant X-ray binary**
Using the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) onboard the International Space Station, astronomers have observed a distant X-ray binary known as EXO 2030+375. The observational campaign allowed them to explore a giant outburst that occurred in this system. Results of the observations were published May 31 on the pre-print server arXiv. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-astronomers-giant-outburst-distant-ray.html) 2024-06-10T12:48:57Z **Studying archaeological roads gives insights into connectivity and movement**
Archaeologist Tuna Kalayci investigates roads in a recent edited book. What happens if we think of roads not only as containers of action, but also as dynamic and complex phenomena, as the action itself? This question inspired Dr. Tuna Kalayci to bring together various studies across a wide range of epochs and regions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-archaeological-roads-insights-movement.html) 2024-06-10T12:48:52Z **Study identifies ways consumers and businesses can handle food waste in food service-businesses**
A team of Monash Business School researchers have identified key ways consumers and business representatives can help limit food waste in food service-businesses (FSBs), in an effort to reduce wastage in the hospitality industry. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-ways-consumers-businesses-food.html) 2024-06-10T12:48:46Z **'Smart' chemistry allows recycling of networked rubbery materials**
Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists ingeniously created a sustainable, soft material by combining rubber with woody reinforcements and incorporating "smart" linkages between the components that unlock on demand. The smart linkages allow heat to unlock the structure, enabling the material to flow for rapid circular manufacturing, which essentially recycles materials back into the economy instead of discarding them. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-smart-chemistry-recycling-networked-rubbery.html) 2024-06-10T16:52:03Z **Splitting hairs: Research team applies science of biomechanics to understand our bad hair days**
Academics are often accused of "splitting hairs," but a team at Trinity College Dublin has now devised a machine to do just that. We all have a bad hair day from time to time, and split ends are a common problem. However, the science behind this kind of hair damage is poorly understood, which is why the Trinity team, led by Professor David Taylor, is investigating this knotty problem. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-hairs-team-science-biomechanics-bad.html) 2024-06-11T03:00:01Z **First map of outflows from nearby quasar I Zwicky 1**
SRON astronomers have for the first time mapped the outflows from one of the closest quasars to Earth. Quasars are bright cores of galaxies powered by the supermassive black hole in their center. The team has probed gas outflows in I Zwicky 1, a close-by quasar, to map its system of clouds being blown away at tens to thousands of kilometers per second. Their findings are published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-outflows-nearby-quasar-zwicky.html) 2024-06-11T07:48:13Z **Study finds Southern California is most disaster-prone region in US**
According to a new national ranking of 3,200-plus U.S. counties, Southern California rates as the single most disaster-prone region in the country. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-southern-california-disaster-prone-region.html) 2024-06-11T12:03:04Z **Tech solutions to limit kids' access to social media are fraught with problems, including privacy risks**
A campaign to block children's access to social media to limit online harm and unhealthy internet use is picking up momentum in Australian politics. The current age limit for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok is 13, but some state governments are calling for raising this age to 16. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-tech-solutions-limit-kids-access.html) 2024-06-11T12:02:04Z **How to buy a home: 7 tips for negotiating like a pro**
The main purpose of negotiation is to find a mutually acceptable solution for buyers and sellers. Good negotiations greatly improve relationships between buyers, sellers and agents. They also help avoid future problems and conflicts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-buy-home-pro.html) 2024-06-11T12:00:02Z **Plato camera integration begins**
The activities to integrate Plato's cameras have started in OHB's Space Center & Optics facility in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. One by one the cameras are attached to Plato's optical bench, the surface that keeps all cameras pointed in the right direction. The first of 26 cameras has now been successfully integrated. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-plato-camera.html) 2024-06-11T12:00:01Z **A tiny new plant species reaffirms the 'miraculous' survival of Western Ecuador's ravished biodiversity**
A new 2-inch-high plant species has been discovered on the western Andean slopes of Ecuador in an area where scientists once believed a rich diversity of native plants and animals had been totally destroyed. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-tiny-species-reaffirms-miraculous-survival.html) 2024-06-11T16:07:14Z **Combined X-ray surveys and supercomputer simulations track 12 billion years of cosmic black-hole growth**
By combining forefront X-ray observations with state-of-the-art supercomputer simulations of the buildup of galaxies over cosmic history, researchers have provided the best modeling to date of the growth of the supermassive black holes found in the centers of galaxies. Using this hybrid approach, a research team led by Penn State astronomers has derived a complete picture of black-hol ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-combined-ray-surveys-supercomputer-simulations.html) 2024-06-12T04:26:07Z **Underwater gardeners plant eelgrass to save 'dead' Danish fjord**
Under a white tent on the shores of a polluted Danish fjord, volunteers and researchers prepare slender green shoots of eelgrass to be planted on the seabed to help restore the site's damaged ecosystem. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-underwater-gardeners-eelgrass-dead-danish.html) 2024-06-12T08:37:03Z **Glass beads indicate Indigenous Americans shaped early transatlantic trade**
Archaeologists have analyzed the chemical makeup of glass beads from across the Great Lakes region of North America, revealing the extent of Indigenous influence on transatlantic exchange networks during the 17th century AD. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-glass-beads-indigenous-americans-early.html) 2024-06-12T12:50:02Z **African elephants shown to address one another with name-like calls, similar to humans**
What's in a name? People use unique names to address each other, but we're one of only a handful of animal species known to do that, including bottlenose dolphins. Finding more animals with names and investigating how they use them can improve scientists' understanding of both other animals and ourselves. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-african-elephants-shown-similar-humans.html) 2024-06-12T16:55:04Z **Scientists show the key role of spleen and extracellular vesicles in cryptic malaria infections**
Recent research led by Carmen Fernández-Becerra and Hernando A del Portillo from ISGlobal and Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) has provided new insights into the role of the spleen in malaria, specifically in infections caused by Plasmodium vivax. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-scientists-key-role-spleen-extracellular.html) 2024-06-12T16:54:03Z **Silicon carbide/carbon microspheres maintain performance in harsh environments**
With the rapid development of electronic information technology, electromagnetic wave absorption materials play a crucial role in military applications such as electromagnetic protection and stealth devices, as well as in the defense industry. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-silicon-carbidecarbon-microspheres-harsh-environments.html) 2024-06-13T04:19:28Z **Japan's escargot entrepreneur achieves the 'impossible'**
Far from Parisian bistros serving up Burgundy snails, one Japanese man has figured out how to farm the slimy species—a feat that has long eluded the French. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-japan-escargot-entrepreneur-impossible.html) 2024-06-13T04:18:25Z **Rural India runs dry as thirsty megacity Mumbai sucks water**
Far from the gleaming high-rises of India's financial capital Mumbai, impoverished villages in areas supplying the megacity's water are running dry—a crisis repeated across the country that experts say foreshadows terrifying problems. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-rural-india-dry-thirsty-megacity.html) 2024-06-13T08:42:00Z **New simplified DNA model for advanced computational simulations**
DNA is the molecule that contains all the genetic information necessary for the development and functioning of living organisms. It is organized in a structure called "chromatin," which is found inside the nucleus of cells. The shape that chromatin takes directly affects the activity of genes, and it is therefore important to have a detailed understanding of the structure of DNA and to be able to predict its variations. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-dna-advanced-simulations.html) 2024-06-13T12:45:13Z **Large number of whale sightings off New England, including dozens of endangered sei whales**
A large number of whales is visiting the waters off New England, and the group includes an unusually high number of an endangered species, said scientists who study the animals. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-large-whale-sightings-england-dozens.html) 2024-06-13T16:49:05Z **Q&A: Finding varieties of corn that are adapted to future climates**
Corn is one of the planet's most important crops. It not only provides sweet kernels to flavor many dishes, but it's also used in oils, as a sweetener syrup, and as a feed crop for livestock. Corn has been bred to maximize its yield on farms around the world. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-qa-varieties-corn-future-climates.html) 2024-06-14T03:00:01Z **High-precision measurements challenge our understanding of Cepheids**
"Classical Cepheids" are a type of pulsating star that rhythmically brighten and dim over time. These pulsations help astronomers measure vast distances across space, which makes Cepheids crucial "standard candles" that help us understand the size and scale of our universe. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-high-precision-cepheids.html) 2024-06-14T07:14:38Z **Finding an insurance policy is getting harder in places hit by extreme weather**
You don't need to be a scientist to understand the harms of climate change. All you need is an insurance policy. And finding affordable insurance is getting harder in the places hit hardest by climate change. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-policy-harder-extreme-weather.html) 2024-06-14T07:13:46Z **Eggs of grapevine-gobbling insect discovered en route to California: Are vineyards at risk?**
Eggs of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive species that's wreaked havoc on crops across more than a dozen states, were recently discovered on a metal art installation that was headed to Sonoma County, one of California's most esteemed wine regions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-eggs-grapevine-gobbling-insect-en.html) 2024-06-14T11:16:03Z **Researchers map genome of the last living wild horse species**
University of Minnesota researchers have successfully mapped the complete genome of the endangered Przewalski's horse. Once extinct in the wild, the species now has a population of around 2,000 animals thanks to conservation efforts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-genome-wild-horse-species.html) 2024-06-14T16:09:56Z **Physicists confirm quantum entanglement persists between top quarks, the heaviest known fundamental particles**
An experiment by a group of physicists led by University of Rochester physics professor Regina Demina has produced a significant result related to quantum entanglement—an effect that Albert Einstein called "spooky action at a distance." ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-physicists-quantum-entanglement-persists-quarks.html) 2024-06-14T16:09:24Z **25 years of massive fusion energy experiment data open on the 'cloud' and available to everyone**
High-temperature fusion plasma experiments conducted in the Large Helical Device (LHD) of the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), have renewed the world record for an acquired data amount, 0.92 terabytes (TB) per experiment, in February 2022, by using a full range of state-of-the-art plasma diagnostic devices. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-years-massive-fusion-energy-cloud.html) 2024-06-15T00:00:01Z **Novel photocatalyst enables efficient ester reduction with blue light**
The sweet smell of strawberries and other fruits is thanks to a chemical compound called ester, which is also found in many fats and polyesters. The ubiquitous compound can be broken down to produce desirable alcohols and other chemicals for use across industries, including pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, but the process can be costly, both financially and in terms of the environment. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-photocatalyst-enables-efficient-ester-reduction.html) 2024-06-15T04:40:02Z **Nitrous oxide emissions surge in climate threat: Study**
Global emissions of nitrous oxide—a potent greenhouse gas—are outpacing expectations and putting climate change goals in peril, a major study published on Wednesday found. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-nitrous-oxide-emissions-surge-climate.html) 2024-06-15T09:00:01Z **Saturday Citations: Bacterial warfare, a self-programming language model, passive cooling in the big city**
There's a lot of science news in seven days, so just because a new study isn't cited here on Saturday morning doesn't mean it didn't happen. A lot more has happened. But also, check out these four stories: ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-saturday-citations-bacterial-warfare-language.html) 2024-06-15T13:50:02Z **Suicide threats are a weapon of family violence. How can police balance mental health needs with protecting victims?**
It's relatively common for perpetrators of family violence to threaten suicide to control a victim-survivor's actions. A study by the Australian Institute of Criminology suggests 39% of women who experience coercive control are subject to perpetrators' threats of self-harm. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-suicide-threats-weapon-family-violence.html) 2024-06-16T06:30:01Z **Foreign-born pandas join China's efforts to boost wild population**
After years of charming millions of people around the world with their furry bodies and clumsy antics, foreign-born giant pandas are adapting to new lives in China. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-foreign-born-pandas-china-efforts.html) 2024-06-16T06:28:14Z **China to replace Australia's popular giant pandas**
China will loan Australia new "adorable" giant pandas to replace a popular pair that failed to produce offspring in more than a decade together, visiting Premier Li Qiang announced Sunday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-china-australia-popular-giant-pandas.html) 2024-06-16T06:27:25Z **Residents and communities preparing for heat wave that will envelop Midwest and Northeast next week**
Things are about to heat up in much of the U.S. with dangerously hot temperatures in the Midwest and Northeast next week, prompting health officials to urge people to make plans now to stay safe. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-residents-communities-envelop-midwest-northeast.html) 2024-06-16T06:26:12Z **Think cicadas are weird? Check out superfans, who eat the bugs, use them in art and even striptease**
Mayumi Barrack sees a pair of mating periodical cicadas getting together, whips out her phone, says, "Hi guys!" and takes their picture. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-cicadas-weird-superfans-bugs-art.html) 2024-06-16T11:50:02Z **We dated a sacred Aboriginal women's site used for birthing ceremonies and discovered 7,000 years' worth of tool making**
Investigation of a sacred area at Avon Downs in Jangga Country, Central Queensland, has uncovered evidence of stone tool production in a place that was traditionally restricted to women. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-dated-sacred-aboriginal-women-site.html) 2024-06-16T16:50:01Z **Ending native forest logging would help Australia's climate goals much more than planting trees**
Australia contains some of the world's most biologically diverse and carbon-dense native forests. Eucalypts in wet temperate forests are the tallest flowering plants in the world and home to an array of unique tree-dwelling marsupials, rare birds, insects, mosses, fungi and lichen, many of which have not even been catalogued by scientists. Yet our country remains in the top ten list globally for tree ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-native-forest-australia-climate-goals.html) 2024-06-17T00:00:01Z **US sexual health curriculum could force LGBTQ+ students to seek education outside of school, survey suggests**
Children across the United States who identify as LGBTQ+ say the sexual health education curricula they receive is leaving them without essential information to make informed decisions about their sexual health—which could force them to seek potentially dangerous advice elsewhere. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-sexual-health-curriculum-lgbtq-students.html) 2024-06-17T04:20:01Z **Low snow on the Himalayas threatens water security: Study**
Millions of people dependent on Himalayan snowmelt for water face a "very serious" risk of shortages this year after one of the lowest rates of snowfall, scientists warned Monday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-himalayas-threatens.html) 2024-06-17T04:18:22Z **Water crisis batters war-torn Sudan as temperatures soar**
War, climate change and man-made shortages have brought Sudan—a nation already facing a litany of horrors—to the shores of a water crisis. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-crisis-batters-war-torn-sudan.html) 2024-06-17T04:15:59Z **'Meaty rice'? South Korean professor aims to change global protein**
In a small laboratory in Seoul, a team of South Korean scientists are injecting cultured beef cells into individual grains of rice, in a process they hope could revolutionize how the world eats. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-meaty-rice-south-korean-professor.html) 2024-06-17T04:14:13Z **On thin ice: Greenland's last Inuit polar bear hunters**
Inuit hunter Hjelmer Hammeken spotted a ringed seal near its breathing hole on the Greenland ice. In his white camouflage, he slowly crept towards it then lay down in the snow and waited. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-thin-ice-greenland-inuit-polar.html) 2024-06-17T08:26:32Z **Soil fauna has the potential to fundamentally alter carbon storage in soil, say scientists**
The life strategies of a multitude of soil faunal taxa can strongly affect the formation of labile and stabilized organic matter in soil, with potential consequences for how soils are managed as carbon sinks, nutrient stores, or providers of food. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-soil-fauna-potential-fundamentally-carbon.html) 2024-06-17T12:33:42Z **Seawall baffles and AI help emerald shiners swim to Lake Erie**
University at Buffalo researchers are looking down at a 24-foot-long flume of shallow running water. Inside, about a dozen emerald shiner minnows are furiously attempting to swim against the current. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-seawall-baffles-ai-emerald-shiners.html) 2024-06-17T16:46:03Z **Researchers create innovative polymer wound dressings for painless and residue-free removal**
Wound dressings should provide sterile coverage, protect the wound, and adhere reliably, while still allowing for painless removal. It is essential that the process of skin renewal remains undisturbed. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-polymer-wound-painless-residue-free.html) 2024-06-17T16:44:02Z **New database boasts more than 200 years of data on crime and punishment in the Nordics**
The Historical Criminal Statistics database, a massive undertaking by University Lecturer in Criminology Miikka Vuorela at the University of Eastern Finland, makes statistics on crime and punishment openly accessible to everyone. The database covers the period from 1810 to 2022. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-database-years-crime-nordics.html) 2024-06-17T16:42:03Z **Using camelid nanobodies for food allergen surveillance**
Food allergies pose significant health risks, affecting millions worldwide, with the prevalence rising over the past decades. Traditional detection methods, such as monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, are often costly, labor-intensive, and prone to cross-reactions. The need for accurate, efficient, and cost-effective allergen detection methods is more pressing than ever. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-camelid-nanobodies-food-allergen-surveillance.html) 2024-06-17T16:40:03Z **Exploring self-healing mechanisms for stable photoelectrochemical water splitting**
Achieving stability poses a significant challenge in the practical implementation of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The main factors affecting the long-term stability of PEC devices are chemical- and photo-corrosion of the semiconductor light absorbers, along with damage to the surface protection layer and the loss or reconstruction of the active centers of the co-catalysts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-exploring-mechanisms-stable-photoelectrochemical.html) 2024-06-18T00:10:01Z **Teachers report worse pay and well-being compared to similar working population**
With more working hours and lower average base pay, the well-being of U.S. teachers continues to be worse than that of similar working adults—a consistent pattern since 2021, according to a new RAND survey. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-teachers-worse-pay-similar-population.html) 2024-06-18T04:43:31Z **Antifreeze proteins show promise for organ preservation**
Cryogenic damage has long presented a significant barrier to effective organ preservation, posing challenges to advancements in transplantation and medical treatments. The formation of ice crystals during freezing can compromise cellular structures, leading to irreversible damage and organ failure. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-antifreeze-proteins.html) 2024-06-18T08:50:05Z **Simple tool could facilitate discovery of new mechanically-responsive materials**
The exploration of mechanophores continues to expand the practical application of these molecules in materials science, organic synthesis, and pharmaceuticals due to their ability to change physically or chemically in response to force. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-simple-tool-discovery-mechanically-responsive.html) 2024-06-18T12:50:47Z **Anti-Asian rhetoric during the pandemic negatively impacted employment and earnings, new research finds**
A first-of-its-kind study, led by a Northeastern University researcher, examined how racial bias and political rhetoric against Asians and other underrepresented groups in the United States impacted their employment status in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-anti-asian-rhetoric-pandemic-negatively.html) 2024-06-19T00:10:02Z **Ultrasound beam triggers 'nanodroplets' to deliver drugs at exactly the right spot**
Conventional drug delivery is often like cracking a nut with a sledgehammer. Whether the drug is swallowed, injected, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin, it ultimately diffuses to most parts of the body, including those where it isn't needed—or where it might even cause harm. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-ultrasound-triggers-nanodroplets-drugs.html) 2024-06-19T04:20:02Z **Javan rhino clings to survival after Indonesia poaching wave**
In 2023, a newborn Javan rhino in Indonesia raised hopes for the highly endangered species. Now, conservationists fear poachers have killed up to a third of the surviving population, possibly with inside help. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-javan-rhino-survival-indonesia-poaching.html) 2024-06-19T08:47:16Z **Observations explore stellar content of nearby young open cluster Berkeley 59**
Astronomers from India and Thailand have observed a young nearby open cluster known as Berkeley 59. Results of the observational campaign, published June 12 on the pre-print server arXiv, deliver essential information regarding low-mass stellar and substellar content of this cluster. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-explore-stellar-content-nearby-young.html) 2024-06-19T12:53:04Z **Boosting the synthesis of stable sugar compounds with a novel nature-inspired approach**
Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a new biomimetic concept to convert naturally occurring sugars into diverse classes of stable glycosides and glycoproteins without using protecting-group chemistry. This innovation promises to accelerate carbohydrate synthesis and post-translational protein modification, with potential applications for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic a ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-boosting-synthesis-stable-sugar-compounds.html) 2024-06-19T20:00:01Z **Improving crops with laser beams and 3D printing**
A demonstration of how new technologies can be used in 21st century crop breeding comes from just published research that combines laser scanning and 3D printing to create a detailed 3D model of a sugar beet plant. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-crops-laser-3d.html) 2024-06-20T04:04:06Z **'Nature's mirror': Climate change batters Albania's butterflies**
Bright yellow, black, red and blue, Alexanor butterflies once fluttered abundantly on southwestern Albania's flowery slopes. Now, like many related species, scientists say they are disappearing due to human impacts, including climate change. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-nature-mirror-climate-batters-albania.html) 2024-06-20T03:56:40Z **Climate change made deadly heat 35x more likely in US, Mexico, C. America**
Deadly heat that blanketed the United States, Mexico and Central America recently was made 35 times more likely due to global warming, an international network of climate scientists said on Thursday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-climate-deadly-35x-mexico-america.html) 2024-06-20T09:31:26Z **Chemists develop technique for extending nitrene reactions to three days**
A team of chemists at the University of Bremen, in Germany has developed a new type of nitrene capable of slow reactions that can last for up to three days. Their paper is published in the journal Science. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-chemists-technique-nitrene-reactions-days.html) 2024-06-20T09:31:18Z **Gravesite in France offers evidence of steppe migrant integration with Late Neolithic Europeans**
A team of geneticists and archaeologists affiliated with multiple institutions in France has uncovered skeletons in an ancient gravesite not far from Paris that show evidence of steppe migrant integration with Late Neolithic Europeans. The study is published in the journal Science Advances. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-gravesite-france-evidence-steppe-migrant.html) 2024-06-20T09:30:55Z **Galaxy NGC 4696 hosts a complex globular cluster system, observations find**
Using the Magellan Telescopes in Chile, astronomers have performed photometric observations of a giant elliptical galaxy known as NGC 4696. The observations reveal that the galaxy has a complex globular cluster system. The finding was detailed in a paper published June 12 on the pre-print server arXiv. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-galaxy-ngc-hosts-complex-globular.html) 2024-06-20T14:00:02Z **Insecticides contribute to drop in butterfly species across US MidWest: Study**
Insecticide use is a major factor causing a decrease in the size and diversity of butterfly populations across the US Midwest, reports Braeden Van Deynze of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and colleagues in a study published June 20 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-insecticides-contribute-butterfly-species-midwest.html) 2024-06-20T14:00:02Z **Wild chimpanzees seek out medicinal plants to treat illness and injuries, study finds**
Chimpanzees appear to consume plants with medicinal properties to treat their ailments, according to a study published on June 20 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Elodie Freymann from the University of Oxford, UK, and colleagues. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-wild-chimpanzees-medicinal-illness-injuries.html) 2024-06-20T14:00:02Z **Study finds plants store carbon for shorter periods than thought**
The carbon stored globally by plants is shorter-lived and more vulnerable to climate change than previously thought, according to a new study. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-carbon-shorter-periods-thought.html) 2024-06-20T14:00:02Z **Behavioral and computational study shows that social preferences can be inferred from decision speed alone**
Researchers led by Sophie Bavard at the University of Hamburg, Germany, found that people can infer hidden social preferences by observing how fast others make social decisions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-behavioral-social-inferred-decision.html) 2024-06-20T14:00:02Z **Family conditions may have more of an impact on upward social mobility than gender inequality**
Family conditions—specifically, how similar one's social status and background is to one's parents' status—may play a bigger role in determining how easily an individual can shift into a wealthier socioeconomic class than gender inequality, according to a study of 153 countries published June 20, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Khanh Duong from Maynooth University, Ireland. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-family-conditions-impact-upward-social.html) 2024-06-20T14:00:02Z **Wild yeasts from Patagonia could yield new flavors of lagers: Genetic mutations enhance alcohol production**
New strains of yeast for brewing lager beers, created by hybridizing wild strains of yeast from Patagonia with brewer's yeast, can yield novel flavors and aromas, reports a new study by Jennifer Molinet and Francisco Cubillos of the Universidad de Santiago de Chile, published June 20 in the journal PLOS Genetics. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-wild-yeasts-patagonia-yield-flavors.html) 2024-06-20T14:00:02Z **Hurricane changed 'rules of the game' in monkey society**
A devastating hurricane transformed a monkey society by changing the pros and cons of interacting with others, new research shows. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-hurricane-game-monkey-society.html) 2024-06-21T00:00:01Z **Scientists use heart and lung model to calculate potential health threats facing future space tourists in microgravity**
Space exploration has always captivated our imagination, offering the promise of discovering new worlds and pushing the boundaries of human capability. As commercial space travel becomes more accessible, individuals with various underlying health conditions—including heart failure—may soon be among those venturing beyond Earth's atmosphere. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-scientists-heart-lung-potential-health.html) 2024-06-21T05:00:01Z **New computational tool helps interpret AI models in genomics**
Artificial intelligence continues to squirm its way into many aspects of our lives. But what about biology, the study of life itself? AI can sift through hundreds of thousands of genome data points to identify potential new therapeutic targets. While these genomic insights may appear helpful, scientists aren't sure how today's AI models come to their conclusions in the first place. Now, a new system named SQUID arrives on the scene, armed to pry open AI's ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-tool-ai-genomics.html) 2024-06-21T09:10:08Z **Enhancing the performance of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis by constructing electron/proton pathways**
The proton exchange membrane electrolysis of water (PEMWE) is a critical process for hydrogen generation. However, the limited ability of electrons and protons to permeate the membrane and the inefficient arrangement of the transport structure in the catalyst layer (CL) presents significant obstacles to the widespread adoption of PEMWE. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-proton-exchange-membrane-electrolysis-electronproton.html) 2024-06-21T13:14:03Z **Human activity: A double-edged sword in the face of drought**
Earth and environmental scientists have reported that, as human socio-economic activities increase, greenhouse gas emissions will rise, leading to more frequent extreme weather events such as droughts and floods. However, a research team from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) has published a study suggesting that anthropogenic greenhouse gases might actually mitigate droughts, offering a new perspective on the impact of human ac ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-human-edged-sword-drought.html) 2024-06-21T19:20:01Z **How does heat kill? It confuses your brain. It shuts down your organs. It overworks your heart.**
As temperatures and humidity soar outside, what's happening inside the human body can become a life-or-death battle decided by just a few degrees. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-brain-overworks-heart.html) 2024-06-22T03:11:06Z **China, France to launch satellite to better understand the universe**
A French-Chinese satellite will blast off Saturday on a hunt for the mightiest explosions in the universe, in a notable example of cooperation between a Western power and the Asian giant. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-china-france-satellite-universe.html) 2024-06-22T08:30:01Z **Saturday Citations: Bulking tips for black holes; microbes influence drinking; new dinosaur just dropped**
What did scientists do this week? Exactly four things, all of which are summarized below. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-saturday-citations-bulking-black-holes.html) 2024-06-22T12:57:49Z **Tourists banned from Italy's Capri over water shortage**
The Italian island of Capri banned tourists from disembarking Saturday after problems with the water supply from the mainland threatened to leave the holiday hotspot parched. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-tourists-italy-capri-shortage.html) 2024-06-23T11:40:01Z **Social media warning labels and school cell phone bans: Do they unlock better youth mental health?**
This week, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for health warnings on social media for younger users. This recent call follows an earlier Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, also published by the Surgeon General. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-social-media-school-cell-youth.html) 2024-06-23T19:10:02Z **Tax the rich, say a majority of adults across 17 G20 countries surveyed**
A new survey of adult citizens in 18 of the world's largest economies has revealed majority support for tax reforms and broader political and economic reform. (Not all questions were asked in China, as indicated when findings reference 17 G20 countries.) ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-tax-rich-majority-adults-g20.html) 2024-06-24T06:40:32Z **Archaeologists find 18th century artifact at Colonial Michilimackinac**
Archaeologists made an intriguing find this week at Michigan's Colonial Michilimackinac, Mackinac State Historic Parks officials said, an 18th century brass trade ring. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-archaeologists-18th-century-artifact-colonial.html) 2024-06-24T06:39:39Z **Ethylene oxide emissions from two plants could have raised cancer risks for Illinois residents, report shows**
People living near two Lake County industries could face significantly greater risks of developing certain cancers, according to a new federal study based on monitoring of ethylene oxide pollution in surrounding neighborhoods. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-ethylene-oxide-emissions-cancer-illinois.html) 2024-06-24T06:37:05Z **Fish kill reported in Biscayne Bay: Waterkeeper blames it on heavy rain**
If you're in some spots in Biscayne Bay during the weekend, you might be greeted with an unpleasant sight: dead fish floating on the surface. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-fish-biscayne-bay-waterkeeper-blames.html) 2024-06-24T10:52:43Z **Dubai to build $8 bn stormwater runoff system after record floods**
Dubai on Monday announced an $8 billion plan for a stormwater runoff system, two months after an unprecedented deluge and widespread flooding brought the desert state to a standstill. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-dubai-bn-stormwater-runoff.html) 2024-06-24T10:51:41Z **Mashed up purple marine bacteria makes an excellent eco-friendly fertilizer**
New research published in npj Sustainable Agriculture reports that biomass made from the purple photosynthetic marine bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum is an excellent nitrogen fertilizer. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-mashed-purple-marine-bacteria-excellent.html) 2024-06-24T10:49:23Z **Genetic switch in plants can turn simple spoon-shaped leaves into complex leaves with leaflets**
The diversity of forms of living organisms is enormous. But how the individual cells together coordinate the formation of organs and tissues in complex organisms is still an open question. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-genetic-simple-spoon-complex-leaflets.html) 2024-06-24T15:00:02Z **Secrets of salt drop stains unveiled: New research decodes chemical composition from simple photos**
Imagine zooming in on a dried drop of salt solution—each pattern a unique masterpiece, reminiscent of abstract art, yet no larger than the size of a penny. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-secrets-salt-unveiled-decodes-chemical.html) 2024-06-24T15:00:02Z **AI-based approach matches protein interaction partners**
Proteins are the building blocks of life, involved in virtually every biological process. Understanding how proteins interact with each other is crucial for deciphering the complexities of cellular functions, and has significant implications for drug development and the treatment of diseases. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-ai-based-approach-protein-interaction.html) 2024-06-25T00:00:01Z **Study: Teacher perceptions of chronically absent young students may add to the challenges of missing school**
A new study finds that early elementary school teachers report feeling less close to chronically absent students and view them less positively, even when those students do not cause trouble in the classroom. This "cooling down" in the relationship between teachers and their chronically absent students may exacerbate the academic challenges these children face. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-teacher-perceptions-chronically-absent-young.html) 2024-06-25T04:14:58Z **China lunar probe returns to Earth with samples**
A Chinese probe carrying samples from the far side of the moon returned to Earth on Tuesday, capping a technically complex 53-day mission heralded as a world first. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-china-lunar-probe-earth-samples.html) 2024-06-25T09:00:01Z **Foregoing quantum chaos to achieve high-fidelity quantum state transfer**
An international team of scientists from China and the U.S. has developed a scalable protocol for high-fidelity quantum state transfer (QST) in a 36-qubit superconducting quantum circuit. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-quantum-chaos-high-fidelity-state.html) 2024-06-25T08:55:36Z **New method to degrade PFAS 'forever chemicals' found effective in the lab**
Per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known as "forever chemicals" because they are notoriously resistant to degradation. Due to their stable chemical structure, PFAS—which are found in thousands of variants—are used in oil and grease-resistant food packaging, non-stick cookware, cosmetics, clothing, and fire-fighting foams. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-method-degrade-pfas-chemicals-effective.html) 2024-06-25T08:55:18Z **Researchers illuminate the evolution of firefly lights**
The leading hypothesis for the origin of firefly lights has been overturned by a genomic analysis. It had been posited that the bright lights emitted by many species in the Lampyridae family of beetles—better known as fireflies—first evolved as a warning signal to predators, advertising the toxicity of fireflies, and were then repurposed as a mating signal. This explanation would account for why eggs, larvae, and pupae also glow. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-illuminate-evolution-firefly.html) 2024-06-25T08:54:03Z **Turning pine needles into energy to reduce wildfire risks**
The increasing frequency of environmental fires is a serious issue around the world and one that is being exacerbated by climate change. Millions of hectares and thousands of homes are at risk. Recovery times will run to decades for much of the devastation in Australia, Greece, California, India, and elsewhere. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-needles-energy-wildfire.html) 2024-06-25T13:10:01Z **Dollars and scents: How the right smells can encourage shoppers to buy healthier foods**
Imagine walking down the aisle of your local grocery store. The scent of mixed herbs catches your attention, mentally transporting you to a kitchen filled with the aroma of your favorite home-cooked meal. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-dollars-scents-shoppers-buy-healthier.html) 2024-06-26T00:00:01Z **The plants bees need to maintain a healthy diet have been revealed**
As critical pollinators, bees keep our agricultural systems going—but human-caused changes to the planet heavily impact their foraging options. To help protect our food security, we need more information about bees' own dietary requirements. Scientists writing in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems have studied the nutritional value of 57 types of pollen and found that bees need to forage from a variety of plants to balance their diet bet ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-bees-healthy-diet-revealed.html) 2024-06-26T04:15:44Z **First radioactive rhino horns to curb poaching in S.Africa**
South African scientists on Tuesday injected radioactive material into live rhino horns to make them easier to detect at border posts in a pioneering project aimed at curbing poaching. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-radioactive-rhino-horns-curb-poaching.html) 2024-06-26T09:00:02Z **Study identifies biting flies as reservoirs of bacteria that cause bovine mastitis on dairy farms**
Bovine mastitis, which affects cows, leads to reduced milk production and can be fatal if left untreated. The USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System has reported cases in 99.7% of all dairy operations in the U.S., making it the most prevalent disease on dairy farms. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-flies-reservoirs-bacteria-bovine-mastitis.html) 2024-06-26T13:06:56Z **Wolves reintroduced to Isle Royale temporarily affect other carnivores, humans have influence as well**
In a rare opportunity to study carnivores before and after wolves were reintroduced to their ranges, researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison found that the effects of wolves on Isle Royale have been only temporary. And even in the least-visited national park, humans had a more significant impact on carnivores' lives. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-wolves-reintroduced-isle-royale-temporarily.html) 2024-06-26T19:00:01Z **Early childhood problems linked to persistent school absenteeism**
Children who are not considered "school-ready" by their teachers are more than twice as likely to become persistently absent at some point in their education, according to a new study led by the University of Leeds. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-early-childhood-problems-linked-persistent.html) 2024-06-27T04:14:55Z **NASA picks SpaceX to carry ISS to its watery graveyard after 2030**
NASA on Tuesday said it had picked SpaceX to build a vessel to carry the International Space Station back through Earth's atmosphere and on to a final resting place in the Pacific Ocean after it is retired in 2030. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-nasa-elon-musk-spacex-international.html) 2024-06-27T08:20:01Z **2024's violent tornado season has been one of the most active on record**
Spring 2024 was unnerving for people across large parts of the U.S. as tornado warnings and sirens sent them scrambling for safety. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-violent-tornado-season.html) 2024-06-27T12:30:01Z **World's smallest living elephants listed as Endangered on Red List**
A newly confirmed elephant subspecies is already at risk of extinction. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-world-smallest-elephants-endangered-red.html) 2024-06-27T12:30:01Z **What's really inside vapes? We pulled them apart to find out**
While vapes or e-cigarettes first appeared around 20 years ago as an alternative to smoking, their prevalence and use have increasingly become problematic. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-vapes.html) 2024-06-27T16:35:59Z **US states shape foreign policy amid national China unease, research shows**
State-level officials such as governors, state legislators and attorneys general are shaping U.S.-China relations as the two countries navigate a strained geopolitical relationship, according to new research by political scientist Kyle Jaros. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-states-foreign-policy-national-china.html) 2024-06-28T00:00:01Z **No evidence that England's new 'biodiversity boost' planning policy will help birds or butterflies**
A new legal requirement for developers to demonstrate a biodiversity boost in planning applications could make a more meaningful impact on nature recovery if improvements are made to the way nature's value is calculated, say researchers at the University of Cambridge. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-evidence-england-biodiversity-boost-policy.html) 2024-06-28T05:00:02Z **New class of Mars quakes reveals daily meteorite strikes**
An international team of researchers, co-led by ETH Zurich and Imperial College London, has derived the first estimate of global meteorite impacts on Mars using seismic data. Their findings indicate that between 280 to 360 meteorites strike the planet each year, forming impact craters greater than 8 meters (about 26 feet) across. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-class-mars-quakes-reveals-daily.html) 2024-06-28T09:10:01Z **LLNL gamma-ray sensor has the best resolution**
It's official. An instrument designed and built by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers is the highest-resolution gamma ray sensor that has ever flown in space. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-llnl-gamma-ray-sensor-resolution.html) 2024-06-28T09:07:28Z **Astronomers discover two new Milky Way satellite galaxy candidates**
For years, astronomers have worried about how to explain why the Milky Way has fewer satellite galaxies than the standard dark matter model predicts. This is called the "missing satellites problem." ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-astronomers-milky-satellite-galaxy-candidates.html) 2024-06-28T13:28:22Z **New computational microscopy technique provides more direct route to crisp images**
For hundreds of years, the clarity and magnification of microscopes were ultimately limited by the physical properties of their optical lenses. Microscope makers pushed those boundaries by making increasingly complicated and expensive stacks of lens elements. Still, scientists had to decide between high resolution and a small field of view on the one hand or low resolution and a large field of view on the other. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-microscopy-technique-route-crisp-images.html) 2024-06-29T04:58:49Z **Planting giant cactus to stave off desertification in Brazil**
Giant spiky cacti tower over farmer Alcides Peixinho Nascimento, 70, one of the residents of Brazil's unique Caatinga biome who is on a mission to plant native vegetation in a bid to halt desertification. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-giant-cactus-stave-desertification-brazil.html) 2024-06-29T04:56:13Z **NASA astronauts will stay at the space station longer for more troubleshooting of Boeing capsule**
Two NASA astronauts will stay longer at the International Space Station as engineers troubleshoot problems on Boeing's new space capsule that cropped up on the trip there. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-nasa-astronauts-stay-space-station.html) 2024-06-29T09:40:01Z **Fast fashion is harming our planet—these four tips can help you build a more sustainable wardrobe**
As sunny summer days return in the northern hemisphere, you may be looking to refresh your wardrobe. The allure of a whole "new you" is pervasive, and the foundation of many a successful marketing campaign. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-fast-fashion-planet-sustainable-wardrobe.html) 2024-06-29T18:40:01Z **A 'trilobite Pompeii': Perfectly preserved fossils of ancient sea critters found buried in volcanic ash**
If you've ever visited the fossil gallery of a natural history museum—or its gift shop, for that matter—you've probably seen the armored body remains (or exoskeletons) of an extinct group of animals called trilobites. These ancient marine arthropods lived in the world's oceans from 521 million to 252 million years ago. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-trilobite-pompeii-fossils-ancient-sea.html) 2024-06-30T04:50:51Z **Hurricane Beryl, first of 2024 season, bears down on Caribbean**
Much of the southeast Caribbean was on alert Sunday as Beryl strengthened into the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, with forecasters warning it will swiftly become a major storm. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-hurricane-beryl-season-caribbean.html) 2024-06-30T04:49:26Z **Animal rescuers try to keep dozens of dolphins away from Cape Cod shallows after mass stranding**
Animal rescuers were trying to keep dozens of dolphins away from shallow waters around Cape Cod on Saturday after 125 of the creatures stranded themselves a day earlier. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-animal-rescuers-dozens-dolphins-cape.html) 2024-06-30T14:40:02Z **Homestays can help refugee women adapt to life in a new country**
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 117 million people are displaced worldwide. Many of those displaced from their homes are women and girls. In 2020, women and girls constituted about 46% of the refugees who were resettled in Canada. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-homestays-refugee-women-life-country.html) 2024-06-30T14:40:02Z **Most marine protection measures are not working—a new, more flexible approach is needed**
The radio crackles into life on a small boat off an idyllic beach in Ningaloo Marine Park, Western Australia. Two recreational fishers are trying to catch prized spangled emperors in a sanctuary zone, where all fishing is supposed to be banned, to help protect this fish from overfishing. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-marine-flexible-approach.html) 2024-07-01T04:12:10Z **Japan launches an advanced Earth observation satellite on its new flagship H3 rocket**
Japan deployed an upgraded Earth observation satellite for disaster response and security after it was launched on a new flagship H3 rocket Monday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-japan-advanced-earth-satellite-flagship.html) 2024-07-01T08:20:01Z **Is bird flu in cattle here to stay?**
Despite assurances from the federal government that bird flu will be eradicated from the nation's dairy cows, some experts worry the disease is here to stay. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-bird-flu-cattle-stay.html) 2024-07-01T12:24:39Z **A novel way to save rhinos: Inserting radioisotopes into 20 live rhinoceros**
After three years of meticulous and dedicated hard work, the Rhisotope Project at Wits University has successfully inserted low doses of radioisotopes into 20 live rhinoceros. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-rhinos-inserting-radioisotopes-rhinoceros.html) 2024-07-01T16:34:04Z **Increased atmospheric moisture may dampen the 'seeds' of hurricanes**
Increased atmospheric moisture may alter critical weather patterns over Africa, making it more difficult for the predecessors of many Atlantic hurricanes to form, according to a new study published this month. The work is published in the Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-atmospheric-moisture-dampen-seeds-hurricanes.html) 2024-07-02T04:00:02Z **Study reveals gut cells' role in marine worm regeneration**
The sea worm Platynereis dumerilii is only a few centimeters long, but has a remarkable ability: In just a few days, it can regenerate entire parts of its body after an injury or amputation. By focusing more specifically on the mechanisms at play in the regeneration of this worm's tail, a research team led by a CNRS scientist has observed that gut cells play a role in the regeneration of the intestine as well as other tissues such as muscle and e ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-reveals-gut-cells-role-marine.html) 2024-07-02T08:10:01Z **German scientists investigate supernova remnant SNR G309.8+00.0 at high energies**
Using Spektr-RG and Fermi space observatories, German astronomers have investigated the supernova remnant SNR G309.8+00.0 in X-rays and gamma rays. Results of the new study, presented June 25 on the preprint server arXiv, deliver important insights into the properties of this supernova remnant. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-german-scientists-supernova-remnant-snr.html) 2024-07-02T12:18:04Z **Study: More complaints, worse performance when AI monitors employees**
Organizations using AI to monitor employees' behavior and productivity can expect them to complain more, be less productive and want to quit more—unless the technology can be framed as supporting their development, Cornell research finds. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-complaints-worse-ai-employees.html) 2024-07-02T16:20:01Z **Durian genome upgrade reveals the role of chromosome reshuffling**
In a study published in the journal Science China Life Sciences, Jianing Yu's group from Shaanxi Normal University and Yuxian Zhu's group from Wuhan University assembled a reference durian genome of 777.8 Mb with 28 chromosomes and 38,728 protein-coding genes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-durian-genome-reveals-role-chromosome.html) 2024-07-03T00:00:01Z **Scientists pinpoint strategies that could stop cats from scratching your furniture**
Many cat owners are familiar with torn cushions, carpets, and couches. The feline instinct to scratch is innate, but is often perceived as a behavioral problem by cat owners, and sometimes leads to interventions that are not cat-friendly. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-scientists-strategies-cats-furniture.html) 2024-07-03T04:10:02Z **Six dead as floods inundate vast swath of India, Bangladesh**
Six people have been killed in floods precipitated by torrential rains across northeast India and neighboring Bangladesh that inundated the homes of more than a million others, officials said Wednesday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-dead-inundate-vast-swath-india.html) 2024-07-03T09:00:01Z **Pregnant fish can also get 'baby brain,' but not the way that mammals do**
New research reveals that pregnancy-related brain impairment is present in live-bearing fish, but instead of affecting learning and memory as expected from similar research on mammals, it appears to have a stronger impact on decision-making and sensory reception. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-pregnant-fish-baby-brain-mammals.html) 2024-07-03T09:00:01Z **Artificial light is a deadly siren song for young fish**
New research finds that artificial light at night (ALAN) attracts larval fish away from naturally lit habitats while dramatically lowering their chances of survival in an "ecological trap," with serious consequences for fish conservation and fishing stock management. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-artificial-deadly-siren-song-young.html) 2024-07-03T09:00:01Z **Team plans 3D modeling project for France's natural history collections**
France's natural history collections contain nearly 6% of the world's total natural specimens across multiple institutions, and the e-COL+ project aims to capture and reconstruct these specimens in 3D for easy access and 3D printing around the world. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-team-3d-france-natural-history.html) 2024-07-03T09:00:01Z **Social media is a likely cause of confusion in modern mate selection**
A recent sociological study finds that most young adults surveyed reported feeling confused about their options when it comes to dating decisions. Preliminary analysis suggests that more than half of young people experience confusion about choosing life-partners, with women appearing to be more likely to report partner selection confusion than men. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-social-media-modern.html) 2024-07-03T09:00:01Z **Shark hatching success drops from 82% to 11% in climate change scenario**
New experimental research shows that the combined effects of ocean warming and acidification could lead to a catastrophic decrease in embryonic shark survival by the year 2100. This research is also the first to demonstrate that monthly temperature variation plays a prominent role in shark embryo mortality. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-shark-hatching-success-climate-scenario.html) 2024-07-03T09:00:01Z **Exploring bird breeding behavior and microbiomes in the radioactive Chornobyl Exclusion Zone**
New research finds surprising differences in the diets and gut microbiomes of songbirds living in the radiation-contaminated areas of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine. This study is also the first to examine the breeding behavior and early life of birds growing up in radiologically contaminated habitats. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-exploring-bird-behavior-microbiomes-radioactive.html) 2024-07-03T09:00:01Z **Discovering new anti-aging secrets from the world's longest-living vertebrate**
New experimental research shows that muscle metabolic activity may be an important factor in the incredible longevity of the world's oldest living vertebrate species—the Greenland shark. These findings may have applications for conservation of this vulnerable species against climate change or even for human cardiovascular health. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-anti-aging-secrets-world-longest.html) 2024-07-03T13:10:01Z **To save spotted owls, US officials plan to kill hundreds of thousands of another owl species**
To save the imperiled spotted owl from potential extinction, U.S. wildlife officials are embracing a contentious plan to deploy trained shooters into dense West Coast forests to kill almost a half-million barred owls that are crowding out their smaller cousins. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-owls-hundreds-thousands-owl-species.html) 2024-07-03T18:30:02Z **Compact cities found to have lower carbon emissions but poorer air quality, less green space and higher mortality rates**
What types of cities exist in Europe and which are more favorable in terms of human health, environmental quality and carbon footprint? To answer these questions, a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) has analyzed 919 European cities. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-compact-cities-carbon-emissions-poorer.html) 2024-07-04T01:00:01Z **Searching for dark matter with the coldest quantum detectors in the world**
One of the greatest mysteries of science could be one step closer to being solved. Approximately 80% of the matter in the universe is dark, meaning that it cannot be seen. In fact, dark matter is passing through us constantly—possibly at a rate of trillions of particles per second. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-dark-coldest-quantum-detectors-world.html) 2024-07-04T06:44:29Z **To guard against cyberattacks in space, researchers ask 'what if?'**
If space systems such as GPS were hacked and knocked offline, much of the world would instantly be returned to the communications and navigation technologies of the 1950s. Yet space cybersecurity is largely invisible to the public at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-cyberattacks-space.html) 2024-07-04T10:48:33Z **Novel universal principle guides properties of fluorophosphate glass**
A research team led by Prof. Wang Pengfei from Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed the relationship between F/O ratio and the structure of fluorophosphate glass through conducting comprehensive research on Raman spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-universal-principle-properties-fluorophosphate-glass.html) 2024-07-04T10:46:27Z **Permaculture found to be a sustainable alternative to conventional agriculture**
RPTU University of Kaiserslautern-Landau has shown for the first time, in a joint study with BOKU University, that permaculture brings about a significant improvement in biodiversity, soil quality and carbon storage. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-permaculture-sustainable-alternative-conventional-agriculture.html) 2024-07-04T14:50:01Z **Strawberries under the high-tech magnifying glass**
Sweet flavors and healthy ingredients make strawberries one of the world's most popular berries. The complex biochemical compounds that determine the flavor and nutritional value of a strawberry—known as biomarkers—can only be determined in detail by experts using modern analyses. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-strawberries-high-tech-magnifying-glass.html) 2024-07-05T00:20:01Z **Desert-loving fungi and lichens pose deadly threat to 5,000-year-old rock art**
The Negev desert of southern Israel is renowned for its unique rock art. Since at least the third millennium BCE, the hunters, shepherds, and merchants who roamed the Negev have left thousands of carvings (petroglyphs) on the rocks. These figures are mostly cut into desert varnish: a thin black coating on limestone rock, which forms naturally. Many represent animals such as ibexes, goats, horses, donkeys, and domestic camel ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-fungi-lichens-pose-deadly-threat.html) 2024-07-05T05:00:01Z **Why the US food system needs agroecology**
Agroecology—a science, practice, and movement that seeks social, political, economic, and environmental sustainability in the global food system—is gaining momentum in the U.S., according to a new Dartmouth-led commentary in Nature Food. As the co-authors report, the approach requires coordination among scientists, farmers, and activists. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-food-agroecology.html) 2024-07-05T05:00:01Z **Engineers find a way to protect microbes from extreme conditions**
Microbes that are used for health, agricultural, or other applications need to be able to withstand extreme conditions, and ideally the manufacturing processes used to make tablets for long-term storage. MIT researchers have now developed a new way to make microbes hardy enough to withstand these extreme conditions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-microbes-extreme-conditions.html) 2024-07-05T09:05:05Z **'Vaults' within germ cells offer more than safekeeping**
Maternal messenger RNAs (mRNAs), located within the cytoplasm of an immature egg, are crucial for jump starting development. Following fertilization, these mRNAs are passed onto the zygote, the first newly formed cell. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-vaults-germ-cells-safekeeping.html) 2024-07-05T13:33:03Z **A prototype superconducting coil opens the way for more energy-efficient electromagnets**
How can we advance cutting-edge research but consume less energy? CERN's scientists are working on innovative solutions, and superconductivity is one of the key ingredients. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-prototype-superconducting-energy-efficient-electromagnets.html) 2024-07-06T04:47:39Z **Beryl heads for Texas after causing damage, no deaths in Mexico**
Beryl weakened to a tropical storm Friday after hitting Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane, with fierce winds causing material damage but no injuries along the touristic Yucatan Peninsula. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-beryl-texas-deaths-mexico.html) 2024-07-06T04:46:36Z **Pongamia trees grow where citrus once flourished, offering renewable energy and plant-based protein**
An ancient tree from India is now thriving in groves where citrus trees once flourished in Florida, and could help provide the nation with renewable energy. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-pongamia-trees-citrus-flourished-renewable.html) 2024-07-06T11:10:02Z **High-selectivity graphene membranes enhance CO₂ capture efficiency**
Reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions is a crucial step towards mitigating climate change and protecting the environment on Earth. One proposed technology for reducing CO₂ emissions, particularly from power plants and industrial establishments, is carbon capture. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-high-graphene-membranes-capture-efficiency.html) 2024-07-07T08:23:24Z **'Not the end of the world', says data scientist on the big issues**
Humanity has made great strides in recent decades: air is cleaner; poverty, deforestation and childhood mortality have fallen; gasoline cars—and maybe coal—are on the way out. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-world-scientist-big-issues.html) 2024-07-07T08:22:11Z **Crew of NASA's earthbound simulated Mars habitat emerge after a year**
The crew of a NASA mission to Mars emerged from their craft after a yearlong voyage that never left Earth. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-crew-nasa-earthbound-simulated-mars.html) 2024-07-07T13:00:01Z **Fossils show huge salamanderlike predator with sharp fangs existed before the dinosaurs**
Scientists have revealed fossils of a giant salamanderlike beast with sharp fangs that ruled waters before the first dinosaurs arrived. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-fossils-huge-salamanderlike-predator-sharp.html) 2024-07-07T19:10:01Z **Study of key characteristics of UK politicians reveals 'ambition, narcissism, genuine idealism' among common traits**
In a new study of politicians' personalities, humor, charm and raw courage are listed among the most important character traits for successful leaders. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-key-characteristics-uk-politicians-reveals.html) 2024-07-08T00:00:02Z **Combining community values with science is key to ecosystem restoration, study demonstrates**
Up on the "roof of the world," one of the world's largest ecosystem restoration projects is taking place. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) in western China is the world's highest plateau and covers a land area roughly five times the size of France. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-06-combining-community-values-science-key.html) 2024-07-08T04:12:27Z **Texas hunkers down as Hurricane Beryl approaches**
Beryl strengthened to a hurricane before hitting the southern US state of Texas on Monday, where some residents were evacuated over warnings of flooding and power outages. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-texas-hunkers-hurricane-beryl-approaches.html) 2024-07-08T09:03:07Z **Detroit's air quality 'very unhealthy' following Fourth of July fireworks**
Detroit's air quality ranked among the worst in the U.S. on Friday morning following the Fourth of July holiday fireworks use, posing "very unhealthy" conditions for children, seniors and people with certain health conditions who went outdoors. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-detroit-air-quality-unhealthy-fourth.html) 2024-07-08T09:01:31Z **Wildfire smoke kills thousands of Californians a year: It doesn't have to be so deadly, say researchers**
When wildfires rage, the immediate threat is obvious—but smoke from the fires actually kills far more people than the flames do. It doesn't have to be so deadly. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-wildfire-thousands-californians-year-doesnt.html) 2024-07-08T13:13:03Z **Tackling the climate and housing crises: Promoting compact living in Europe**
Future European Union housing policy must address the twin challenges of providing adequate housing for all while drastically reducing current levels of resource use. Voluntary reductions in living space could make a significant contribution to achieving these goals. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-tackling-climate-housing-crises-compact.html) 2024-07-08T17:18:03Z **Unlocking the potential of anti-perovskites through a convenient one-step synthesis route**
Although perovskites have attracted a lot of attention lately, anti-perovskites hold just as much potential as functional materials. Bearing a similar crystal structure to perovskites but with an inverted electrical configuration, anti-perovskites exhibit peculiar properties that could be exploited, including negative thermal expansion, ionic conductivity, and even superconductivity. Unfortunately ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-potential-anti-perovskites-convenient-synthesis.html) 2024-07-09T04:09:40Z **Beryl downgraded after slamming Texas with deadly rains, wind**
Beryl was downgraded Monday evening to a tropical depression after slamming the southern US state of Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, killing at least four people and causing millions to lose power amid scorching summer heat. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-beryl-downgraded-slamming-texas-deadly.html) 2024-07-09T04:08:25Z **India floods swamp national park, killing six rhinos**
Devastating floods in India's northeast that have killed scores of people also swamped a national park, drowning six threatened rhinos and other wildlife, government officials said Tuesday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-india-swamp-national-rhinos.html) 2024-07-09T04:07:33Z **Phage display technology effectively improves specific targeting ability of anti-microbial peptides against S. aureus**
Antibiotics are widely used in clinical treatment and animal production as an effective means to combat microbial infections. Antimicrobial peptides, as potential alternatives to antibiotics, have shown promising applications. However, owing to their broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activity, most antimicrobial peptides tend to cause imbalance in the host's intestinal flora. ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-phage-display-technology-effectively-specific.html) 2024-07-09T08:30:01Z **Evidence of water vapor detected in the atmosphere of Smertrios**
Using the CARMENES spectrograph, astronomers have found evidence of water vapor in the atmosphere of a hot Saturn exoplanet designated HD 149026 b, dubbed Smertrios. The finding, reported in a research paper published on the preprint server arXiv, could be key to a better understanding of the structure and formation scenario of this alien world. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-evidence-vapor-atmosphere-smertrios.html) 2024-07-09T12:40:03Z **From winter's rest to spring's bloom: PmDAM6 gene steers plant bud dormancy**
Plant dormancy's genetic mechanisms are vital for enhancing agricultural resilience and productivity. The interaction between lipid metabolism and hormone regulation significantly influences dormancy phases, essential for plant survival under varying climatic conditions. Exploring these biological challenges through genetic research is crucial for devising innovative strategies to ensure crop adaptability and sustainability. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-winter-rest-bloom-pmdam6-gene.html) 2024-07-09T12:39:03Z **From genomes to gardens: Introducing a search engine for horticultural crops**
As genomics profoundly reshapes our understanding of horticultural crops, researchers often grapple with dispersed and complex genomic data. This fragmentation significantly hinders effective analysis and application, presenting a clear demand for more cohesive research tools. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-genomes-gardens-horticultural-crops.html) 2024-07-09T12:38:03Z **How lasers and 2D materials could solve the world's plastic problem**
A global research team led by Texas Engineers has developed a way to blast the molecules in plastics and other materials with a laser to break them down into their smallest parts for future reuse. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-lasers-2d-materials-world-plastic.html) 2024-07-09T16:43:03Z **A reduction in Iberian pork preservatives is achieved thanks to a yeast**
In the face of European regulations mandating salt and nitrite reductions in food, a team from the University of Cordoba has tested the potential of a yeast as a natural preservative in Iberian pork loin from the Pedroches Valley. The findings are published in the journal Food Control. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-reduction-iberian-pork-yeast.html) 2024-07-10T00:00:01Z **Auroras caused by head-on blows to Earth's magnetic field could damage critical infrastructure, scientists say**
Auroras have inspired myths and portents for millennia—but only now, with modern technology dependent on electricity, are we appreciating their true power. The same forces which cause auroras also cause currents that can damage infrastructure which conducts electricity, like pipelines. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-auroras-earth-magnetic-field-critical.html) 2024-07-10T00:00:01Z **Living in America's wealthiest communities may not make you safer**
One of the privileges the wealthiest Americans enjoy is living wherever they want. But new research published in Risk Analysis suggests they should be cautious when choosing their Shangri-La. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-america-wealthiest-communities-safer.html) 2024-07-10T04:24:14Z **Rice gone wild: How humans have inadvertently selected for 'weedy' rice**
University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers have discovered that the anatomical adaptation helping weedy rice varieties to proliferate is not, as previously believed, confined only to these pest varieties. The research, published recently in the Journal of Experimental Botany, shows that despite 10,000 years of human cultivation, a cell tissue that allows rice plants to easily drop their seeds remains a feature in nearly ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-rice-wild-humans-inadvertently-weedy.html) 2024-07-10T04:23:49Z **XL-Calibur telescope launched to study black holes**
Scientists from Washington University in St. Louis have launched a balloon-borne telescope to unlock the secrets of astrophysical black holes and neutron stars, some of the most extreme objects in the universe. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-xl-calibur-telescope-black-holes.html) 2024-07-10T09:00:01Z **Modeling study proposes a diamond layer at the core-mantle boundary on Mercury**
A recent study in Nature Communications by scientists from China and Belgium suggests that Mercury's core-mantle boundary (CMB) includes a diamond layer, potentially up to 18 kilometers thick, deep within the planet's interior. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-diamond-layer-core-mantle-boundary.html) 2024-07-10T13:08:04Z **Nanoparticle-based delivery system could offer treatment for diabetics with rare insulin allergy**
Up to 3% of people with diabetes have an allergic reaction to insulin. A team at Forschungszentrum Jülich has now studied a method that could be used to deliver the active substance into the body in a masked form—in the form of tiny nanoparticles. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-nanoparticle-based-delivery-treatment-diabetics.html) 2024-07-10T17:20:03Z **Swedish labor market consensus is far from the whole story, says researcher**
Twentieth century Swedish labor market policy was not solely shaped by inter-class cooperation, but also by tough conflicts. Industrial rationalization and investments in new technology were met with protests from workers. A new doctoral thesis reveals parallels between technological changes during 1920–1950 and the transition we face today with, for example, artificial intelligence and automation. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-swedish-labor-consensus-story.html) 2024-07-10T17:17:03Z **A new species of extinct crocodile relative rewrites life on the Triassic coastline**
The surprising discovery of a new species of extinct crocodile relative from the Triassic Favret Formation of Nevada, U.S., rewrites the story of life along the coasts during the first act of the Age of Dinosaurs. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-species-extinct-crocodile-rewrites-life.html) 2024-07-11T00:10:01Z **Study: Algorithms used by universities to predict student success may be racially biased**
Predictive algorithms commonly used by colleges and universities to determine whether students will be successful may be racially biased against Black and Hispanic students, according to new research published today in AERA Open. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-algorithms-universities-student-success-racially.html) 2024-07-11T04:14:03Z **Canada conservationists push back as grizzly hunting ban lifted**
A decision to partially reverse a nearly two-decade ban on hunting grizzly bears in Canada's Alberta has angered environmentalists, with a group saying Wednesday they feared its impact on the species. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-canada-conservationists-grizzly.html) 2024-07-11T08:30:01Z **Astronomers discover dozens of double-lined double white dwarf binaries**
An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of 34 rare double-lined double white dwarf binary systems using the Intermediate-dispersion Spectrograph and Imaging System (ISIS) on the William Herschel Telescope (WHT). The finding was detailed in a research paper published on the preprint server arXiv. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-astronomers-dozens-lined-white-dwarf.html) 2024-07-11T12:36:31Z **Why is Congress filled with old people?**
It's not just presidential candidates who are old. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-congress-people.html) 2024-07-11T12:36:27Z **Zero-field NMR spectroscopy measures quadrupolar nuclei for the first time**
Researchers at Mainz University and the University of California, Berkeley, have achieved a breakthrough in zero-field nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, paving the way towards benchmarking quantum chemistry calculations. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-field-nmr-spectroscopy-quadrupolar-nuclei.html) 2024-07-11T12:36:24Z **New synthesis method enhances MoS₂ optoelectronic performance**
An international research team led by Professor My Ali El Khakani of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) has made a surprising discovery about the properties of molybdenum disulfide, also known as MoS2. The material is highly sought after in optoelectronics. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-synthesis-method-mos-optoelectronic.html) 2024-07-11T12:35:50Z **Advancements in Z-pinch fusion: New insights from plasma pressure profiles**
Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have reported advancements in understanding plasma pressure profiles within flow-stabilized Z-pinch fusion, a candidate for achieving net gain fusion energy in a compact device. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-advancements-fusion-insights-plasma-pressure.html) 2024-07-11T16:41:03Z **Study: Targeted home systems to remove PFAS more cost-effective than system-wide solutions**
PFAS, the potentially cancer-causing chemicals known as "forever chemicals," have become an increasing concern in home drinking water. Solutions to reduce the risk of exposure range from mandated municipal-level water treatment to under-the-sink home treatment systems. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-home-pfas-effective-wide-solutions.html) 2024-07-12T00:10:01Z **Real-life 'stillsuit': Dune-inspired upgrade for spacesuits allow astronauts to recycle urine into water**
Astronauts on spacewalks famously have to relieve themselves inside their spacesuits. Not only is this uncomfortable for the wearer and unhygienic, it is also wasteful, as—unlike wastewater on board the International Space Station (ISS)—the water in urine from spacewalks is not recycled. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-real-life-stillsuit-dune-spacesuits.html) 2024-07-12T04:32:47Z **'We can't wait another year': disaster-hit nations call for climate aid**
Countries on the frontlines of climate change have warned they cannot wait another year for long-sought aid to recover from disasters as floods and hurricanes wreak havoc across the globe. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-year-disaster-nations-climate-aid.html) 2024-07-12T04:32:01Z **Dust in the air eased slightly in 2023: UN**
The amount of dust in the air eased slightly in 2023, the United Nations said Friday, warning that poor environmental management was fueling sand and dust storms. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-air-eased-slightly.html) 2024-07-12T04:31:18Z **In Cuba, a haven for the world's tiniest bird**
The wings of the world's tiniest birds are a near-invisible blur as they whizz around tourists visiting a private Cuban garden that has become a haven for the declining species. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-cuba-haven-world-tiniest-bird.html) 2024-07-12T08:41:04Z **Securely propagating entanglement at the push of a button**
Entanglement, Einstein's "spooky action at a distance," today is THE tool of quantum information science. It is the essential resource for quantum computers and used to transmit quantum information in a future quantum network. But it is highly sensitive. It is therefore an enormous challenge to entangle resting quantum bits (qubits) with flying qubits in the form of photons "at the push of a button." ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-propagating-entanglement-button.html) 2024-07-12T12:44:21Z **AI model harnesses physics to autocorrect remote sensing data**
Turbulence, temperature changes, water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, and other gases absorb, reflect, and scatter sunlight as it passes through the atmosphere, bounces off the Earth's surface, and is collected by a sensor on a remote sensing satellite. As a result, the spectral data received at the sensor is distorted. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-ai-harnesses-physics-autocorrect-remote.html) 2024-07-12T12:43:05Z **Bridging culture, cuisine, and urban planning: New book explores the connections between food and urban spaces**
Agriculture, fishing, hunting, and gathering—through thousands of years of urbanization, these ways of acquiring food, which were deciding factors in settlement landscape patterns in the primitive society, have gradually been replaced by the manufacturing, financial, and service industry. Nowadays, urban planning seems to have lost its connection with food. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-bridging-culture-cuisine-urban-explores.html) 2024-07-12T12:41:49Z **Hubble measures the distance to a supernova**
Measuring the distance to truly remote objects like galaxies, quasars, and galaxy clusters is a crucial task in astrophysics, particularly when it comes to studying the early universe, but it's a difficult one to complete. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-hubble-distance-supernova.html) 2024-07-12T12:41:18Z **Scientists create computer program that 'paints' the structure of molecules in the style of famous Dutch artist**
Scientists from Trinity College Dublin have created a computer program that "paints" the structure of molecules in the style of famous Dutch artist, Piet Mondrian, whose beautiful artworks will be instantly recognizable to many. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-scientists-molecules-style-famous-dutch.html) 2024-07-12T16:52:21Z **Study examines urban forests across the United States**
In recent years, tree-planting campaigns have been underway in the United States, especially in cities, as part of climate mitigation efforts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-urban-forests-states.html) 2024-07-13T04:22:18Z **Research shows gamified investment sites have risks for novice investors**
What happens when online investment trading platforms start to resemble games that keep people playing for hours, with badges and exploding confetti to reward investors for their engagement? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-gamified-investment-sites-novice-investors.html) 2024-07-13T09:00:01Z **Scientists demonstrate chemical reservoir computation using the formose reaction**
Researchers from the Institute for Molecules and Materials at Radboud University, Netherlands, have demonstrated that a complex self-organizing chemical reaction network can perform various computational tasks, such as nonlinear classification and complex dynamics prediction. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-scientists-chemical-reservoir-formose-reaction.html) 2024-07-13T13:30:01Z **AI makes writing easier, but stories sound alike**
Books and movies of the future could all start to feel the same if creative industries embrace artificial intelligence to help write stories, a study published on Friday warned. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-ai-easier-stories-alike.html) 2024-07-13T18:50:01Z **Along shifting coastlines, scientists bring the future into focus**
In the wet, muddy places where America's rivers and lands meet the sea, scientists from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory are unearthing clues to better understand how these vital landscapes are evolving under climate change. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-shifting-coastlines-scientists-future-focus.html) 2024-07-14T05:50:01Z **3D genome extracted from 'freeze-dried' woolly mammoth**
About 52,000 years ago, the skinned hide of a Siberian woolly mammoth was exposed to conditions so frigid that it spontaneously freeze-dried, locking its DNA fragments into place. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-3d-genome-dried-woolly-mammoth.html) 2024-07-14T10:08:20Z **Gnatalie is the only green-boned dinosaur found on the planet. She will be on display in LA**
The latest dinosaur being mounted at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles is not only a member of a new species—it's also the only one found on the planet whose bones are green, according to museum officials. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-gnatalie-green-boned-dinosaur-planet.html) 2024-07-14T20:00:01Z **Big boost for new epigenetics paradigm: CoRSIVs, first discovered in humans, now found in cattle**
A study published in Genome Biology opens new possibilities to improve production efficiency in the cattle industry and potentially animal agriculture more broadly. A team of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Cornell University and the USDA discovered that, like humans, cattle have CoRSIVs. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-big-boost-epigenetics-paradigm-corsivs.html) 2024-07-15T04:04:37Z **Greece fears water shortages after warmest winter ever**
After Greece's warmest winter and earliest heat wave on record, authorities are sounding the alarm over the risk of dire water shortages in the heat of the Mediterranean summer. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-greece-shortages-warmest-winter.html) 2024-07-15T09:00:01Z **Wildlife tracking technology that adheres to fur delivers promising results from trials on wild polar bears**
Studying polar bears just became a lot easier with new "burr on fur" trackers which confirmed scientists' belief that subadult and adult males spend most of their time on land lazing around, conserving energy until the ice returns. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-wildlife-tracking-technology-adheres-fur.html) 2024-07-15T13:10:06Z **Can rattlesnakes really climb trees in California? Swim? Here's what experts say**
You're enjoying the evening breeze in your California backyard when you notice something dark and scaly slithering up a tree branch. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-rattlesnakes-climb-trees-california-experts.html) 2024-07-15T17:29:03Z **How a 'social good' firm is defined can impact its value creation and value capital**
Ventures that pursue both commercial and social value creation have grown in popularity in recent years, but a study published in the Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal better defines four distinct types of social ventures. By training a business model lens on these social good ventures, the study offers insight on how the model choices impact a firm's value creation and value capture potential. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-social-good-firm-impact-creation.html) 2024-07-16T01:00:01Z **Weather experts discover new effect of storm—in a teacup**
Britain, prepare for deep depression: Storms ruin tea. A new study reveals that Storm Ciaran cut an invisible path of mayhem across southern Britain last autumn, destroying any possibility that 20 million people could have a proper cup of tea at breakfast. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-weather-experts-effect-storm-teacup.html) 2024-07-16T06:20:01Z **Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon that could be used to shelter future explorers**
Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon, not far from where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago, and suspect there are hundreds more that could house future astronauts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-scientists-cave-moon-future-explorers.html) 2024-07-16T10:30:01Z **Metamaterials for the data highway: New concept offers potential for more efficient data storage**
Researchers from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), TU Chemnitz, TU Dresden and Forschungszentrum Jülich have been the first to demonstrate that not just individual bits, but entire bit sequences can be stored in cylindrical domains: tiny, cylindrical areas measuring just around 100 nanometers. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-metamaterials-highway-concept-potential-efficient.html) 2024-07-16T10:29:03Z **Neutrino interaction rates measured at unprecedented energies**
A team including researchers from the Laboratory for High Energy Physics at the University of Bern has successfully measured the interaction rates of neutrinos at unprecedented energies using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. The study was published in the journal Physical Review Letters. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-neutrino-interaction-unprecedented-energies.html) 2024-07-16T14:36:03Z **Additional taxes vs. water quotas: Study compares systems to manage water consumption in agriculture**
Based on a mathematical programming model, a study finds that the proportional allocation of water, and not additional taxes on the resource, is more effective from the point of view of those engaged in agriculture. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-additional-taxes-quotas-consumption-agriculture.html) 2024-07-16T19:00:01Z **Intensive farming could raise risk of new pandemics, researchers warn**
Industrialized farming is often thought to reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases (those transmitted from animals to humans) because of better control, biosecurity and separation of livestock. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-intensive-farming-pandemics.html) 2024-07-17T04:20:01Z **Elon Musk says he's moving SpaceX, X headquarters from California to Texas**
Billionaire Elon Musk says he's moving the headquarters of SpaceX and social media company X to Texas from California. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-elon-musk-spacex-headquarters-california.html) 2024-07-17T04:17:08Z **Brazilian researchers discover dinosaur fossil after heavy rains in Rio Grande do Sul**
A team of Brazilian scientists has discovered a fossilized skeleton of what they believe is one of the world's oldest dinosaurs after heavy rains in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul accelerated the natural process of erosion. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-brazilian-dinosaur-fossil-heavy-rio.html) 2024-07-17T04:16:33Z **Webcam monitors hundreds of rattlesnakes at a Colorado 'mega den' for citizen science**
They creep, slither and slide over and around each other by the dozen and now there's a webcam so that anybody can watch them online at any time, even at night. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-webcam-hundreds-rattlesnakes-colorado-mega.html) 2024-07-17T09:58:08Z **AI method radically speeds predictions of materials' thermal properties**
It is estimated that about 70% of the energy generated worldwide ends up as waste heat. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-ai-method-radically-materials-thermal.html) 2024-07-17T09:56:08Z **Astronomers detect dozens of new pulsating white dwarfs**
Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), astronomers have detected 32 new bright pulsating DA white dwarfs of the ZZ Ceti subclass. The finding was reported in a research paper published July 9 on the pre-print server arXiv. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-astronomers-dozens-pulsating-white-dwarfs.html) 2024-07-17T09:55:39Z **Japanese honeybees slap nest-invading ants with their wings to knock them away**
A trio of environmental specialists at the National Institute for Environmental Studies, in Japan, has found that Japanese honeybees sometimes resort to slapping ants with their wings to prevent their entry into their nest. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-japanese-honeybees-invading-ants-wings.html) 2024-07-17T14:23:02Z **Ten years of data preceding a rockfall in the French Alps suggest the need for more comprehensive monitoring systems**
In August 2023, 14,000 cubic meters of sandstone and shale detached from a slope in the French Alps. This rockslide at La Praz closed a road and a major railway between France and Italy at least until the end of 2024. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-ten-years-rockfall-french-alps.html) 2024-07-17T18:50:01Z **Wildfires in South Africa are set to increase: How legal action can help the country adapt better to climate change**
As climate change drives temperature increases and lower precipitation in southern Africa, research has found that there is likely to be an increase in the number of wildfires in regions that are already hot, dry and water scarce. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-wildfires-south-africa-legal-action.html) 2024-07-18T00:00:01Z **Pompeii skeleton discovery shows another natural disaster may have made Vesuvius eruption even more deadly**
Almost 2,000 years ago, Pliny the Younger wrote letters describing the shaking ground as Vesuvius erupted. Now, a collaborative study led by researchers from the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) and Pompeii Archaeological Park has shed light on the effects of seismicity associated with the 79 CE eruption. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-pompeii-skeleton-discovery-natural-disaster.html) 2024-07-18T04:04:44Z **'Saint or devil': return of wolf stirs debate in Europe**
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? Well, quite a few European governments, it seems. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-saint-devil-wolf-debate-europe.html) 2024-07-18T08:52:13Z **Observations detect a nearby hypervelocity stellar/substellar object**
Using the Keck II telescope, astronomers have detected an object that may be a brown dwarf or a low-mass star, exhibiting a very high radial velocity. The object, designated CWISE J124909.08+362116.0 is located some 400 light years away. The finding was reported July 11 on the pre-print server arXiv. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-nearby-hypervelocity-stellarsubstellar.html) 2024-07-18T13:19:03Z **Bursting of underwater oil drops: How pollution may remain in water after oil spill cleanups**
Oil drops from underwater oil spills can break into tinier droplets at the surface that remain suspended in the water, according to research from the University of Illinois Chicago. That means cleanups after disasters like the Deepwater Horizon spill may be removing less oil from the environment than was thought. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-underwater-oil-pollution-cleanups.html) 2024-07-18T13:13:03Z **Scientists uncover the molecular mechanism behind pineapple peel coloration**
Pineapple peel coloration, especially the red hue, significantly enhances its commercial and aesthetic value. However, the genetic mechanisms driving this trait are not well understood, complicating breeding efforts for red-skinned varieties. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-scientists-uncover-molecular-mechanism-pineapple.html) 2024-07-18T13:12:02Z **Nature's gender reveal: Key gene controls female flowers in Cucurbita pepo**
Sex determination in cucurbits such as squash is influenced by a complex interplay of environmental, hormonal, and genetic factors, with ethylene being the primary hormone promoting female flower development. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-nature-gender-reveal-key-gene.html) 2024-07-18T13:10:07Z **Mathematicians team up with geophysicists to improve models that predict changes in sea ice**
Dartmouth researchers are using computational mathematics and machine learning to develop models that better predict sea ice thickness in regions of the Arctic. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-mathematicians-team-geophysicists-sea-ice.html) 2024-07-18T19:00:01Z **Early riser: The sun is already starting its next solar cycle—despite being halfway through its current one**
The first rumblings of the sun's next 11-year solar cycle have been detected in sound waves inside our home star—even though it is only halfway through its current one. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-early-riser-sun-solar-halfway.html) 2024-07-19T03:55:10Z **The winner in China's panda diplomacy: the pandas themselves**
China's panda diplomacy may have one true winner: the pandas themselves. Decades after Beijing began working with zoos in the U.S. and Europe to protect the species, the number of giant pandas in the wild has risen to 1,900, up from about 1,100 in the 1980s, and they are no longer considered "at risk" of extinction but have been given the safer status of "vulnerable." ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-winner-china-panda-diplomacy-pandas.html) 2024-07-19T08:54:04Z **New nanoparticle delivery method targets sickle cell mutations in bone marrow**
Current gene therapies to treat sickle cell disease are complex, time-consuming, and are sometimes linked to serious side effects like infertility or blood cancer. To address these challenges, Johns Hopkins researchers have developed special nanoparticles that can send gene treatment directly to various types of cells in bone marrow to correct the disease-causing mutations. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-nanoparticle-delivery-method-sickle-cell.html) 2024-07-19T13:21:04Z **Smallholder farmers, efficient ranching practices critical to meet restoration targets in Brazil's Atlantic Forest**
A new study led by King's College London simulated the effects of various restoration policies to assess their impact on biodiversity and agricultural production. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-smallholder-farmers-efficient-ranching-critical.html) 2024-07-20T03:50:23Z **AI-powered optical detection to thwart counterfeit chips**
The semiconductor industry has grown into a $500 billion global market over the last 60 years. However, it is grappling with dual challenges: a profound shortage of new chips and a surge of counterfeit chips, introducing substantial risks of malfunction and unwanted surveillance. In particular, the latter inadvertently gives rise to a $75 billion counterfeit chip market that jeopardizes safety and security across multiple sectors dependent ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-ai-powered-optical-thwart-counterfeit.html) 2024-07-20T08:30:02Z **Saturday Citations: Scientists study monkey faces and cat bellies; another intermediate black hole in the Milky Way**
This is not a rerun of last week's roundup; another group of astronomers found a second intermediate-mass black hole in the Milky Way and I can't avoid highlighting it. They're cool! They may have formed in the primordial universe, they comprise the seeds of supermassive black holes, and may be formed by the accretion of multiple stars in a cluster rather than through stellar co ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-saturday-citations-scientists-monkey-cat.html) 2024-07-20T19:00:01Z **Stepping stones for wildlife: How linking up isolated habitats can help nature thrive in our cities**
Imagine you're a fairywren living in a patch of scrub behind a schoolyard in the suburbs. It's been pretty nice so far, but a recent increase in neighborhood cats and the council's insect control tactics mean it's time to look for somewhere safer to live. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-stones-wildlife-linking-isolated-habitats.html) 2024-07-21T04:39:44Z **Insect infestation ravages North African prickly pear**
Amor Nouira, a farmer in Tunisia's Chebika village, has lost hope of saving his prickly pear cacti, ravaged by the cochineal insect spreading across North Africa. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-insect-infestation-ravages-north-african.html) 2024-07-21T14:30:01Z **How racialized women can tackle backlash when advocating for change**
Racialized women are often at the forefront in the struggle for social justice. Yet that advocacy often comes with significant backlash and threats. In the United States, congresswomen like Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have faced severe backlash for their outspoken stances on racial justice, police reform and foreign policy. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib was censured by the House of Representatives for ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-racialized-women-tackle-backlash-advocating.html) 2024-07-21T19:00:01Z **New genetic test can help eliminate a form of inherited blindness in dogs**
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a group of inherited diseases that causes progressive degeneration of the light sensitive cells at the back of the eye. Dogs with PRA have normal sight at birth, but by the age of four or five they will be totally blind. There is no treatment. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-genetic-inherited-dogs.html) 2024-07-22T04:24:18Z **Giraffes bring peace to Kenyan communities once at odds**
On a vast farm in Kenya's Rift Valley, a veterinarian carefully takes aim before shooting a tranquiliser dart and sending another giraffe sinking slowly to the ground before it is roped and blindfolded. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-giraffes-peace-kenyan-communities-odds.html) 2024-07-22T09:06:55Z **Study investigates optical variability of blazar S5 0716+714**
Using the TÜBİTAK National Observatory, astronomers from Turkey and India have observed a bright blazar known as S5 0716+714. Results of the observational campaign, published July 12 on the pre-print server arXiv, yield essential information regarding the optical variability of this blazar. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-optical-variability-blazar-s5.html) 2024-07-22T13:15:03Z **Aluminum scandium nitride films: Enabling next-gen ferroelectric memory devices**
Imagine a thin film, just nanometers thick, that could store gigabytes of data—enough for movies, video games, and videos. This is the exciting potential of ferroelectric materials for memory storage. These materials have a unique arrangement of ions, resulting in two distinct polarization states analogous to 0 and 1 in binary code, which can be used for digital memory storage. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-aluminum-scandium-nitride-enabling-gen.html) 2024-07-23T00:00:02Z **Forging of joined-up approach at COP29 and COP16 vital for urgent action for climate and nature, say scientists**
World leaders must take advantage of a pivotal window of opportunity for forging a much-needed joined-up approach to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, say scientists from ZSL and York University. Without this, work on tackling either crisis could inadvertently harm progress on the other. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-forging-approach-cop29-cop16-vital.html) 2024-07-23T04:40:01Z **Tunisia's sandy beaches eaten away by coastal erosion**
In Tunisia's seaside town of Hammamet, bulldozers diligently shovel sand from a nearby desert onto a popular beach in an attempt to stop it from disappearing due to erosion. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-tunisia-sandy-beaches-eaten-coastal.html) 2024-07-23T04:38:25Z **Off Ecuador's Galapagos, a former shark-poaching ship's new mission**
When Ecuador's navy seized a Chinese-flagged ship off the Galapagos Islands in 2017, its hold brimmed with tons and tons of poached fish, many of them threatened species like hammerhead and thresher sharks. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-ecuador-galapagos-shark-poaching-ship.html) 2024-07-23T09:15:53Z **Cocaine found in muscle and liver of sharpnose sharks off coast of Rio de Janeiro**
A team of marine biologists and ecotoxicologists affiliated with several institutions in Brazil has found cocaine in muscle and liver samples collected from Brazilian Sharpnose sharks harvested off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. Their study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, highlights the potential impact of the presence of illicit drugs in marine environments. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-cocaine-muscle-liver-sharpnose-sharks.html) 2024-07-23T09:15:16Z **The experimental observation of a dissipative time crystal in a Rydberg gas**
A dissipative time crystal is a phase of matter characterized by periodic oscillations over time, while a system is dissipating energy. In contrast with conventional time crystals, which can also occur in closed systems with no energy loss, dissipative time crystals are observed in open systems with energy freely flowing in and out of them. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-experimental-dissipative-crystal-rydberg-gas.html) 2024-07-23T13:20:03Z **Machine learning method uses nonlinear optics and structured light to expand information network accuracy and capacity**
Structured light can significantly enhance information capacity, due to its coupling of spatial dimensions and multiple degrees of freedom. In recent years, the combination of structured light patterns with image processing and machine intelligence has shown vigorous development potential in fields such as communication and detection. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-machine-method-nonlinear-optics-network.html) 2024-07-23T17:23:04Z **Systematic monitoring: Gray wolf autopsy findings since the species' comeback to Germany**
At the turn of the millennium, gray wolves returned to Germany after 150 years and subsequently established territories in many parts of the country. But coexistence harbors challenges—for both humans and animals. Since 2006, almost all gray wolves found dead in Germany have been examined at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) in order to assess their health status and determine ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-systematic-gray-wolf-autopsy-species.html) 2024-07-24T00:00:01Z **Scientists try to replicate ancient butchering methods to learn how Neanderthals ate birds**
It's hard to know what Neanderthals ate: food preparation, especially when it comes to smaller items like birds, can leave few archaeological traces. But understanding their diets is critical to understanding these incredibly adaptable hominins, who thrived for hundreds of thousands of years in wildly varied environments. To learn what food preparation could look like in the archaeological record ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-scientists-replicate-ancient-butchering-methods.html) 2024-07-24T04:10:01Z **The flickering glow of summer's fireflies: too important to lose, too small to notice them gone**
On a muggy July evening, Delaware state biologist Jason Davis is doing what kids have done for ages: Trying to catch a firefly. It's nowhere near as easy as the summer evenings of his own childhood, with only a few in this large wetland between a bay and the Atlantic Ocean. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-flickering-summer-fireflies-important-small.html) 2024-07-24T04:07:43Z **Surprise blast of rock, water and steam in Yellowstone sends dozens running for safety**
A surprise eruption in Yellowstone National Park shot steam, water and dark-colored rock and dirt high into the sky Tuesday and sent sightseers running for safety. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-blast-steam-yellowstone-dozens-safety.html) 2024-07-24T09:43:35Z **Komodo dragons have teeth coated in iron to kill prey, study finds**
The fearsome Komodo dragon, native to Indonesia and the world's largest living lizard, has a coat of iron on its razor-like teeth to help it kill its prey, scientists found in a study published Wednesday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-komodo-dragons-teeth-coated-iron.html) 2024-07-24T14:00:01Z **Weibo posts illuminate public response to China's three-child policy measures**
An analysis of comments on Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo reveals trends in the public response to measures implemented to support China's three-child policy, highlighting concerns about women's rights and employment. Lijuan Peng of Zhejiang Gongshang University in Hangzhou, China, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on July 24, 2024. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-weibo-illuminate-response-china-child.html) 2024-07-24T14:00:01Z **New research underscores the close relationship between Saharan dust and hurricane rainfall**
Giant plumes of Sahara Desert dust that gust across the Atlantic can suppress hurricane formation over the ocean and affect weather in North America. But thick dust plumes can also lead to heavier rainfall—and potentially more destruction—from landfalling storms, according to a study in Science Advances. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-underscores-relationship-saharan-hurricane-rainfall.html) 2024-07-24T14:00:01Z **Southern Ocean absorbing more CO₂ than previously thought, study finds**
New research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) has found that the Southern Ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide (CO2) than previously thought. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-southern-ocean-absorbing-previously-thought.html) 2024-07-24T14:00:01Z **Study shows chickens use flushed skin and feather fluffing to display different emotions, levels of excitement**
Hens fluff their head feathers and blush to express different emotions and levels of excitement, according to a study published July 24, 2024, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Cécile Arnould and colleagues from INRAE and CNRS, France. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-chickens-flushed-skin-feather-fluffing.html) 2024-07-24T20:00:01Z **Chemical analyses find hidden elements from renaissance astronomer Tycho Brahe's alchemy laboratory**
In the Middle Ages, alchemists were notoriously secretive and didn't share their knowledge with others. Danish Tycho Brahe was no exception. Consequently, we don't know precisely what he did in the alchemical laboratory located beneath his combined residence and observatory, Uraniborg, on the now Swedish island of Ven. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-chemical-analyses-hidden-elements-renaissance.html) 2024-07-25T04:30:47Z **Typhoon Gaemi weakens as it leaves Taiwan for China**
Typhoon Gaemi passed through Taiwan overnight and was headed towards eastern China on Thursday, leaving two dead as heavy rains and strong gusts continued to lash the island in its wake. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-typhoon-gaemi-weakens-taiwan-china.html) 2024-07-25T04:30:05Z **Forest fire reaches town in Canada's Jasper National Park**
A forest fire at a major national park in western Canada reached an evacuated town on Wednesday evening, with the army preparing to send in reinforcements. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-forest-town-canada-jasper-national.html) 2024-07-25T09:23:03Z **Photocatalyst research uncovers better way to produce green hydrogen**
Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a material that shows a remarkable ability to convert sunlight and water into clean energy. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-photocatalyst-uncovers-green-hydrogen.html) 2024-07-25T13:32:03Z **The road to food security through better plant disease management**
The colorful history of plant pathology in Australia since colonization is the subject of a special edition of Historical Records of Australian Science, edited by QAAFI's Associate Professor Andrew Geering. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-road-food-disease.html) 2024-07-25T13:29:04Z **Expert Q&A: NASA's cancellation of VIPER is a frustrating setback for lunar exploration**
In July 2024, NASA announced it canceled its plans to send the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the moon's southern polar region. The rover was meant to search for water and other resources called volatiles, such as hydrogen, ammonia and carbon dioxide, which easily evaporate in warm temperatures. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-expert-qa-nasa-cancellation-viper.html) 2024-07-25T23:00:01Z **Shining light on similar crystals reveals photoreactions can differ**
A rose by any other name is a rose, but what of a crystal? Osaka Metropolitan University-led researchers have found that single crystals of four anthracene derivatives with different substituents react differently when irradiated with light, perhaps holding clues to how we can use such materials in functional ways. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-similar-crystals-reveals-photoreactions-differ.html) 2024-07-26T04:08:07Z **Thousands evacuated as record rains pound northern Japan**
Record heavy rain forced the evacuation of thousands of people across parts of northern Japan as rivers burst their banks washing away bridges and cars, officials and media reports said Friday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-thousands-evacuated-pound-northern-japan.html) 2024-07-26T04:05:05Z **SpaceX cleared to launch Falcon 9 rocket again**
SpaceX's stalwart Falcon 9 rocket has been cleared for launch after experiencing a rare failure earlier this month, officials said Thursday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-spacex-falcon-rocket.html) 2024-07-26T04:04:53Z **Typhoon Gaemi displaces nearly 300,000 in eastern China**
Authorities evacuated nearly 300,000 people and suspended public transport across eastern China on Friday, as Typhoon Gaemi brought torrential rains already responsible for five deaths in nearby Taiwan. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-typhoon-gaemi-displaces-eastern-china.html) 2024-07-26T08:53:03Z **New nanoparticles boost immune system in mice to fight melanoma and breast cancer**
Vanderbilt researchers have developed a set of nanoparticles that stimulate the immune system in mice to fight cancer and may eventually do the same in humans. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-nanoparticles-boost-immune-mice-melanoma.html) 2024-07-26T13:05:03Z **Twisted carbon nanotubes could achieve significantly better energy storage than advanced lithium-ion batteries**
An international team of scientists, including two researchers who now work in the Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST) at UMBC, has shown that twisted carbon nanotubes can store three times more energy per unit mass than advanced lithium-ion batteries. The finding may advance carbon nanotubes as a promising solution for storing energy in devices that need to be lightwei ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-carbon-nanotubes-significantly-energy-storage.html) 2024-07-26T22:20:01Z **Developing a nano-treatment to help save mangroves from deadly disease**
Mangroves and palm trees are hallmarks of the Sunshine State not just for their beauty but for their immense importance to Florida's coastlines. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-nano-treatment-mangroves-deadly-disease.html) 2024-07-27T05:04:58Z **Two shark species documented in Puget Sound for first time**
Oregon State University researchers have made the first scientific confirmation in Puget Sound of two distinct shark species, one of them critically endangered. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-shark-species-documented-puget.html) 2024-07-27T10:00:01Z **Komodo dragons have iron-coated teeth to rip apart their prey, researchers find**
Scientists have discovered that the serrated edges of Komodo dragons' teeth are tipped with iron. Led by researchers from King's College London, the study gives new insight into how Komodo dragons keep their teeth razor-sharp and may provide clues to how dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex killed and ate their prey. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-komodo-dragons-iron-coated-teeth.html) 2024-07-28T03:20:06Z **Bearded fireworm stalks shallows as Mediterranean warms**
The fish in Alfonso Barone's net are hauled aboard off Sicily half- eaten, ravaged by bearded fireworms, a voracious predator flourishing in the increasingly warm Mediterranean sea. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-bearded-fireworm-stalks-shallows-mediterranean.html) 2024-07-28T03:19:31Z **Endangered gazelles find Libyan 'safe haven'**
Cocooned in white bags and nestled in the arms of volunteers, eight young rhim gazelles—an endangered species native to North Africa—have been transferred to an uninhabited Libyan island. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-endangered-gazelles-libyan-safe-haven.html) 2024-07-28T03:18:19Z **California fire rapidly reaches state's top 10 biggest ever**
A fire raging out of control in northern California has rapidly become among the biggest ever in the western US state, authorities said Saturday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-california-rapidly-state-biggest.html) 2024-07-28T12:00:01Z **New research shows how global warming is messing with our rainfall**
The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth's land area—particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-global-messing-rainfall.html) 2024-07-28T12:00:01Z **Hubble images NGC 3430, a classic spiral galaxy**
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image treats viewers to a wonderfully detailed snapshot of the spiral galaxy NGC 3430 that lies 100 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo Minor. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-hubble-images-ngc-classic-spiral.html) 2024-07-29T04:01:06Z **Wind, temperatures pick up as fire scorches northern California**
Crews continued to fight a massive fire in northern California on Sunday, as authorities in the western US state warned of increasing winds and rising daytime temperatures. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-temperatures-northern-california.html) 2024-07-29T03:59:38Z **The Galapagos Islands and many of their unique creatures are at risk from warming waters**
Warm morning light reflects from the remains of a natural rock arch near Darwin Island, one of the most remote islands in the Galapagos. In clear, deep blue water, thousands of creatures—fish, hammerhead sharks, marine iguanas—move in search of food. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-galapagos-islands-unique-creatures.html) 2024-07-29T03:59:00Z **Two meteor showers will flash across the sky around the same time in late July**
Get ready for a meteor shower doubleheader. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-meteor-showers-sky-late-july.html) 2024-07-29T08:54:44Z **Old videos of chimpanzees suggest they are capable of speech**
A small team of speech specialists and psychologists from Sweden, the U.K. and Switzerland has found, via study of old videos, that at least three chimpanzees had learned to speak human words, suggesting that the animals are capable of learning this ability given the right circumstances. The work is published in the journal Scientific Reports. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-videos-chimpanzees-capable-speech.html) 2024-07-29T13:00:01Z **Bosses are increasingly forcing workers back into the office—but evidence suggests it could backfire**
Tesco, Boots and Barclays have joined the growing number of companies trying to force employees back to the office after several years of remote working that began with the pandemic. They're likely to be in for a battle. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-bosses-workers-office-evidence-backfire.html) 2024-07-30T04:05:50Z **Evacuations, destruction as California's largest fire of year rages**
Throngs of firefighters were mobilized in California Monday to battle the state's largest blaze of the year, which has prompted thousands of evacuations and already burned an area larger than the city of Los Angeles. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-evacuations-destruction-california-largest-year.html) 2024-07-30T04:05:02Z **Belgium flexes its new locally sourced mussels**
It is a popular tradition to eat mussels in Brussels but what may surprise many is that none of the mollusks visitors enjoy are locally sourced in Belgium. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-belgium-flexes-locally-sourced-mussels.html) 2024-07-30T04:04:26Z **Drought in Sicily threatens grain fields, animal herds**
A crushing drought in Sicily has withered fields of grain, deprived livestock of pasture land and fanned a spate of wildfires, causing damage already estimated at 2.7 billion euros this year. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-drought-sicily-threatens-grain-fields.html) 2024-07-30T08:10:01Z **Astronomers observe eclipses of pulsar PSR J0024−7204O**
Using the MeerKAT radio telescope, astronomers have observed eclipses in the radio emission of a pulsar known as PSR J0024−7204O. Results of the observational campaign, published on the preprint server arXiv, could help us better understand the nature and behavior of this pulsar. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-astronomers-eclipses-pulsar-psr-j00247204o.html) 2024-07-30T12:20:01Z **I studied ShotSpotter in Chicago and Kansas City—here's what people using this technology should know**
Like many large cities in the U.S., Detroit's gun violence rate has fluctuated since the COVID-19 pandemic and the unrest after the murder of George Floyd in 2020. The city's murder rate increased nearly 20% that year, meaning the city had the second-highest violent crime rate after Memphis, Tennessee, among cities with more than 100,000 residents. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-shotspotter-chicago-kansas-city-people.html) 2024-07-30T12:20:01Z **Green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles from mangifera indica: A solution for agricultural disease management**
A research team has successfully synthesized green copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO.NPs) from Mangifera indica (M. indica) leaf extract. The CuO.NPs showed potent activity against gram-positive and negative bacteria, as well as fungicidal effects on persimmon fruit pathogens. This advancement holds significant value for agriculture, offering a biocompatible and eco-friendly met ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-green-synthesis-copper-oxide-nanoparticles.html) 2024-07-30T12:18:37Z **Organic nanozymes have broad applications from food and agriculture to biomedicine**
Nanozymes are tiny, engineered substances that mimic the catalytic properties of natural enzymes, and they serve a variety of purposes in biomedicine, chemical engineering, and environmental applications. They are typically made from inorganic materials, including metal-based elements, which makes them unsuitable for many purposes due to their toxicity and high production costs. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-nanozymes-broad-applications-food-agriculture.html) 2024-07-30T20:00:01Z **Scientists discover entirely new wood type that could be highly efficient at carbon storage**
Researchers undertaking an evolutionary survey of the microscopic structure of wood from some of the world's most iconic trees and shrubs have discovered an entirely new type of wood. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-scientists-wood-highly-efficient-carbon.html) 2024-07-31T02:00:01Z **Monarch butterflies need help, and research shows a little bit of milkweed goes a long way**
Monarch butterflies, with their striking orange and black wings, are some of the most recognizable butterflies in North America. But they're in trouble. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-monarch-butterflies-bit-milkweed.html) 2024-07-31T06:28:58Z **Cryomodule assembly technicians rev up Jefferson Lab's electron-beam racetrack**
At the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, the underground Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) more closely resembles a racetrack than it does a racecar. As a DOE Office of Science user facility, CEBAF includes a particle accelerator that enables the research of more than 1,900 nuclear physicists worldwide. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-cryomodule-technicians-rev-jefferson-lab.html) 2024-07-31T06:27:17Z **Bright prospects for engineering quantum light**
Computers benefit greatly from being connected to the internet, so we might ask: What good is a quantum computer without a quantum internet? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-bright-prospects-quantum.html) 2024-07-31T06:26:56Z **High-performance computing and quantum chemistry advances drug discovery**
Led by University of Melbourne theoretician and HPC expert Associate Professor Giuseppe Barca, a research team has achieved the first quantum simulation of biological systems at a scale necessary to accurately model drug performance. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-high-quantum-chemistry-advances-drug.html) 2024-07-31T06:26:17Z **Newly discovered sheets of nanoscale 'cubes' found to be efficient catalysts**
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created sheets of transition metal chalcogenide "cubes" connected by chlorine atoms. While sheets of atoms have been widely studied, e.g. graphene, the team's work breaks new ground by using clusters instead. The research is published in the journal Advanced Materials. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-newly-sheets-nanoscale-cubes-efficient.html) 2024-07-31T10:30:01Z **How AI and satellite imaging are helping detect wildfires in Colorado before they grow**
A new artificial intelligence program will help identify wildfires as small as an acre by scanning images taken by weather satellites orbiting about 22,000 miles above the Earth's surface. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-ai-satellite-imaging-wildfires-colorado.html) 2024-07-31T14:35:02Z **Researchers explore cancer susceptibility in birds**
In one of the largest studies of cancer susceptibility across bird species, researchers at Arizona State University describe an intriguing relationship between reproductive rates and cancer susceptibility. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-07-explore-cancer-susceptibility-birds.html) 2024-08-01T03:51:50Z **One dead in Colorado blaze as fires ravage US west**
One person has died in a Colorado wildfire, officials said Wednesday, as around a hundred infernos continue to blaze across western US states and a dangerous new heat wave looms. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-dead-colorado-blaze-ravage-west.html) 2024-08-01T03:49:42Z **Reclaimed by floods, wildlife returns to Romania's Danube Delta**
Tour guide Eugen Grigorov steered his boat past half-underwater combine harvesters and last year's flooded crops in a part of Romania's Danube Delta reclaimed by the great river. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-reclaimed-wildlife-romania-danube-delta.html) 2024-08-01T09:08:21Z **3D terrestrial laser scanner assists in reconstructing glacier's mass balance sequence**
Complex topography of glacier surfaces under accelerating global warming presents unprecedented challenges to traditional methods of glaciological observation due to intense fragmentation and differential melting. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-3d-terrestrial-laser-scanner-reconstructing.html) 2024-08-01T09:07:00Z **Sea level changes shaped early life on Earth, fossils show**
A newly developed timeline of early animal fossils reveals a link between sea levels, changes in marine oxygen, and the appearance of the earliest ancestors of present-day animals. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-sea-early-life-earth-fossils.html) 2024-08-01T09:06:49Z **New insights into one of Europe's oldest dinosaurs**
A comprehensive new description of Plateosaurus trossingensis provides valuable information on the evolution, lifestyle and family tree of early dinosaurs. During this analysis, bone injuries were discovered, which paleontologists investigated in more detail. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-insights-europe-oldest-dinosaurs.html) 2024-08-01T09:04:29Z **Researchers find unknown effects of existing drugs by mapping protein interactions**
Fewer side effects, improved chances of healing: The goal of precision medicine is to provide patients with the most individualized treatment possible. This requires a precise understanding of what is happening at the cellular level. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-unknown-effects-drugs-protein-interactions.html) 2024-08-01T09:03:48Z **A higher-dimensional model can help explain cosmic acceleration without dark energy**
Dark energy remains among the greatest puzzles in our understanding of the cosmos. In the standard model of cosmology called the Lambda-CDM, it is accounted for by adding a cosmological constant term in Einstein's field equation first introduced by Einstein himself. This constant is very small and positive and lacks a complete theoretical understanding of why it has such a tiny value. Moreover, dark energy has so ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-higher-dimensional-cosmic-dark-energy.html) 2024-08-01T14:00:01Z **Study shows link between asymmetric polar ice sheet evolution and global climate**
Joint research led by Professor An Zhisheng from the Institute of Earth Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has revealed the pivotal role of the growth of the Antarctic ice sheet and associated Southern Hemisphere sea ice expansion in triggering the mid-Pleistocene climate transition (MPT). It has also shown how asymmetric polar ice sheet evolution affects global climate. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-link-asymmetric-polar-ice-sheet.html) 2024-08-01T14:00:01Z **Microscopy breakthrough promises better imaging for sensitive materials**
An international team of scientists, led by Trinity College Dublin, has devised an innovative imaging method using state-of-the-art microscopes that significantly reduces the time and radiation required. Their work represents a significant breakthrough that will benefit several disciplines, from materials science to medicine, as the method promises to deliver improved imaging for sensitive materials such as bio ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-microscopy-breakthrough-imaging-sensitive-materials.html) 2024-08-01T14:00:01Z **Plant biologists discover an ancient gene family is responsible for plant prickles across species**
According to Greek mythology, red roses first appeared when Aphrodite pricked her foot on a thorn, spilling blood on a white rose. Since then, roses' thorns have captured the imaginations of countless poets and forlorn lovers. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-biologists-ancient-gene-family-responsible.html) 2024-08-01T14:00:01Z **Researchers uncover 500 million-year-old mollusk ancestor**
A team of researchers including scientists from the University of Oxford have made an astonishing discovery of a new species of mollusk that lived 500 million years ago. The new fossil, called Shishania aculeata, reveals that the most primitive mollusks were flat, shell-less slugs covered in a protective spiny armor. The findings have been published in the journal Science. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-uncover-million-year-mollusk-ancestor.html) 2024-08-01T14:00:01Z **Retreating Andean rocks signal the world's glaciers are melting far faster than predicted, report scientists**
Rocks recently exposed to the sky after being covered with prehistoric ice show that tropical glaciers have shrunk to their smallest size in more than 11,700 years, revealing the tropics have already warmed past limits last seen earlier in the Holocene age, researchers from Boston College report in the journal Science. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-retreating-andean-world-glaciers-faster.html) 2024-08-01T14:00:01Z **When it comes to DNA replication, humans and baker's yeast are more alike than different, scientists discover**
Humans and baker's yeast have more in common than meets the eye, including an important mechanism that helps ensure DNA is copied correctly, reports a pair of studies published in the journals Science and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-dna-replication-humans-baker-yeast.html) 2024-08-02T00:10:01Z **'Screaming Woman' mummy may have died in agony 3,500 years ago**
In 1935, the Metropolitan Museum of New York led an archaeological expedition to Egypt. In Deir Elbahari near Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes, they excavated the tomb of Senmut, the architect and overseer of royal works—and reputedly, lover—of the famed queen Hatschepsut (1479–1458 BCE). Beneath Senmut's tomb, they found a separate burial chamber for his mother, Hat-Nufer, and other unidentified relatives. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-woman-mummy-died-agony-years.html) 2024-08-02T07:31:27Z **Big sharks equal big impact, but there's a big problem: Those most affected by fishing are most needed for ocean health**
Shark conservation must go beyond simply protecting shark populations—it must prioritize protecting the ecological roles of sharks, according to new research published in Science. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-big-sharks-equal-impact-problem.html) 2024-08-02T11:40:01Z **Major energy companies conceal 47% of biodiversity damage, according to research**
A study by the UPV/EHU's Research Group on Circular Economy, Business Performance and Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals reveals that energy companies conceal 47% of the damage wrought on biodiversity as a result of their activity. The study is published in the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-major-energy-companies-conceal-biodiversity.html) 2024-08-03T04:13:45Z **Born to modulate: Researchers reveal origins of climate-controlling particles**
Aerosol particles are tiny. Swirling suspended in the air around us, most are smaller than the smallest bug, thinner than the thinnest hair on your head, gossamer specks practically invisible to the naked eye. Newly formed ones are nano-sized. Yet their influence is gargantuan. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-born-modulate-reveal-climate-particles.html) 2024-08-03T08:20:01Z **Climate risks from exceeding 1.5°C reduced if warming swiftly reversed, says study**
Earth systems could be "tipped" into unstable states if warming overshoots the 1.5°C target, but impacts could be minimized if warming is swiftly reversed. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-climate-exceeding-15c-swiftly-reversed.html) 2024-08-03T08:20:01Z **Giant pangolin rediscovered in Senegal**
In March 2023, temperatures in eastern Senegal soared to 40°C, with the cooling rains still months away. Yet, for the dedicated field team from the NGO Panthera—committed to global feline conservation—and the Direction des parcs nationaux du Sénégal (DPN) (Senegal National Parks team), led by Mouhamadou Ndiaye, the work continued unabated. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-giant-pangolin-rediscovered-senegal.html) 2024-08-03T17:00:01Z **Oceans without sharks would be far less healthy, says new research**
There are more than 500 species of sharks in the world's oceans, from the 7-inch dwarf lantern shark to whale sharks that can grow to over 35 feet long. They're found from polar waters to the equator, at the water's surface and miles deep, in the open ocean, along coasts and even in some coastal rivers. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-oceans-sharks-healthy.html) 2024-08-04T12:00:01Z **Four key things our study of 25 years of data revealed about entrepreneurs in the UK**
Over the past 25 years, the world has lived through major shocks from the 9/11 terror attacks to the global financial crisis to COVID. More recently, the UK—like many other countries—has faced a rising cost of living and stagnant growth. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-key-years-revealed-entrepreneurs-uk.html) 2024-08-04T19:10:01Z **Dormice are declining but current nest surveys don't tell the real story**
British dormice have declined by a shocking 70% between 2000 and 2022, according to the latest report by the national dormouse monitoring program. But my research indicates that this decline might not be that catastrophic. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-dormice-declining-current-surveys-dont.html) 2024-08-05T00:00:01Z **Streetlights running all night makes leaves so tough that insects can't eat them, threatening the food chain**
Light pollution disrupts circadian rhythms and ecosystems worldwide—but for plants, dependent on light for photosynthesis, its effects could be profound. Now scientists writing in Frontiers in Plant Science have found that exposure to high levels of artificial light at night makes tree leaves grow tougher and harder for insects to eat, threatening urban food chains. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-streetlights-night-tough-insects-threatening.html) 2024-08-05T04:32:47Z **UK beekeepers and scientists tackle sticky problem of honey fraud**
Lynne Ingram cuts a peaceful figure as she tends to a row of humming beehives in a leafy corner of Somerset, southwest England. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-uk-beekeepers-scientists-tackle-sticky.html) 2024-08-05T08:40:01Z **A renewed bid to protect burrowing owls is advancing: What changed?**
Western burrowing owls are diminutive, adorable and goofy—and conservation organizations have renewed calls for the state to protect them before it's too late. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-renewed-burrowing-owls-advancing.html) 2024-08-05T08:39:47Z **Using small black holes to detect big black holes**
An international team of astrophysicists with the participation of the University of Zurich proposes a novel method to detect pairs of the biggest black holes found at the centers of galaxies by analyzing gravitational waves generated by binaries of nearby small stellar black holes. The research is published in the journal Nature Astronomy. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-small-black-holes-big.html) 2024-08-05T12:51:23Z **New research shows dance and movement therapy can increase emotional and social intelligence in middle school students**
Bullying is the most common manifestation of violence in schools. With globalization and immigration increasing classroom diversity in schools across the United States, ethnic bullying—bullying that targets another's ethnic background or cultural identity, including racial taunts/slurs and insulting references to culturally specific customs, foods, clothing, and accents ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-movement-therapy-emotional-social-intelligence.html) 2024-08-05T12:50:01Z **Southport attacks: What we know about knife crime in the UK and how to solve it**
The knife attack on a dance class of children in Southport has left the country horrified. We do not yet know much about what happened, but a male aged 17 has been charged with the murder of three girls and 10 counts of attempted murder. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-southport-knife-crime-uk.html) 2024-08-05T12:49:52Z **Scientists reveal strategically applied livestock grazing can benefit sagebrush communities**
While a cow grazing in a field isn't typically remarkable, United States Department of Agriculture scientists have identified potential ecological benefits of strategically applied livestock grazing in sagebrush communities across U.S. western rangelands. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-scientists-reveal-strategically-livestock-grazing.html) 2024-08-05T12:46:26Z **The Higgs particle could have ended the universe by now—here's why we're still here**
Although our universe may seem stable, having existed for a whopping 13.7 billion years, several experiments suggest that it is at risk—walking on the edge of a very dangerous cliff. And it's all down to the instability of a single fundamental particle: the Higgs boson. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-higgs-particle-universe.html) 2024-08-05T12:45:07Z **Misinformation, abuse and injustice: Breaking down the Olympic boxing firestorm**
In a preliminary women's under 66kg boxing match at the Paris Olympics last week between Algerian Imane Khelif and Italian Angela Carini, a powerful punch to the face resulted in Carini withdrawing after 46 seconds. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-misinformation-abuse-injustice-olympic-firestorm.html) 2024-08-05T12:44:21Z **New model refutes leading theory on how Earth's continents formed**
The formation of Earth's continents billions of years ago set the stage for life to thrive. But scientists disagree over how those land masses formed and if it was through geological processes we still see today. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-refutes-theory-earth-continents.html) 2024-08-05T12:44:09Z **Ultrafast electron microscopy technique advances understanding of processes applicable to brain-like computing**
Today's supercomputers consume vast amounts of energy, equivalent to the power usage of thousands of homes. In response, researchers are developing a more energy-efficient form of next-generation supercomputing that leverages artificial neural networks. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-ultrafast-electron-microscopy-technique-advances.html) 2024-08-06T02:00:02Z **The race to discover biodiversity: 11 new marine species and a new platform for rapid species description**
A new paper, the Ocean Species Discoveries (OSD), describes a ground-breaking experiment that united 25 independent taxonomists from ten countries. The initiative boasts the discovery of eleven new marine species from all over the globe, occurring at depths from 5.2 to 7081 meters. It also represents a significant step forward in accelerating the pace at which new marine species are des ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-biodiversity-marine-species-platform-rapid.html) 2024-08-06T07:30:01Z **Astronomers discover new supergiant-rich stellar cluster**
Astronomers report the discovery of a new galactic stellar cluster located some 24,000 light years away. The newfound cluster, which received the designation Barbá 2, turns out to host at least several supergiant stars. The finding was detailed in a research paper published July 30 on the arXiv preprint server. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-astronomers-supergiant-rich-stellar-cluster.html) 2024-08-06T11:38:23Z **Researchers discover optimum twilight time for plant growth**
A team of researchers has gained insight into the genetic processes underpinning how plants detect twilight and the role twilight plays in plant growth. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-optimum-twilight-growth.html) 2024-08-06T11:36:29Z **Patents can help researchers understand wildlife trade trends, new study shows**
Researchers from the Oxford Martin Program on Wildlife Trade at the University of Oxford have demonstrated that patent data could provide a novel source of evidence that can help identify future commercial trends associated with the overharvesting of wildlife. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-patents-wildlife-trends.html) 2024-08-06T11:36:13Z **New technology protects crops by testing the air for the DNA of plant diseases**
Plant infections can now be detected in our crops before they're even visible. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-technology-crops-air-dna-diseases.html) 2024-08-06T15:48:17Z **New study helps global multinational corporations weigh pros and cons of implementing blockchain technology**
Blockchain technology has become one of the most hyped advancements in recent years, but there hasn't been a clear understanding of the potential tradeoffs for its use by multinational corporations (MNCs). A new study published in the Global Strategy Journal provides a better understanding of blockchain merits and drawbacks by focusing on three particular applications of the technolo ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-global-multinational-corporations-pros-cons.html) 2024-08-06T22:00:01Z **Fishing disrupts squaretail grouper mating behavior, study finds**
Populations of squaretail grouper face an uncertain future as new research shows fishing that targets their spawning sites is causing males to be repeatedly scared away from their territories during their short mating meetups. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-fishing-disrupts-squaretail-grouper-behavior.html) 2024-08-07T03:00:01Z **Nanomaterials may enhance plant tolerance to high soil salt levels**
Soil salt concentrations above the optimal threshold for plant growth can threaten global food security by compromising agricultural productivity and crop quality. An analysis published in Physiologia Plantarum has examined the potential of nanomaterials—which have emerged over the past decade as a promising tool to mitigate such "salinity stress"—to address this challenge. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-nanomaterials-tolerance-high-soil-salt.html) 2024-08-07T03:00:01Z **How efficiently different US forests will remove atmospheric carbon in the future**
Forests absorb carbon by capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making forest carbon stocks an important resource against climate change. In research published in Ecology and Evolution, investigators examined existing tree regeneration patterns to develop an indicator of potential changes to future carbon stocks across forests in the northeastern and midwestern United States. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-efficiently-forests-atmospheric-carbon-future.html) 2024-08-07T07:07:31Z **Planning for climate resilience in California's freshwater ecosystems**
California's unique geomorphology and Mediterranean-type climate have largely shaped the state's freshwater lakes, streams, rivers, and wetlands. Now, however, freshwater ecosystems are stressed by water diversion, land use changes, non-native species, sedimentation, and nutrient loading, which are compounded by increases in water temperatures and changes in snowmelt and runoff patterns driven by anthropogenic cl ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-climate-resilience-california-freshwater-ecosystems.html) 2024-08-07T11:10:01Z **New report on Great Barrier Reef shows coral cover increases before onset of serious bleaching, cyclones**
Most of the underwater surveys contributing to these findings, published today, were conducted before and during the recent mass bleaching event, one of the most extensive and serious on record, and have not yet captured how many corals survived or died following the bleaching. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-great-barrier-reef-coral-onset.html) 2024-08-07T16:00:01Z **Impact of drought on drinking water contamination: Disparities found affecting Latino/a communities**
Long-term exposure to contaminants such as arsenic and nitrate in water is linked to an increased risk of various diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, developmental disorders and birth defects in infants. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-impact-drought-contamination-disparities-affecting.html) 2024-08-07T15:57:51Z **NASA weighs SpaceX rescue for stranded Boeing Starliner crew**
What was meant to be a weeklong trip to the International Space Station (ISS) for the first NASA astronauts to fly with Boeing could extend to eight months, with the agency considering bringing them home on a SpaceX spaceship. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-nasa-spacex-stranded-boeing-starliner.html) 2024-08-07T15:55:57Z **Optical navigation tech could streamline planetary exploration**
In a dim, barren landscape like the surface of the moon, it can be easy to get lost. With few discernable landmarks to navigate with the naked eye, astronauts and rovers must rely on other means to plot a course. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-optical-tech-planetary-exploration.html) 2024-08-07T15:55:01Z **Fungi adapt cell walls to evade antifungal drugs**
Every year, life-threatening invasive fungal infections afflict more than 2 million individuals globally. Mortality rates for these infections are high, even when patients receive treatment. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-fungi-cell-walls-evade-antifungal.html) 2024-08-07T15:54:11Z **Smells may prime our gut to fight off infection**
Many organisms react to the smell of deadly pathogens by reflexively avoiding them. But a recent study from the University of California, Berkeley, shows that the nematode C. elegans also reacts to the odor of pathogenic bacteria by preparing its intestinal cells to withstand a potential onslaught. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-prime-gut-infection.html) 2024-08-07T15:53:19Z **Scientists use carbon isotopes to track 'forever chemicals'**
Organofluorine compounds—sometimes called "forever chemicals"—are increasingly turning up in our drinking water, oceans and even human blood, posing a potential threat to the environment and human health. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-scientists-carbon-isotopes-track-chemicals.html) 2024-08-07T15:52:23Z **Newly-discovered star could provide new insights into the evolution of stars**
A new study published in The Astrophysical Journal, led by Assistant Professor of Astronomy Rana Ezzeddine and UF alumnus Jeremy Kowkabany, with collaborators, reports the discovery of a star that challenges astronomers' understanding of star evolution and formation of chemical elements, and could suggest a new stage in their growth cycle. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-newly-star-insights-evolution-stars.html) 2024-08-07T20:10:01Z **Drone flights and 3D scans: Scientist uses cutting-edge tech to protect Madagascar's vulnerable forests**
In a new study published today in the journal Plants, People, Planet, scientist Jenny Williams from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, highlights how the use of drones can help curb the loss of Madagascar's biodiverse forests through illegal deforestation. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-drone-flights-3d-scans-scientist.html) 2024-08-08T00:20:01Z **Microbes conquer the next extreme environment: Your microwave**
Since the industrial revolution, microbes have successfully colonized one novel type of habitat after another: for example, marine oil spills, plastic floating in the oceans, industrial brownfields, and even the interior of the International Space Station. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-microbes-conquer-extreme-environment-microwave.html) 2024-08-08T05:00:01Z **Microscopy technique 'paves way' for improving understanding of cellular functions**
Scientists have developed a new way of counting labeled proteins in living cells that could become a standard and valuable tool in the field of biomedical research. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-microscopy-technique-paves-cellular-functions.html) 2024-08-08T09:10:01Z **Research findings suggest nilgai antelope are not carriers of bovine babesiosis**
Nilgai, a non-native antelope species that freely ranges Southern Texas and Northeastern Mexico, do not appear to be susceptible to infection following experimental exposure to Babesia bovis, according to recent findings by Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-nilgai-antelope-carriers-bovine-babesiosis.html) 2024-08-08T09:08:33Z **Singlish goes digital: How Singaporeans infuse their distinctive language into online communication**
"30th got school meh it's a Sunday leh." If we asked an average American what this online message means and what they can discern about its author, they would likely be baffled. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-singlish-digital-singaporeans-infuse-distinctive.html) 2024-08-08T09:07:15Z **Exploring the impact of attentional uniqueness and attentional allocation on firm growth**
According to the attention-based view, a firm's actions and growth performance are directly influenced by its attentional allocation to specific issues. The consequences of organizational attention are reflected in the firm's strategic decision-making and adaptability. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-exploring-impact-attentional-uniqueness-allocation.html) 2024-08-08T09:07:05Z **Weather 'whiplash' in Antarctica may help predict effects of future climate change**
The McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica live up to their name. The region is one of the driest places on Earth—mountains form a wall around the valleys and prevent melting glacier water from intruding, humidity is extremely low, and no rain was documented in the valleys between the 1960s and the early 2020s. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-weather-whiplash-antarctica-effects-future.html) 2024-08-08T13:20:01Z **Battling bugs with big data: Sweet potato's genomic-metagenomic pest shield**
Sweet potato, a staple in combating global hunger, faces significant threats from pests like whiteflies and weevils, impacting plant growth and yields. A new study harnesses the power of genomic and metagenomic data to predict pest abundance and identify key genes that could fortify the plant's defense mechanisms. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-bugs-big-sweet-potato-genomic.html) 2024-08-09T04:11:27Z **Could 2 NASA astronauts be stuck at the space station until next year? Here's what to know**
NASA is wrestling over how and when to bring two astronauts back from the International Space Station, after repeatedly delaying their return aboard Boeing's troubled capsule. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-nasa-astronauts-stuck-space-station.html) 2024-08-09T08:48:23Z **Nature at risk in the hunt for the perfect selfie**
The need for a dramatic selfie or the perfect landscape photo is proving detrimental to nature, a new research collaboration has found. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-nature-selfie.html) 2024-08-09T08:48:04Z **NASA mission concludes after years of successful asteroid detections**
The infrared NEOWISE space telescope relayed its final data to Earth before the project team at JPL sent a command that turned off its transmitter. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-nasa-mission-years-successful-asteroid.html) 2024-08-09T08:47:49Z **Age matters: New age-ID tool set to revolutionize threatened seabird conservation**
Scientists have developed a rapid and accurate way to estimate the age of a seabird, which could revolutionize the way threatened seabird populations are assessed—and boost conservation efforts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-age-id-tool-revolutionize-threatened.html) 2024-08-09T08:47:31Z **Study reveals how the Global North drives inequality in international trade**
Sydney research reveals that trends in international trade are exacerbating inequalities between the Global North and the Global South, undermining efforts to reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-reveals-global-north-inequality-international.html) 2024-08-09T14:00:02Z **A new mechanism for shaping animal tissues**
A key question that remains in biology and biophysics is how three-dimensional tissue shapes emerge during animal development. Research teams from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) in Dresden, Germany, the Excellence Cluster Physics of Life (PoL) at the TU Dresden, and the Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD) have now found a mechanism by which tissues can be "programmed" to transition from a flat state to a three-dimensi ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-mechanism-animal-tissues.html) 2024-08-09T13:48:41Z **Organic farms certified by peers display higher product diversity**
In Brazil, a study compared two systems of organic product certification implemented in São Paulo state. One system involves conventional certification by auditors accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (INMETRO). The other is peer-to-peer certification. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-farms-certified-peers-display-higher.html) 2024-08-09T13:48:02Z **Faculty cluster hire: Promoting collaboration and addressing gender bias in academic hiring**
In the world of academic science, hiring new faculty members typically follows a predictable pattern: candidates apply individually and are evaluated primarily on their personal achievements. What if there was a way to build more collaborative, diverse teams of scientists from the very start? That's exactly what the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) set out to do with their innovative "cluster hire" appr ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-faculty-cluster-hire-collaboration-gender.html) 2024-08-09T13:47:44Z **Unlocking the genetic secrets of strawberries for superior fruit quality**
Strawberries, treasured for their flavor and health benefits, have been at the forefront of breeding programs targeting enhanced sensory and nutritional profiles. Despite advances, the intricate genetic makeup of these fruits has complicated efforts to improve them. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-genetic-secrets-strawberries-superior-fruit.html) 2024-08-09T13:47:12Z **How farmers and tech teamed up to better test crops**
For over a decade, farmers across the world have been working hand-in-hand with researchers at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and their collaborators to develop a better way to test new crop varieties and improve food security in their communities. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-farmers-tech-teamed-crops.html) 2024-08-09T13:46:44Z **NASA tests deployment of Roman Space Telescope's 'visor'**
The "visor" for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope recently completed several environmental tests simulating the conditions it will experience during launch and in space. Called the Deployable Aperture Cover, this large sunshade is designed to keep unwanted light out of the telescope. This milestone marks the halfway point for the cover's final sprint of testing, bringing it one step closer to integration with Roman's other subsystem ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-nasa-deployment-roman-space-telescope.html) 2024-08-10T02:41:07Z **Flood of 'junk': How AI is changing scientific publishing**
An infographic of a rat with a preposterously large penis. Another showing human legs with way too many bones. An introduction that starts: "Certainly, here is a possible introduction for your topic". ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-junk-ai-scientific-publishing.html) 2024-08-10T02:39:58Z **Meet the two Boeing mission astronauts stuck aboard the ISS**
Two astronauts stranded in space may sound like the start to a big-screen science thriller, but the Boeing Starliner mission is no work of Hollywood fiction. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-boeing-mission-astronauts-stuck-aboard.html) 2024-08-10T02:39:19Z **In drought-hit Sicily, rainwater is dumped in the sea**
Sicilian lemon producer Rosario Cognata is furious: his fruit is withering due to the drought, while just a few kilometers away rainwater is being dumped into the sea. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-drought-sicily-rainwater-dumped-sea.html) 2024-08-10T08:30:01Z **Saturday Citations: A rare misstep for Boeing; mouse jocks and calorie restriction; human brains in sync**
This week's headlines include the extended sleepover for astronauts in the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, insight into our imitative behaviors, and the Olympic form of mice. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-saturday-citations-rare-misstep-boeing.html) 2024-08-10T14:40:01Z **White men who have been mistreated at work are more likely to notice and report harassment**
White men who have personally experienced mistreatment at work, such as bullying, are more likely to realize that their organization does not always operate fairly. And that makes them more likely to recognize and report race and gender bias against their co-workers, I found in a recent study. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-white-men-mistreated.html) 2024-08-10T19:00:01Z **Social media: Disinformation expert offers three safety tips in a time of fake news and dodgy influencers**
Social networks have revolutionized the way we communicate, stay informed and share moments of our daily lives. We use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok to keep in touch with our friends and family, share our experiences, keep informed, and express our opinions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-social-media-disinformation-expert-safety.html) 2024-08-11T06:35:00Z **Mars and Jupiter get chummy in the night sky. The planets won't get this close again until 2033**
Mars and Jupiter are cozying up in the night sky for their closest rendezvous this decade. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-mars-jupiter-chummy-night-sky.html) 2024-08-11T11:30:01Z **'Wake-up call to humanity': Research shows the Great Barrier Reef is the hottest it's been in 400 years**
The Great Barrier Reef is vast and spectacular. But repeated mass coral bleachings, driven by high ocean temperatures, are threatening the survival of coral colonies which are the backbone of the reef. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-humanity-great-barrier-reef-hottest.html) 2024-08-11T15:34:42Z **Greece wildfires force hundreds to evacuate**
Greece on Sunday was battling a spate of wildfires which have forced the evacuation of hundreds of people, as experts warn of more extreme weather conditions to come next week. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-greece-wildfires-hundreds-evacuate.html) 2024-08-12T04:15:16Z **Waste into gold: Oyster shells repurposed as magic 'Seawool'**
Growing up on Taiwan's west coast where mollusk farming is popular, Eddie Wang saw discarded oyster shells transformed from waste to function—a memory that inspired him to create a unique and environmentally friendly fabric called "Seawool". ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-gold-oyster-shells-repurposed-magic.html) 2024-08-12T04:14:17Z **Residents flee as Greece wildfires rage despite 'superhuman' efforts**
Greece ordered fresh evacuations near Athens on Monday as wildfires spread despite "superhuman" efforts to contain the flames, firefighters said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-residents-greece-wildfires-rage-superhuman.html) 2024-08-12T08:33:09Z **Pre-Mongolian elite grave found in an abandoned fortress**
In 2022, an international team forming the Joint Mongolian-Israeli-American Archaeological Project excavated an abandoned frontier fortress. They made an unexpected discovery: an elite grave buried in the walls of an abandoned fortress dating to the post-Kitan and pre-Mongol periods. The results of their research were recently published in Archaeological Research in Asia. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-pre-mongolian-elite-grave-abandoned.html) 2024-08-12T12:35:09Z **Bacteria's hidden hand in tick survival**
A new study led by Prof. Yuval Gottlieb from the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has unveiled important information about the relationship between the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, and its Coxiella-like symbiotic bacteria. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-bacteria-hidden-survival.html) 2024-08-12T16:40:03Z **New model framework aims to predict postfire debris flow behavior before a fire occurs**
New research from a team at Los Alamos National Laboratory is improving landslide prediction capabilities, making simulations faster and more accurate, which in turn will improve safety for communities that are at risk of their infrastructure being washed away. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-framework-aims-postfire-debris-behavior.html) 2024-08-13T03:47:35Z **Earth hit by 'severe' solar storm**
The Earth was hit Monday by an intense solar storm that could bring the northern lights to night skies further south than normal, a US agency announced. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-earth-severe-solar-storm.html) 2024-08-13T08:11:51Z **SpaceX announces new private mission on 1st human polar orbit spaceflight**
SpaceX has lined up more business for its human spaceflight program with a private launch from Florida that will take its passengers on a polar orbit for the first time. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-spacex-private-mission-1st-human.html) 2024-08-13T08:10:01Z **A new robotic platform to reproduce and study complex ciliary behavior**
Cilia are sensory structures extending from the surface of some cells. These hair-like structures are known to contribute to the sensorimotor capabilities of various living organisms, including humans. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-robotic-platform-complex-ciliary-behavior.html) 2024-08-13T12:19:03Z **Why are child caregivers still paid less than retail workers? And how can Australia help fix it?**
So certain is the Australian government that childcare workers are being poorly paid that it is handing them an extra 15%—10% this December, followed by a further 5% in December 2025—and speaking as if there's more to come. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-child-caregivers-paid-retail-workers.html) 2024-08-13T12:18:03Z **LGBTQ people have a troubled relationship with police—survey shows harassment, abuse and distrust**
The LGBTQ community's long history with law enforcement is so troubled and violent that organizers at some recent Pride parades decided to ban police from marching in the parade. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-lgbtq-people-relationship-police-survey.html) 2024-08-13T16:27:03Z **A hopper could explore more than 150 km of Triton's surface in two years**
Neptune's largest moon, Triton, is one of the most biologically interesting places in the solar system. Despite being hard to reach, it appears to have active volcanoes, a thin atmosphere, and even some organic molecules called tholins on its surface. However, Voyager only visited it once, in passing, 35 years ago. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-hopper-explore-km-triton-surface.html) 2024-08-13T16:23:47Z **The atmosphere in the room can affect strategic decision-making, study finds**
The atmosphere within a group can influence the outcome of strategic decision-making, according to a new study co-authored by Bayes Business School (formerly Cass). The research is published in the Academy of Management Journal. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-atmosphere-room-affect-strategic-decision.html) 2024-08-13T16:22:44Z **Common equine painkiller disrupts assisted reproduction technique efficiency in mares**
Researchers at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) have discovered that phenylbutazone, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly prescribed in horses, can affect the ability of a mare's egg cells—called "oocytes"—to become viable embryos, which is a crucial step in assisted reproduction in horses. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-common-equine-painkiller-disrupts-reproduction.html) 2024-08-13T16:22:17Z **Teams forge communication shortcuts across large organizations to keep information flowing**
When it comes to successful organizations, communication is key. But what does successful communication look like? A new study from North Carolina State University examines communication dynamics within a successful organization, uncovering the crucial role of position and discovering the prevalence of "shortcuts" across the hierarchy. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-teams-forge-communication-shortcuts-large.html) 2024-08-14T03:59:44Z **Study finds rains that led to deadly Indian landslides were made worse by climate change**
The heavy rains that resulted in landslides killing hundreds in southern India last month were made worse by human-caused climate change, a rapid analysis by climate scientists found Tuesday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-deadly-indian-landslides-worse-climate.html) 2024-08-14T08:30:01Z **Scientist performs the first nonlinear study of black hole mimickers**
In recent research, a scientist from Princeton University has performed the first nonlinear study of the merger of a black hole mimicker, aiming to understand the nature of gravitational wave signals emitted by these objects, which could potentially help to identify black holes more accurately. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-scientist-nonlinear-black-hole-mimickers.html) 2024-08-14T12:50:05Z **'Monster plants': An expert guide to alien invasive species and the epic battles they win**
A lot of people think of plants as pretty to look at, but defenseless and passive as far as organisms go. However, the many alien species—or "monster plants"—around us show we should never underestimate plants and the fascinating battles that go on beneath our feet. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-monster-expert-alien-invasive-species.html) 2024-08-14T12:50:03Z **Municipal politicians claim to be ideological moderates. Is it true?**
Municipal politicians often argue that local government is the part of the political world where things actually get done. Other levels of government might be plagued by partisan factionalism and ideological radicalism, they like to say, but municipal government continues to chug along, effective but unrecognized. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-municipal-politicians-ideological-moderates-true.html) 2024-08-14T12:47:05Z **Revealing the mysteries within microbial genomes with a new high-throughput approach**
A new technique developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) will make it much easier for researchers to discover the traits or activities encoded by genes of unknown function in microbes, a key step toward understanding the roles and impact of individual species. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-revealing-mysteries-microbial-genomes-high.html) 2024-08-14T12:43:02Z **Characterizing the impact of 700 years of Inuvialuit subsistence hunting on beluga whales**
An international team of researchers, led by scientists from the University of Copenhagen and University of Toronto, analyzed beluga whale bones retrieved from archaeological sites in the Mackenzie Delta, Northwest Territories, Canada, to shed light on the sustainability of centuries of Inuvialuit beluga whale subsistence harvests. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-characterizing-impact-years-inuvialuit-subsistence.html) 2024-08-14T17:17:03Z **Venting your frustrations can make friends like you better—if you do it right**
Venting about your frustrations with one friend to another isn't necessarily cathartic, but it can make the friend you're talking to like and treat you better, UCLA psychologists say. Their experiments show that under certain conditions, it can be an effective form of competition that makes listeners feel closer to the person venting and like the target less. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-venting-frustrations-friends.html) 2024-08-15T05:00:01Z **Zebrafish use surprising strategy to regrow spinal cord: Findings could help identify ways to heal spinal cord damage**
Zebrafish are members of a rarefied group of vertebrates capable of fully healing a severed spinal cord. A clear understanding of how this regeneration takes place could provide clues toward strategies for healing spinal cord injuries in people. Such injuries can be devastating, causing permanent loss of sensation and movement. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-zebrafish-strategy-regrow-spinal-cord.html) 2024-08-15T09:10:02Z **Dutch bluetongue cases accelerating: official**
Cases of bluetongue, a viral disease affecting sheep and cows, have shot up in the Netherlands according to official figures published Thursday, as the virus spreads also in France and Germany. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-dutch-bluetongue-cases.html) 2024-08-15T13:24:03Z **As human activities expand in Antarctica, scientists identify crucial conservation sites**
A team of scientists led by the University of Colorado Boulder has identified 30 new areas critical for conserving biodiversity in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. In a study published Aug. 15 in the journal Conservation Biology, the researchers warn that without greater protection to limit human activities in these areas, native wildlife could face significant population declines. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-human-antarctica-scientists-crucial-sites.html) 2024-08-15T19:10:01Z **Scottish and Irish rocks confirmed as rare record of 'snowball Earth'**
A rock formation spanning Ireland and Scotland may be the world's most complete record of "snowball Earth," a crucial moment in planetary history when the globe was covered in ice, finds a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-scottish-irish-rare-snowball-earth.html) 2024-08-16T00:00:01Z **New poll finds 50% of parents believe too much time on technology keeps kids from forming connections in the classroom**
Building positive connections with teachers and peers in the classroom can be critical to the mental health and academic success of children and adolescents. Yet a new national poll from The Kids Mental Health Foundation, conducted by Ipsos, finds half of parents believe that spending too much time on technology and social media keeps children from making meaningful connections ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-poll-parents-technology-kids-classroom.html) 2024-08-16T04:30:01Z **'Very strong' typhoon buffets Japan's Pacific coast**
A "very strong" typhoon buffeted Japan's Pacific coast with fierce winds and heavy rain on Friday, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights and trains in the Tokyo area and leaving over 4,000 homes without power. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-strong-typhoon-buffets-japan-pacific.html) 2024-08-16T04:28:14Z **Scientists pinpoint dino-killing asteroid's origin: past Jupiter**
An intense debate surrounding the cosmic rock that killed the dinosaurs has stirred scientists for decades, but a new study has revealed some important—and far-out—data about the impactor's origin story. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-scientists-dino-asteroid-jupiter.html) 2024-08-16T04:24:19Z **Seoul residents sweating with record 'tropical nights' weather**
Residents of South Korea's capital are resorting to novel ways to beat the heat as a century-old weather record fell Friday following a 26th "tropical night" in a row—when the temperature stays above 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit). ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-seoul-residents-tropical-nights-weather.html) 2024-08-16T04:20:27Z **Massachusetts governor signs law phasing out toxic PFAS in firefighters' gear**
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed into law Thursday a bill that would phase out the use of PFAS, a group of toxic industrial compounds, in firefighters' protective gear. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-massachusetts-governor-law-phasing-toxic.html) 2024-08-16T04:17:54Z **The collapse of an iconic arch in Utah has some wondering if other famous arches are also at risk**
A common line of questions has emerged from visitors to Utah's Arches National Park in the week since an iconic rock arch at Lake Powell known as the "Toilet Bowl" collapsed. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-collapse-iconic-arch-utah-famous.html) 2024-08-16T04:16:40Z **A rarely seen deep sea fish is found in California, and scientists want to know why**
A rarely seen deep sea fish resembling a serpent was found floating dead on the ocean surface off the San Diego coast and was brought ashore for study, marine experts said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-rarely-deep-sea-fish-california.html) 2024-08-16T09:19:04Z **Combining genetic diversity data with demographic information reveals extinction risks of natural populations**
Genetic diversity, a key pillar of biodiversity, is crucial for conservation. But can snapshot estimates of genetic diversity reliably indicate population extinction risk? New research shows that genome-wide genetic diversity is a strong predictor of extinction risk, but only when confounding factors are accounted for. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-combining-genetic-diversity-demographic-reveals.html) 2024-08-16T09:06:04Z **Why isn't Colorado's snowpack ending up in the Colorado River? Research suggests it might be the lack of spring rainfall**
The Colorado River and its tributaries provide water for hydropower, irrigation and drinking water in seven U.S. states and Mexico. Much of this water comes from the snowpack that builds up over the winter and then melts each spring. Every year in early April, water managers use the snowpack to predict how much water will be available for the upcoming year. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-isnt-colorado-snowpack-river-lack.html) 2024-08-16T09:03:04Z **Large Hadron Collider pipe brings search for elusive magnetic monopole closer than ever**
New research using a decommissioned section of the beam pipe from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN has brought scientists closer than ever before to test whether magnetic monopoles exist. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-large-hadron-collider-pipe-elusive.html) 2024-08-16T09:00:01Z **New research shows unprecedented atmospheric changes during May's geomagnetic superstorm**
On May 11, a gorgeous aurora surprised stargazers across the southern United States. That same weekend, a tractor guided by GPS missed its mark. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-unprecedented-atmospheric-geomagnetic-superstorm.html) 2024-08-16T08:56:37Z **Study of Earth's rotation history shows deceleration has been in a staircase pattern**
A multi-institutional team of geoscientists has found evidence that the Earth's rotation slows in a staircase pattern, with two stable periods that stand out. In their study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group analyzed sediment sample data going back more than a half-billion years. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-earth-rotation-history-deceleration-staircase.html) 2024-08-16T08:55:48Z **Fijian coral reveals new 627-year record of Pacific Ocean climate**
An international team of climate scientists have used a 627-year coral record from Fiji to reveal unprecedented insights into ocean temperatures and climate variability across the Pacific Ocean since 1370. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-fijian-coral-reveals-year-pacific.html) 2024-08-16T08:55:44Z **Study finds impacts of 4.2 ka climate event no big deal, actually**
A megadrought that occurred 4,200 years ago had catastrophic impacts, potentially wiping out early empires and leading to large-scale changes worldwide. It was so significant it marked a turning point in the Earth's geologic history. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-impacts-ka-climate-event-big.html) 2024-08-16T08:55:03Z **Photon entanglement could explain the rapid brain signals behind consciousness**
Understanding the nature of consciousness is one of the hardest problems in science. Some scientists have suggested that quantum mechanics, and in particular quantum entanglement, is the key to unraveling the phenomenon. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-photon-entanglement-rapid-brain-consciousness.html) 2024-08-16T13:24:12Z **Quantifying potential impact of feral hog predation on coastal American alligator nests**
Researchers with the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management are keeping a watchful eye on American alligator nests to shed light on the potential impacts of feral hog predation and to understand how these reptiles use habitat across an ever-changing Texas landscape. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-quantifying-potential-impact-feral-hog.html) 2024-08-16T13:24:03Z **Plant-microbe interactions underpin contrasting enzymatic responses to wetland drainage**
Researchers led by Professor Feng Xiaojuan from the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS) have analyzed the divergent responses of carbon-degrading enzymes to wetland drainage and found that enzymatic response to long-term drainage diverges in Sphagnum versus non-Sphagnum wetlands due to varied vegetational shifts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-microbe-interactions-underpin-contrasting-enzymatic.html) 2024-08-17T03:21:54Z **The bee's knees: New tests created to find fake honey**
Researchers led by Cranfield University have developed new ways to detect sugar syrup adulteration in honey, paving the way for fast and accurate tests to discover fake products. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-bee-knees-fake-honey.html) 2024-08-17T09:00:02Z **Saturday Citations: Citizen scientists observe fast thing; controlling rat populations; clearing nanoplastic from water**
Good morning! Here are a few of this week's most interesting science stories to read while you're settling into the couch with your cup of General Foods International French Vanilla Cafe. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-saturday-citations-citizen-scientists-fast.html) 2024-08-17T13:10:01Z **Stonehenge's 'altar stone' originally came from Scotland and not Wales, new research shows**
The ancient ritual meaning of Stonehenge is still a mystery, but researchers are one step closer to understanding how the famous stone circle was created. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-stonehenge-altar-stone-scotland-wales.html) 2024-08-18T05:00:01Z **Evidence stacks up for poisonous books containing toxic dyes**
If you come across brightly colored, cloth-bound books from the Victorian era, you might want to handle them gently, or even steer clear altogether. Some of their attractive hues come from dyes that could pose a health risk to readers, collectors or librarians. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-evidence-stacks-poisonous-toxic-dyes.html) 2024-08-18T05:00:01Z **Peering into the mind of artificial intelligence to make better antibiotics**
Artificial intelligence (AI) has exploded in popularity. It powers models that help us drive vehicles, proofread emails and even design new molecules for medications. But just like a human, it's hard to read AI's mind. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-peering-mind-artificial-intelligence-antibiotics.html) 2024-08-18T05:00:01Z **Researchers develop an instant version of trendy, golden turmeric milk**
If you've visited a trendy cafe in the past few years, you might have noticed "golden" turmeric milk on the menu. Though recently advertised as a caffeine-free, healthy coffee alternative, the drink is a fancified version of haldi doodh—a traditional Indian beverage often used as an at-home cold remedy. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-instant-version-trendy-golden-turmeric.html) 2024-08-18T11:30:01Z **How researchers determined that Stonehenge's giant Altar Stone came all the way from northeast Scotland**
No one is certain why Stonehenge was built. This world-famous monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire is thought to commemorate the dead, and is aligned with movements of the sun and moon. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-stonehenge-giant-altar-stone-northeast.html) 2024-08-18T16:20:01Z **Learning a language? Four ways to smash through the dreaded 'intermediate plateau'**
How can I improve my English? This was a question frequently posed by my students in South Korea. My initial advice was straightforward—dedicate time and effort. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-language-ways-dreaded-intermediate-plateau.html) 2024-08-19T05:00:01Z **New insights on how bird flu crosses the species barrier**
In recent years, public health measures, surveillance, and vaccination have helped bring about significant progress in reducing the impact of seasonal flu epidemics, caused by human influenza viruses A and B. However, a possible outbreak of avian influenza A (commonly known as 'bird flu') in mammals, including humans, poses a significant threat to public health. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-insights-bird-flu-species-barrier.html) 2024-08-19T05:00:01Z **Energy companies pressure landowners into fracking, study shows**
Energy companies use persistent and personalized pressure to get landowners to give permission for hydraulic fracturing (fracking), and even when landowners decline, companies use legalized compulsion to conduct fracking anyway, according to a new study led by researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York and UNLV. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-energy-companies-pressure-landowners-fracking.html) 2024-08-19T09:42:05Z **Ice Age Europeans: Climate change caused a drastic decline in hunter–gatherers, fossil study shows**
A large-scale study of fossil human teeth from Ice Age Europe shows that climate change significantly influenced the demography of prehistoric humans. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-ice-age-europeans-climate-drastic.html) 2024-08-19T14:11:04Z **Ocean salinity affects Earth's climate—how about on exoplanets?**
There's a link between Earth's ocean salinity and its climate. Salinity can have a dramatic effect on the climate of any Earth-like planet orbiting a sun-like star. But what about exoplanets around M-dwarfs? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-ocean-salinity-affects-earth-climate.html) 2024-08-20T02:08:10Z **August's supermoon is the first of four lunar spectacles**
Monday's supermoon is the first of four this year. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-august-supermoon-lunar-spectacles.html) 2024-08-20T07:16:54Z **Rocket engine explodes during test at UK spaceport**
A rocket engine exploded during a test launch at Britain's new spaceport in northern Scotland, officials said Tuesday, in a setback for the UK's fledgling space sector. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-rocket-uk-spaceport.html) 2024-08-20T11:20:01Z **A more varied diet would help the world's economy as well as its health**
More than 75% of the food consumed in the world today comes from just 12 plant and five animal species. The over-dependence on this small selection, which includes rice, maize and wheat, damages the environment and human health, and it makes our globalized food system vulnerable to shocks. But on top of all this, it also has negative economic impacts. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-varied-diet-world-economy-health.html) 2024-08-20T16:18:03Z **Social responsibility audits can bias financial ones**
During the past decade, auditors have found a booming new business: reviewing reports on companies' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activities. ESG reporting among S&P 500 companies grew 80% from 2010 to 2020, with nearly half the companies hiring auditors to give seals of approval. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-social-responsibility-bias-financial.html) 2024-08-21T00:10:02Z **How does organic farming benefit honey bees?**
Organic farming and flower strips promote the health of honey bees. In their vicinity, colonies grow stronger and are generally healthier. This is most likely because the insects have a diverse and continuous food supply there and are less exposed to pesticides. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-farming-benefit-honey-bees.html) 2024-08-21T05:00:01Z **Pilot study uses recycled glass to grow plants for salsa ingredients**
Tortilla chips and fresh salsa are tasty in themselves, but they could be even more appealing if you grow the ingredients in a sustainable way. Researchers report that cilantro, bell pepper and jalapeño can be cultivated in recycled glass from discarded, pulverized bottles like those from beer or soda. The pilot study found that partially substituting soil in a planter with recycled glass fragments speeds up plant development and re ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-recycled-glass-salsa-ingredients.html) 2024-08-21T05:00:01Z **Study shows continuous manufacturing reduces cultivated meat costs**
A new study demonstrates the first cost-effective method for producing cultivated meat. The study shows that continuous manufacturing addresses the key challenges of scalability and cost, potentially making cultivated meat accessible to everyday consumers and contributing to a more sustainable and ethical food system. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-cultivated-meat.html) 2024-08-21T05:00:01Z **Chalk-based coating creates a cooling fabric**
In the scorching heat of summer, anyone who spends time outside—athletes, landscapers, kids at the park or beachgoers—could benefit from a cooling fabric. While there are some textiles that reflect the sun's rays or transfer heat away from the body, current options require boutique fibers or complex manufacturing processes. But now, researchers report a durable chalk-based coating that cools the air underneath treated fabric by up to 8 degrees Fahrenheit ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-chalk-based-coating-cooling-fabric.html) 2024-08-21T09:45:03Z **Quality control: Neatly arranging crystal growth to make fine thin films**
Table salt and refined sugar look white to our eyes, but that is only because their individual colorless crystals scatter visible light. This feature of crystals is not always desirable when it comes to materials for optical and electrical devices, however. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-quality-neatly-crystal-growth-fine.html) 2024-08-21T14:00:01Z **Using AI to link heat waves to global warming**
Researchers at Stanford and Colorado State University have developed a rapid, low-cost approach for studying how individual extreme weather events have been affected by global warming. Their method, detailed on Aug. 21 in Science Advances, uses machine learning to determine how much global warming has contributed to heat waves in the U.S. and elsewhere in recent years. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-ai-link-global.html) 2024-08-21T14:00:01Z **To kill mammoths in the Ice Age, people used planted pikes, not throwing spears, researchers say**
How did early humans use sharpened rocks to bring down megafauna 13,000 years ago? Did they throw spears tipped with carefully crafted, razor-sharp rocks called Clovis points? Did they surround and jab mammoths and mastodons? Or did they scavenge wounded animals, using Clovis points as a versatile tool to harvest meat and bones for food and supplies? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-mammoths-ice-age-people-pikes.html) 2024-08-21T14:00:01Z **Modeling study finds highest prediction of sea-level rise unlikely**
In recent years, the news about Earth's climate—from raging wildfires and stronger hurricanes, to devastating floods and searing heat waves—has provided little good news. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-highest-sea.html) 2024-08-21T14:00:01Z **Freeze-frame: Researchers develop world's fastest microscope that can see electrons in motion**
Imagine owning a camera so powerful it can take freeze-frame photographs of a moving electron—an object traveling so fast it could circle the Earth many times in a matter of a second. Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed the world's fastest electron microscope that can do just that. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-world-fastest-microscope-electrons-motion.html) 2024-08-21T14:00:01Z **Human-wildlife overlap expected to increase across more than half of land on Earth by 2070**
As the human population grows, more than half of Earth's land will experience an increasing overlap between humans and animals by 2070, according to a University of Michigan study. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-human-wildlife-overlap-earth.html) 2024-08-21T14:00:01Z **US Congress members' wealth statistically linked with ancestors' slaveholding practices**
According to a new study, as of April 2021, US Congress members whose ancestors enslaved 16 or more people had a net worth that was five times higher than that of legislators whose ancestors did not have slaves. Neil Sehgal of the University of Pennsylvania, US, and Ashwini Sehgal of Case Western Reserve University, US present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on August 21, 2024. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-congress-members-wealth-statistically-linked.html) 2024-08-21T14:00:01Z **Life from a drop of rain: New research suggests rainwater helped form the first protocell walls**
One of the major unanswered questions about the origin of life is how droplets of RNA floating around the primordial soup turned into the membrane-protected packets of life we call cells. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-life-rainwater-protocell-walls.html) 2024-08-21T14:00:01Z **Study reveals devastating power and colossal extent of a giant underwater avalanche off the Moroccan coast**
New research by the University of Liverpool has revealed how an underwater avalanche grew more than 100 times in size, causing a huge trail of destruction as it traveled 2,000km across the Atlantic Ocean seafloor off the North West coast of Africa. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-reveals-devastating-power-colossal-extent.html) 2024-08-21T18:30:01Z **Modeling study suggests heat-related deaths in Europe could triple by century's end under current climate policies**
Deaths from heat could triple in Europe by 2100 under current climate policies, mostly among people living in southern parts of the continent, according to a study published in The Lancet Public Health journal. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-deaths-europe-triple-century-current.html) 2024-08-22T01:54:34Z **Research team designs AI approach to drought zoning in Canada**
A recent study by the University of Ottawa and Laval University shows that climate change may cause many areas in Canada to experience significant droughts by the end of the century. In response, the researchers have introduced an advanced AI-based method to map drought-prone regions nationwide. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-team-ai-approach-drought-zoning.html) 2024-08-22T07:15:21Z **500 young sturgeon released into Saginaw River system**
Five hundred young sturgeon were released at four locations into the Saginaw River system last week as part of an ongoing effort by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State University to rebuild the giant fish's population. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-young-sturgeon-saginaw-river.html) 2024-08-22T07:14:30Z **Some wild horses mysteriously vanish for months on North Carolina's Outer Banks. Where do they go?**
A ghost of sorts appeared on the northern end of North Carolina's Outer Banks—a wild stallion that goes by the name Dash. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-wild-horses-mysteriously-months-north.html) 2024-08-22T11:20:01Z **Thwaites Glacier won't collapse like dominoes as feared, but it doesn't mean the 'Doomsday Glacier' is stable**
Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier got its nickname the "Doomsday Glacier" for its potential to flood coastlines around the world if it collapsed. It is already contributing about 4% of annual sea-level rise as it loses ice, and one theory suggests the glacier could soon begin to collapse into the ocean like a row of dominoes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-thwaites-glacier-wont-collapse-dominoes.html) 2024-08-22T11:19:05Z **Materials scientists develop road map for designing responsive gels with unusual properties**
Soft polymers with the combined properties of electrolytes and traditional polymers offer some unique and desirable properties that can be drastically changed on demand. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-materials-scientists-road-responsive-gels.html) 2024-08-22T15:24:03Z **AI tackles one of the most difficult challenges in quantum chemistry**
New research using neural networks, a form of brain-inspired AI, proposes a solution to the tough challenge of modeling the states of molecules. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-ai-tackles-difficult-quantum-chemistry.html) 2024-08-22T21:50:02Z **World's second largest diamond found in Botswana**
A massive 2,492-carat diamond—the second largest in the world—has been discovered in Botswana, the Canadian mining company that found the stone announced Thursday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-world-largest-diamond-botswana.html) 2024-08-23T02:11:41Z **Could we ever harness quantum vacuum energy?**
The fabric of spacetime is roiling with vibrating quantum fields, known as vacuum energy. It's right there, everywhere we look. But could we ever get anything out of it? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-harness-quantum-vacuum-energy.html) 2024-08-23T08:10:01Z **A mechanism that transfers energy from nitrogen to argon enables bidirectional cascaded lasing in atmospheric air**
To produce light, lasers typically rely on optical cavities, pairs of mirrors facing each other that amplify light by bouncing it back and forth. Recently, some physicists have been investigating the generation of "laser light" in open air without the use of optical cavities, a phenomenon known as cavity-free lasing in atmospheric air. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-mechanism-energy-nitrogen-argon-enables.html) 2024-08-23T12:17:36Z **Calls for a new 'digital vaccination' for children to tackle fake news and disinformation**
A new report published August 23, 2024 has called for a "digital vaccination" for all children, to tackle the tsunami of fake news and disinformation, and close the digital divide. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-digital-vaccination-children-tackle-fake.html) 2024-08-23T12:16:03Z **Aoudad and bighorn sheep share respiratory pathogens, research team discovers**
A team of researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has discovered that aoudad—an animal in the sheep and goat family—can catch and spread many of the same respiratory pathogens that can impact desert bighorn sheep, a native species in Texas that often shares its habitat with aoudad. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-aoudad-bighorn-sheep-respiratory-pathogens.html) 2024-08-23T16:23:59Z **Carbon emissions from forest soil will likely grow with rising temperatures**
The soils of northern forests are key reservoirs that help keep the carbon dioxide that trees inhale and use for photosynthesis from making it back into the atmosphere. But a unique experiment led by Peter Reich of the University of Michigan is showing that, on a warming planet, more carbon is escaping the soil than is being added by plants. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-carbon-emissions-forest-soil-temperatures.html) 2024-08-24T02:12:31Z **Experts meet as final global plastic treaty talks near**
With months until crunch talks on the world's first binding treaty on plastic pollution, experts are meeting in Bangkok to discuss financing options and problematic plastics. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-experts-global-plastic-treaty.html) 2024-08-24T02:10:31Z **Whaling: why the practice will not go away**
The detention in Greenland of anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson pending possible extradition to Japan has turned the spotlight on the widely condemned practice of hunting whales. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-whaling.html) 2024-08-24T06:50:01Z **Nontoxic ceramic could replace lead-based electronic components**
The ceramic produced in Prof. Igor Lubomirsky's lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science seemed too good to be true. It belongs to a class of materials that are the backbone of many essential technologies but that unfortunately also create an environmental problem because they usually contain lead, which is highly toxic. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-nontoxic-ceramic-based-electronic-components.html) 2024-08-24T11:20:01Z **Bird species are disappearing at an alarming rate in Kenya, study finds**
Sub-Saharan Africa has a vast amount of uncultivated, arable land—about 2 million km2, accounting for about 50% of the global total. This land is a critical habitat for many animal species, including birds. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-bird-species-alarming-kenya.html) 2024-08-24T22:30:01Z **South Africa's scarce water needs careful management—study finds smaller, local systems offer more benefits**
South Africa is a water-scarce country, the 30th driest in the world. Using water wisely will become more and more important as the population grows and droughts related to climate change increase. A lack of clean, fresh water has a negative impact on people's health and on the amount of food that can be grown. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-south-africa-scarce-smaller-local.html) 2024-08-25T02:48:03Z **NASA decides to keep 2 astronauts in space until February, nixes return on troubled Boeing capsule**
NASA decided Saturday it's too risky to bring two astronauts back to Earth in Boeing's troubled new capsule, and they'll have to wait until next year for a ride home with SpaceX. What should have been a weeklong test flight for the pair will now last more than eight months. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-nasa-astronauts-space-february-nixes.html) 2024-08-25T07:30:01Z **Letting teachers choose what they want to learn supports teacher morale—and yields better teaching**
Student achievement is highly correlated with having qualified teachers who feel empowered and motivated to provide quality education for their students. Such teachers should be in every classroom. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-teachers-teacher-morale-yields.html) 2024-08-25T11:50:01Z **The moon was once covered by an ocean of molten rock, data from India's space mission suggests**
Data from India's recent Chandrayaan-3 mission supports the idea that an ocean of molten rock once covered the moon. Scientists from the mission have published their new findings in the journal Nature. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-moon-ocean-molten-india-space.html) 2024-08-26T03:12:53Z **Australia gives millions of workers 'right to disconnect'**
Australia gave millions of workers the legal right to "disconnect" on Monday, allowing them to ignore unreasonable out-of-hours calls, emails and texts from their bosses. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-australia-millions-workers-disconnect.html) 2024-08-26T03:12:23Z **Big polluters urged to pay as key Pacific summit opens in Tonga**
Emissions-belching nations were challenged to stump up for climate-related damage as a key Pacific islands summit opened on Monday, with low-lying Tuvalu declaring: "If you pollute, you should pay." ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-big-polluters-urged-pay-key.html) 2024-08-26T07:35:55Z **Japan's space agency ends Moon probe operation**
Japan's space agency said on Monday it had ended its Moon lander operation after losing communication with the uncrewed spaceship last week. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-japan-space-agency-moon-probe.html) 2024-08-26T11:40:04Z **Locked in a glacier: Virus adaptations to extreme weather provide climate change insights**
Ancient viruses preserved in glacial ice hold valuable information about changes in Earth's climate, a new study suggests. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-glacier-virus-extreme-weather-climate.html) 2024-08-26T15:48:40Z **Microscopic fossilized shells reveal ancient climate change patterns**
At the end of the Paleocene and beginning of the Eocene epochs, between 59 to 51 million years ago, Earth experienced dramatic warming periods, both gradual periods stretching millions of years and sudden warming events known as hyperthermals. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-microscopic-fossilized-shells-reveal-ancient.html) 2024-08-27T01:57:49Z **Fires in Brazil's Sao Paulo state under control: authorities**
Fires that have razed thousands of hectares of forest in Brazil's Sao Paulo state have been brought under control, authorities said Monday, though an alert for fresh blazes remained in place. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-brazil-sao-paulo-state-authorities.html) 2024-08-27T01:55:56Z **SpaceX Polaris Dawn launch pushed back after helium leak**
SpaceX on Monday pushed back the historic launch of an all-civilian crew on an orbital expedition set to mark a new chapter in space exploration with the first spacewalk by private citizens. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-spacex-polaris-dawn-helium-leak.html) 2024-08-27T07:11:51Z **'Alarming' rise in deadly lightning strikes in India: scientists**
Climate change is fueling an alarming increase in deadly lightning strikes in India, killing nearly 1,900 people a year in the world's most populous country, scientists warn. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-alarming-deadly-lightning-india-scientists.html) 2024-08-27T11:17:03Z **Kagome superlattice method offers new way to tune graphene's electronic properties**
A research team has introduced a novel method for selectively tuning electronic bands in graphene. Their findings, published in Physical Review Letters, showcase the potential of artificial superlattice fields for manipulating different types of band dispersions in graphene. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-kagome-superlattice-method-tune-graphene.html) 2024-08-27T15:31:02Z **Population genetic insights into the conservation of common walnut (Juglans regia) in Central Asia**
Understanding species distribution, differentiation and the factors affecting genetic diversity is important for sustainable conservation and effective management, as well as the rational utilization of species germplasm. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-population-genetic-insights-common-walnut.html) 2024-08-28T00:00:01Z **AI tools like ChatGPT popular among students who struggle with concentration and attention**
Since their release, AI tools like ChatGPT have had a huge impact on content creation. In schools and universities, a debate about whether these tools should be allowed or prohibited is ongoing. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-ai-tools-chatgpt-popular-students.html) 2024-08-28T05:00:01Z **Study finds limits to storing CO₂ underground to combat climate change**
Imperial College London research has found limits to how quickly we can scale up technology to store gigatonnes of carbon dioxide under Earth's surface. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-limits-underground-combat-climate.html) 2024-08-28T05:00:01Z **Some bats are surviving and thriving with blood sugar levels that would be lethal for other mammals**
Humans must regulate blood sugar concentrations to stay healthy and to fuel our cells. Too little or too much can cause serious health complications, and high blood sugar is a hallmark of the metabolic condition, diabetes. New research from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research may enable potential solutions to metabolic disease by turning to evolution and to bats. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-surviving-blood-sugar-lethal-mammals.html) 2024-08-28T09:10:42Z **Research investigates variable star population of globular cluster NGC 1851**
Astronomers have performed photometric observations of a young globular cluster known as NGC 1851. The new observational campaign provides more insights into the variable star population of this cluster and validates the membership of these variables. The findings were published August 20 on the pre-print server arXiv. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-variable-star-population-globular-cluster.html) 2024-08-28T13:19:04Z **Mathematicians debunk GPS assumptions to offer improvements**
The summer holidays are ending, which for many concludes with a long drive home and reliance on GPS devices to get safely home. But every now and then, GPS devices can suggest strange directions or get briefly confused about your location. But until now, no one knew for sure when the satellites were in a good enough position for the GPS system to give reliable direction. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-mathematicians-debunk-gps-assumptions.html) 2024-08-28T17:28:04Z **On Facebook ads, users may dislike 'likes'**
Scroll through your Facebook feed, and you'll get pelted by advertisements begging for a click. Like any other type of post, these ads allow you to react. Often, you'll notice that one or more of your friends has already "liked" them. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-facebook-ads-users.html) 2024-08-29T00:10:01Z **Ancient sea cow that was attacked by both a primeval crocodile and shark sheds new light on prehistoric food chains**
A new study showing how a prehistoric sea cow was preyed upon by not one, but two different carnivores—a crocodilian and a shark—is revealing clues into both the predation tactics of ancient creatures and the wider food chain millions of years ago. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-ancient-sea-cow-primeval-crocodile.html) 2024-08-29T05:00:02Z **Researchers map 50,000 of DNA's mysterious 'knots' in the human genome**
Researchers have mapped 50,000 of DNA's mysterious "knots" in the human genome. The innovative study of DNA's hidden structures may open up new approaches for treatment and diagnosis of diseases, including cancer. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-dna-mysterious-human-genome.html) 2024-08-29T05:00:01Z **Land-sea 'tag-team' devastated ocean life millions of years ago, reveal scientists**
Scientists have revealed how a "tag-team" between the oceans and continents millions of years ago devastated marine life—and altered the course of evolution on Earth. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-sea-tag-team-devastated-ocean.html) 2024-08-29T05:00:01Z **Can fungi turn food waste into the next culinary sensation?**
Chef-turned-chemist Vayu Hill-Maini has a passion: to turn food waste into culinary treats using fungi. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-fungi-food-culinary-sensation.html) 2024-08-29T05:00:01Z **Global timber supply threatened as climate change pushes cropland northwards**
Climate change will move and reduce the land suitable for growing food and timber, putting the production of these two vital resources into direct competition, a new study has found. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-global-timber-threatened-climate-cropland.html) 2024-08-29T09:22:03Z **Larger ant colonies drive the evolution of worker castes: Division of labor is key to life's complexity, says study**
Just like human societies, ant societies have a division of labor. Within a colony, some individuals feed the young while others are soldiers who protect the colony from intruders. New research across 794 ant species, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, reveals that group size determines whether or not division of labor evolves. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-larger-ant-colonies-evolution-worker.html) 2024-08-29T09:20:01Z **Using atomic excitations to measure the rotation of spacetime**
How would atoms behave near a supermassive object? We know how atoms behave in extremely weak gravity like that at the Earth's surface: They can be excited from a lower energy level to a higher one when an electron absorbs a photon or a nucleus absorbs a gamma ray, and so on. But what if the atom is in a strong gravitational field such as one near a supermassive, rotating black hole or rotating neutron star? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-atomic-rotation-spacetime.html) 2024-08-29T13:29:17Z **Researcher studies how violent policies spread among governments**
Complexity Postdoctoral Fellow Kerice Doten-Snitker studies how government-sanctioned violence in medieval Germany diffused from one community to another. More specifically, she wants to know what sometimes prevented the spread of targeted ethnic or racial policies. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-violent-policies.html) 2024-08-29T19:00:01Z **Lack of competition between petrol stations hits households most in poorest areas: Study**
Households in low-income areas face significantly higher increases in petrol prices when rival fuel stations close compared to high-income areas, according to new research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA). ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-lack-competition-petrol-stations-households.html) 2024-08-30T00:20:01Z **Promising antibiotic candidates discovered in microbes deep in the Arctic Sea**
Antibiotics are the linchpin of modern medicine: without them, anyone with open wounds or needing to undergo surgery would be at constant risk of dangerous infections. Yet we continue to face a global antibiotics crisis, as more and more resistant strains of bacteria are evolving, while the rate of discovery of fundamentally new antibiotics has been much slower. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-antibiotic-candidates-microbes-deep-arctic.html) 2024-08-30T05:00:02Z **AI tool maps out cell metabolism with precision**
Understanding how cells process nutrients and produce energy—collectively known as metabolism—is essential in biology. Modern biology generates large datasets on various cellular activities, but integrating and analyzing the vast amounts of data on cellular processes to determine metabolic states is a complex task. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-ai-tool-cell-metabolism-precision.html) 2024-08-30T05:00:02Z **What a submerged ancient bridge discovered in a Spanish cave reveals about early human settlement**
A new study led by the University of South Florida has shed light on the human colonization of the western Mediterranean, revealing that humans settled there much earlier than previously believed. This research, detailed in a recent issue of the journal, Communications Earth & Environment, challenges long-held assumptions and narrows the gap between the settlement timelines of islands throughout the ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-submerged-ancient-bridge-spanish-cave.html) 2024-08-30T09:04:03Z **Solar Orbiter shows how solar wind gets a magnetic push**
ESA's Solar Orbiter spacecraft has provided crucial data to answer the decades-long question of where the energy comes from to heat and accelerate the solar wind. Working in tandem with NASA's Parker Solar Probe, Solar Orbiter reveals that the energy needed to help power this outflow is coming from large fluctuations in the sun's magnetic field. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-solar-orbiter-magnetic.html) 2024-08-30T13:11:01Z **Biodiversity loss: Many students of environment-related subjects are partly unaware of the causes**
As far as the causes of global biodiversity loss are concerned, there are evidently perception gaps among students of environment-related subjects worldwide, as a survey conducted by Goethe University Frankfurt with more than 4,000 students from 37 countries has now shown. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-biodiversity-loss-students-environment-subjects.html) 2024-08-30T13:10:53Z **Mini lab secures NASA ride to the moon**
A miniaturized laboratory developed by The Open University (OU) with support from RAL Space will fly to the lunar South Polar region in the European Space Agency's (ESA) Prospect package in search of volatiles, including water ice, as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-mini-lab-nasa-moon.html) 2024-08-30T13:10:13Z **Research highlights drought risk and awareness gaps in global society**
Natural disasters have threatened human beings and the ecosystem. Among the various natural disasters, drought is one of the most insidious and costliest, adversely affecting the global economy and livelihoods. Unlike sudden disasters such as earthquakes or hurricanes, drought is a slow-onset phenomenon that gradually intensifies. This prolonged nature of drought often results in the shortage of drinking water and the disru ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-highlights-drought-awareness-gaps-global.html) 2024-08-30T20:00:01Z **Plenty of ups and downs are key to a great story, research finds**
Since at least Aristotle, writers and scholars have debated what makes for a great story. One of them is Samsun Knight, a novelist who is also an economist and assistant professor of marketing at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. With a scientist's tools, he's done what previous theorizers have failed to: put theory to the test and demonstrated the key factor for empirically predicting which stories will be snore fests ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-plenty-ups-downs-key-great.html) 2024-08-31T02:30:41Z **New species of Antarctic dragonfish highlights its threatened ecosystem**
A new species of Antarctic dragonfish, Akarotaxis gouldae or Banded Dragonfish, has been discovered in waters off the western Antarctic Peninsula by researchers at William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). The species, named in honor of the recently decommissioned Antarctic research and supply vessel (ARSV) Laurence M. Gould and its crew, exemplifies both the unknown biodiversity and fragile ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-species-antarctic-dragonfish-highlights-threatened.html) 2024-08-31T07:50:01Z **How fruit flies use internal representations of head direction to support goal-directed navigation**
Animal behavior is known to rely on transforming sensory information into motor commands, often influenced by an animal's internal needs. While in mammals and other large animals this process is supported by complex brain processes, simpler versions of it might also guide the behavior of smaller living organisms, including insects. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-fruit-flies-internal-representations-goal.html) 2024-08-31T12:10:02Z **Why every island's wildlife ends up looking alike**
Located to the east of Madagascar, the bountiful, volcanic French island of Réunion has sometimes been called a sister to Hawaiian volcanoes because of the similarity in their climate and geographical nature. Those familiar with its seemingly pristine vegetation may be surprised to find out that half of the plants there were introduced by humans, even though they arrived on the island in the 16th century. So how and why did some species arrive and not others? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-island-wildlife-alike.html) 2024-09-01T03:00:01Z **Chocolate's future could hinge on success of growing cocoa not just in the tropics, but in the lab**
Climate change is stressing rainforests where the highly sensitive cocoa bean grows, but chocolate lovers need not despair, say companies that are researching other ways to grow cocoa or develop cocoa substitutes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-chocolate-future-hinge-success-cocoa.html) 2024-09-01T08:20:02Z **Unlocking exotic new beer flavors using genetics**
One of my favorite summer pastimes is enjoying a cold beer in a bar with friends after work. But not just any beer—it has to be a lager. And I am not alone. With its crisp and refreshing profile, lager accounts for more than 90% of the global beer market. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-exotic-beer-flavors-genetics.html) 2024-09-01T14:30:02Z **Webb discovers six new 'rogue worlds' that provide clues to star formation**
Rogue planets, or free-floating planetary-mass objects (FFPMOs), are planet-sized objects that either formed in interstellar space or were part of a planetary system before gravitational perturbations kicked them out. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-webb-rogue-worlds-clues-star.html) 2024-09-02T04:13:42Z **A celebrity 'Russian spy' whale spotted with harness found dead in Norwegian waters**
A white beluga whale named "Hvaldimir," first spotted in Norway not far from Russian waters with a harness that ignited rumors he may be a Moscow spy, has been found dead. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-celebrity-russian-spy-whale-harness.html) 2024-09-02T08:20:02Z **One of the last California condors in Zion National Park dies from lead poisoning**
Zion National Park is home to a California condor, an endangered bird with a wingspan of more than 9 feet, that soars the same skies she shared with her brother before he died. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-california-condors-zion-national-dies.html) 2024-09-02T12:38:04Z **'It's time to give up on normal': What winter's weird weather in Australia means for the warm months ahead**
Heavy winds struck south-east Australia over the weekend as a series of cold fronts moved across the continent. It followed a high fire danger in Sydney and other parts of New South Wales last week, and a fire in south-west Sydney that threatened homes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-winter-weird-weather-australia-months.html) 2024-09-02T12:37:03Z **Worried about your trees after the windstorms? Here are seven signs you might be at risk**
Winter has ended dramatically across Australia's southern states, as fierce winds and storms usher in spring. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-trees-windstorms.html) 2024-09-03T00:20:01Z **Large sharks may be hunting each other—and scientists know because of a swallowed tracking tag**
Who killed the pregnant porbeagle? In a marine science version of the game Cluedo, researchers from the US have now accused a larger shark, with its deciduous triangular teeth, in the open sea southwest of Bermuda. This scientific whodunnit is published in Frontiers in Marine Science. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-large-sharks-scientists-swallowed-tracking.html) 2024-09-03T05:00:02Z **Gigantic asteroid impact shifted the axis of solar system's biggest moon, study finds**
Around 4 billion years ago, an asteroid hit the Jupiter moon Ganymede. Now, a Kobe University researcher has realized that the solar system's biggest moon's axis has shifted as a result of the impact, which confirmed that the asteroid was around 20 times larger than the one that ended the age of the dinosaurs on Earth, and caused one of the biggest impacts with clear traces in the solar system. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-gigantic-asteroid-impact-shifted-axis.html) 2024-09-03T09:36:43Z **Communication helps parent relationships with new college students but has limits**
When young adults first go off to college, more communication with parents generally leads to better relationships, but parents should avoid always initiating it, according to a study led by Washington State University researchers. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-communication-parent-relationships-college-students.html) 2024-09-03T09:36:25Z **NASA explains strange noise heard by astronaut in Boeing's Starliner**
There's nothing to see here, or hear here, actually. That's the message NASA gave after reports of a strange noise heard by astronaut Butch Wilmore emanating from Boeing's Starliner docked to the International Space Station this weekend. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-nasa-strange-noise-heard-astronaut.html) 2024-09-03T09:34:12Z **Meet Phaethon, a weird asteroid that thinks it's a comet—new research may explain what's going on**
What's the difference between an asteroid and a comet? A comet is basically a dirty iceball composed of rock and ice. The classic image is of a bright "star" in the night sky with a long curved tail extending into space. This is what happens when they approach the sun and start emitting gases and releasing dust. It normally continues until there's nothing left but rock or until they fragment into dust. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-phaethon-weird-asteroid-comet.html) 2024-09-03T09:33:55Z **New cataclysmic variable system discovered**
Astronomers from the Special Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) in Russia and elsewhere report the discovery of a new cataclysmic variable system, designated SRGe J194401.8+284452, which is located some 1,350 light years away. The finding was detailed in a research paper published August 26 on the pre-print server arXiv. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-cataclysmic-variable.html) 2024-09-03T15:12:03Z **International team discovers unusual mortality rates in surgeonfishes**
An international team of researchers led by an assistant professor from the University of Guam discovered that while most surgeonfishes mature quickly and die young, some develop slowly and live for several decades. The studies are published in Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries and Fish and Fisheries. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-international-team-unusual-mortality-surgeonfishes.html) 2024-09-03T15:06:03Z **Polymer foam aims to transform oil spill cleanup**
University of Waterloo researchers have developed a new material that can absorb more than eight times its weight in oil, offering a new solution in preventing groundwater contamination from spills or accidents. The study, "Fabrication of Triblock Elastomer Foams and Gelation Studies for Oil Spill Remediation," was published in Macro Molecular Rapid Communications. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-polymer-foam-aims-oil-cleanup.html) 2024-09-03T14:38:41Z **Diagnosing oak wilt with the naked eye**
University of Minnesota researchers developed a groundbreaking method for the rapid and accurate detection of oak wilt, a devastating disease threatening oak trees across North America. The disease is widespread in east-central and southeast Minnesota, though its range continues to expand northward, according to the DNR. Early detection methods are necessary in efforts to control the progression of this disease. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-oak-wilt-naked-eye.html) 2024-09-03T14:00:01Z **How new words arise in social media**
The more centrally connected someone is within their social media network, the more likely that new words they use will become adopted into mainstream language, according to a new study published in PLOS Complex Systems by Louise Tarrade of École Normale Supérieure, France, and colleagues. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-words-social-media.html) 2024-09-03T14:00:01Z **Simulation study explores how gift giving drives social change**
New findings provide quantitative criteria for classifying social organizations in human history, together with potential explanatory variables that can be empirically measured for anthropology, history and archaeology, according to a study published September 3, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS Complex Systems by Kenji Itao and Kunihiko Kaneko from the University of Tokyo, Japan and Copenhagen University, Denmark (Kaneko) and the RIKE ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-simulation-explores-gift-social.html) 2024-09-04T04:08:31Z **Japanese island eradicates rabbit-killing mongoose**
Japan has wiped out all mongooses on a subtropical island, officials said, after the animals ignored the venomous snakes they were brought in to hunt and preyed on endangered local rabbits instead. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-japanese-island-eradicates-rabbit-mongoose.html) 2024-09-04T08:21:26Z **Scientists present Europe's new greenhouse gas budget**
The goals outlined in the Paris Agreement on climate include limiting climate warming to below 2°C and reaching a global peak of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible. To meet these targets, scientists need comprehensive accounting of the greenhouse gases entering and leaving the atmosphere over different landscapes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-scientists-europe-greenhouse-gas.html) 2024-09-04T08:20:14Z **Study highlights importance of social media influencers in information dissemination during mpox outbreak**
A recent study shows social media influencers are more important than previously thought when it comes to getting out vital information in a crisis. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-highlights-importance-social-media-dissemination.html) 2024-09-04T12:37:04Z **At-risk butterflies more likely to survive with human help**
Some of the butterflies most in danger of fluttering out of existence fare better when their habitats are actively managed by humans, a recent study found. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-butterflies-survive-human.html) 2024-09-04T16:39:26Z **Climate scientist: Broken temperature records are alarming, but it is not too late to limit global warming**
July 22, 2024 was the hottest day in recorded human history, with a global average temperature of 17.16 C. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-climate-scientist-broken-temperature-alarming.html) 2024-09-04T16:39:06Z **DNA may be a powerful predictor of educational success, new research suggests**
Researchers at the University of York are calling for further exploration of the role DNA could play in predicting educational outcomes. The work is published in the journal Educational Psychology Review. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-dna-powerful-predictor-success.html) 2024-09-05T04:03:20Z **Novel metasurface enables temperature-adaptive radiative cooling**
As the global energy crisis intensifies and climate change accelerates, finding sustainable solutions for energy management is increasingly urgent. One promising approach is passive radiative cooling, a technology that allows objects to cool by emitting heat directly into space, requiring no additional energy. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-metasurface-enables-temperature-cooling.html) 2024-09-05T08:30:02Z **Why the flaming carcasses of electrocuted birds keep starting Colorado wildfires**
In the past two months alone, the flaming carcasses of electrocuted birds have ignited at least three wildfires in Colorado. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-flaming-carcasses-electrocuted-birds-colorado.html) 2024-09-05T08:26:31Z **Critically endangered California condor shot and killed in Colorado**
A rare California condor passing through southwestern Colorado was shot and killed this year, and state and federal authorities on Wednesday asked the public to help track down those responsible. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-critically-endangered-california-condor-shot.html) 2024-09-05T12:47:05Z **Report documents paths to prison for those experiencing intimate partner violence**
A new study provides extensive documentation of the "IPV-to-Prison Pipeline"—the pathways through which women who are survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) find themselves serving long prison sentences for acts of survival. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-documents-paths-prison-experiencing-intimate.html) 2024-09-05T16:50:01Z **Sentinel-2C joins the Copernicus family in orbit**
Sentinel-2C launched into orbit on 5 September at 03:50 CEST (4 September 22:50 local time) and separated from the Vega rocket at approximately 04:48 CEST. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-sentinel-2c-copernicus-family-orbit.html) 2024-09-06T00:10:01Z **'Some pterosaurs would flap, others would soar'—new study confirms flight capability of these giants of the skies**
Some species of pterosaurs flew by flapping their wings while others soared like vultures, demonstrates a new study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-pterosaurs-soar-flight-capability-giants.html) 2024-09-06T04:39:24Z **Super Typhoon Yagi threatens southern China, Vietnam**
Southern China's Hainan province evacuated over 400,000 people ahead of the expected landfall on Friday of Super Typhoon Yagi, while tens of thousands prepared to seek shelter in neighboring Vietnam from what is set to be the strongest storm to hit the region in over a decade. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-super-typhoon-yagi-threatens-southern.html) 2024-09-06T08:57:17Z **Discovery of a new convective instability in complex fluids, 140 years after Lord Rayleigh**
An altogether new convective instability has been predicted and experimentally discovered, 140 years after Lord Rayleigh. Convective instabilities are of fundamental importance for both our everyday life as well as for ecology and climate in atmospheric and oceanic science. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-discovery-convective-instability-complex-fluids.html) 2024-09-06T13:05:02Z **New firmoss species found in Guizhou, China**
Huperzia is a genus of lycophyte plants, sometimes known as the firmosses or fir clubmosses. It contains about 25 species that mainly occur in temperate and boreal climatic zones of the world. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-firmoss-species-guizhou-china.html) 2024-09-06T13:03:05Z **Harnessing the power of AI for climate change impact assessment**
As climate change continues to intensify, the world is seeing an increase in the number and intensity of climate- and weather-related disasters. The UN member states need to develop urgent mitigation and adaptation actions based on reliable climate change projections. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-harnessing-power-ai-climate-impact.html) 2024-09-06T13:02:03Z **Researchers advance new class of quantum critical metal that could advance electronic devices**
A new study led by Rice University's Qimiao Si has unveiled a new class of quantum critical metal, shedding light on the intricate interactions of electrons within quantum materials. Published in Physical Review Letters on Sept. 6, the research explores the effects of Kondo coupling and chiral spin liquids within specific lattice structures. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-advance-class-quantum-critical-metal.html) 2024-09-07T05:24:54Z **Colombian court orders Escobar's hippos to be hunted**
A Colombian court on Friday called for the hunting of hippos, introduced to the country in the 1980s by drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-colombian-court-escobar-hippos.html) 2024-09-07T05:21:29Z **Two NASA astronauts stuck in space have flown long missions before**
The two NASA astronauts left behind at the International Space Station following the return of Boeing's troubled capsule are Navy test pilots who have ridden out long missions before. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-nasa-astronauts-stuck-space-flown.html) 2024-09-07T05:21:04Z **Two astronauts are left behind in space as Boeing's troubled capsule returns to Earth empty**
Boeing's first astronaut mission ended Friday night with an empty capsule landing and two test pilots still in space, left behind until next year because NASA judged their return too risky. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-astronauts-left-space-boeing-capsule.html) 2024-09-07T05:20:22Z **A mural honoring scientists hung in Pfizer's NYC lobby for 60 years. Now it's up for grabs**
A mural honoring ancient and modern figures in medicine that has hung in the lobby of Pfizer's original New York City headquarters for more than 60 years could soon end up in pieces if conservationists can't find a new home for it in the next few weeks. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-mural-honoring-scientists-hung-pfizer.html) 2024-09-07T05:19:10Z **Just how rare is a rare-colored lobster? Scientists say answer could be under the shell**
Orange, blue, calico, two-toned and ... cotton-candy colored? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-rare-lobster-scientists-shell.html) 2024-09-07T13:10:01Z **US food insecurity rate rose to 13.5% in 2023 as government benefits declined and food prices soared**
The official U.S. food insecurity rate rose to 13.5% in 2023 from 12.8% in 2022, according to data the U.S. Department of Agriculture released on Sept. 4, 2024. That means more than one in eight Americans—about 47 million people—couldn't get enough food for themselves or their families at least some of the time. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-food-insecurity-rose-benefits-declined.html) 2024-09-07T18:10:04Z **Populism's summer of discontent: Are voters turning their backs on authoritarians?**
Is authoritarian populism finally being rejected by citizens around the world? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-populism-summer-discontent-voters-authoritarians.html) 2024-09-08T06:54:17Z **Super Typhoon Yagi toll rises to 9 in Vietnam after landslide**
Super Typhoon Yagi ripped roofs off buildings, sank boats and triggered landslides in Vietnam, leaving nine people dead as of Sunday, after tearing through southern China and the Philippines. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-super-typhoon-yagi-toll-vietnam.html) 2024-09-08T13:20:01Z **Hidden, compact galaxies in the distant universe—searching for the secrets behind the little red dots**
Astronomers exploring the faraway universe with the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA's most powerful telescope, have found a class of galaxies that challenges even the most skillful creatures in mimicry—like the mimic octopus. This creature can impersonate other marine animals to avoid predators. Need to be a flatfish? No problem. A sea snake? Easy. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-hidden-compact-galaxies-distant-universe.html) 2024-09-09T04:37:48Z **Drought sinks longest Polish river to record-low level**
Poland's longest river, the Vistula, on Sunday hit a record-low water level in the capital because of drought, the national weather agency said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-drought-longest-river.html) 2024-09-09T09:22:41Z **New observations shed more light on the nature of a millisecond pulsar binary**
Using ESA's XMM-Newton satellite, European astronomers have performed X-ray observations of a millisecond pulsar binary known as PSR J1431−4715. Results of the observational campaign, published September 3 on the pre-print server arXiv, provide more insights into the nature of this system. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-nature-millisecond-pulsar-binary.html) 2024-09-09T09:21:04Z **New molecular engineering technique allows for complex organoids**
A new molecular engineering technique can precisely influence the development of organoids. Microbeads made of specifically folded DNA are used to release growth factors or other signal molecules inside the tissue structures. This gives rise to considerably more complex organoids that imitate the respective tissues much better and have a more realistic cell mix than before. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-molecular-technique-complex-organoids.html) 2024-09-09T13:35:53Z **Like a diamond in the sky: How to spot NASA's solar sail demo in orbit**
Now that its reflective sail has deployed fully open in orbit, the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System can be seen in the night sky from many locations across the world! ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-diamond-sky-nasa-solar-demo.html) 2024-09-09T13:34:53Z **New research sinks old theory for the doldrums, a low-wind equatorial region that stranded sailors for centuries**
During the Age of Sail, sailors riding the trade winds past the equator dreaded becoming stranded in the doldrums, a meteorologically distinct region in the deep tropics. For at least a century, scientists have thought that the doldrums' lack of wind was caused by converging and rising air masses. Now, new research suggests that the opposite may be true. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-theory-doldrums-equatorial-region-stranded.html) 2024-09-09T13:33:54Z **Farming at the edges of nature reserves is helping exotic species invade New Zealand, finds study**
Native shrublands were once common across the Canterbury Plains, but over time, conversion of land to other uses, including irrigated pasture, has contributed to their gradual decline. Now, a new study by scientists at Manaaki Whenua—Landcare Research has found that spillover of nutrients and water from adjacent intensive agriculture is facilitating invasions by exotic plants into reserves set up to ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-farming-edges-nature-reserves-exotic.html) 2024-09-09T13:33:28Z **Zeolite catalyst method use microwaves to convert waste cooking oil into useful chemicals**
Researchers from Kyushu University have revealed that a zeolite material called Na-ZSM-5 is effective in improving the chemical conversion of biomass into olefins—a precursor chemical that makes everything from plastics to pharmaceuticals—using microwaves. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-zeolite-catalyst-method-microwaves-cooking.html) 2024-09-09T13:32:34Z **New fusion reactions could lead to long-lasting superheavy nuclei with unique properties**
A team of scientists has made significant progress in the ongoing quest to create new, long-lasting superheavy nuclei. These double magic nuclei, characterized by a precise number of protons and neutrons that form a highly stable configuration, are exceptionally resistant to decay. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-fusion-reactions-superheavy-nuclei-unique.html) 2024-09-09T13:28:43Z **Could alternative meat meet a growing demand?**
Inside a UC Davis engineering lab, tiny round pellets swirl in a brown liquid inside a 5-liter glass tank. The tank, a bioreactor, is brewing edible fungi high in protein and designed to look and taste like meat. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-alternative-meat-demand.html) 2024-09-09T19:00:02Z **First robot leg with 'artificial muscles' jumps nimbly: Study**
Researchers said on Monday they had designed the first robotic leg with "artificial muscles"—oil-filled bags allowing machines to move more like humans—that can jump nimbly across a range of surfaces. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-robot-leg-artificial-muscles-nimbly.html) 2024-09-10T02:00:01Z **Methane emissions are rising faster than ever, research shows**
The world has not hit the brakes on methane emissions, a powerful driver of climate change. More than 150 nations have pledged to slash by 30% this decade under a global methane pledge, but new research shows global methane emissions over the past five years have risen faster than ever. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-methane-emissions-faster.html) 2024-09-10T08:49:22Z **New dense sub-Saturn exoplanet discovered**
Using the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), astronomers from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad, India and elsewhere, have detected a new sub-Saturn exoplanet with a relatively high density. The finding was reported in a research paper published September 2 in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-dense-saturn-exoplanet.html) 2024-09-10T08:49:11Z **Archaeologists suggest Neolithic Scandinavians may have used skin boats to hunt, travel and trade**
Recent research by Dr. Mikael Fauvelle and his colleagues, published in the Journal of Maritime Archaeology, proposes that the neolithic Pitted Ware Culture (PWC) may have used skin boats to conduct trade, travel, fishing, and hunting activities. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-archaeologists-neolithic-scandinavians-skin-boats.html) 2024-09-10T12:57:09Z **Two editing tricks can help companies boost investor confidence**
A new study finds there are two simple editing changes companies can make to their annual reports that improve investor confidence. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-companies-boost-investor-confidence.html) 2024-09-10T12:55:29Z **Flowers planted in Cornish towns create buzzing hubs for pollinators**
Planting flowers in urban green spaces across Cornwall significantly boosted numbers of pollinating insects, new research shows. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-cornish-towns-hubs-pollinators.html) 2024-09-10T17:08:07Z **Study offers hope for the resilience of the American lobster fishery**
According to a study by researchers at William & Mary's Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences, the American lobster may be more resilient to the effects of climate change than expected. For the first time, experiments performed at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) have documented how female American lobsters groom their offspring, providing evidence that these behaviors are not significantly impacted by tempera ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-resilience-american-lobster-fishery.html) 2024-09-10T17:05:03Z **National lab takes its radiation expertise to space**
An experiment designed to answer questions about the radiation environment for manned space missions was launched from Kennedy Space Center today. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-national-lab-expertise-space.html) 2024-09-11T02:58:06Z **Mount Fuji crowds shrink after Japan brings in overtourism measures**
Fewer climbers tackled Mount Fuji during this year's hiking season, preliminary figures show, after Japanese authorities introduced an entry fee and a daily cap on numbers to fight overtourism. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-mount-fuji-crowds-japan-overtourism.html) 2024-09-11T07:29:22Z **Endangered species rebounds in California a century after being wiped out**
All on its own, an endangered species is making a fierce comeback in California, newly published state wildlife data show. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-endangered-species-rebounds-california-century.html) 2024-09-11T07:29:11Z **Why are sharks coming to Boston Harbor? Researchers believe it's a nursery ground**
Once unthinkable when the harbor was nasty and polluted, today's cleaner waters have actually become a desirable shark habitat as young sharks migrate here yearly. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-sharks-boston-harbor-nursery-ground.html) 2024-09-11T11:43:02Z **AI-based technique speeds up the analysis of fossils**
Queensland Museum and James Cook University scientists are using AI to unlock the mysteries of our fossil past. The scientists have developed an AI-based technique that has sped up the analysis of fossils, taking a months-long process to just days. The study, "Accelerating segmentation of fossil CT scans through Deep Learning," is published in Scientific Reports. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-ai-based-technique-analysis-fossils.html) 2024-09-11T11:42:03Z **Beyond needles: Introducing a new, nature-based approach for delivering cargo into egg cells**
A new approach for delivering miniature research tools into the interior of egg cells and embryos has been developed at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), resolving a major bottleneck to using the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 in many research organisms. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-needles-nature-based-approach-cargo.html) 2024-09-11T15:50:03Z **DNA demethylation boosts tomato resistance to gray mold, study finds**
Postharvest decay in fruits, primarily caused by pathogenic fungi, remains a major obstacle to agricultural sustainability and food security. Despite advances in fungicides and storage technologies, losses remain substantial, especially in developing countries. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-dna-demethylation-boosts-tomato-resistance.html) 2024-09-12T04:03:14Z **'Staggering' destruction in Yemen after deadly flash flooding**
Sitting by their ruined home, Abu Ibrahim wept for his son and seven grandchildren killed by flash floods in Yemen, where increasingly severe downpours are piling more misery on the impoverished, war-torn country. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-staggering-destruction-yemen-deadly.html) 2024-09-12T04:00:11Z **Pair of rare Amur tiger cubs debuting at Minnesota Zoo are raising hopes for the endangered species**
A pair of rare Amur tiger cubs are making their public debut at the Minnesota Zoo, raising hopes for preserving an endangered species that's native to far eastern Russia and northern China. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-pair-rare-amur-tiger-cubs.html) 2024-09-12T04:00:01Z **Trilobite fossils from upstate New York reveal 'extra' set of legs**
A new study finds that a trilobite species with exceptionally well-preserved fossils from upstate New York has an additional set of legs underneath its head. The research, led by the American Museum of Natural History and Nanjing University in China, suggests that having a fifth pair of head appendages might be more widespread among trilobites than once thought. Published today in the journal Palaeontology, the study helps resear ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-trilobite-fossils-upstate-york-reveal.html) 2024-09-12T08:10:02Z **Tropical Storm Francine batters US state of Louisiana**
Heavy rains and strong winds hammered Louisiana early Thursday as Tropical Storm Francine moved inland, leaving many residents without power while floods threatened the US southern state. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-tropical-storm-francine-batters-state.html) 2024-09-12T12:18:03Z **Quantum researchers cause controlled 'wobble' in the nucleus of a single atom**
Researchers from Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands have been able to initiate a controlled movement in the very heart of an atom. They caused the atomic nucleus to interact with one of the electrons in the outermost shells of the atom. This electron could be manipulated and read out through the needle of a scanning tunneling microscope. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-quantum-nucleus-atom.html) 2024-09-12T12:17:03Z **Spectroscopic study unveils key steps for turning CO₂ into valuable chemicals**
A new study takes advantage of advanced spectroscopic methods and theory to shed light on the intricate processes involved in converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable chemicals like ethylene and ethanol. This research holds significant promise for advancing sustainable practices in the chemical industry. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-spectroscopic-unveils-key-co8322-valuable.html) 2024-09-12T16:27:03Z **Dual-feedback mechanism can enhance anti-oxidation coatings in fiber composites**
Fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) have been the primary choice for radome materials in hypersonic vehicles due to their high toughness, strength, and other advantageous properties. However, oxidation by oxygen in the atmospheric environment at elevated temperatures remains a significant obstacle to their further development. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-dual-feedback-mechanism-anti-oxidation.html) 2024-09-13T04:13:17Z **Lakes drying up leave Greeks in despair**
Lake Koronia, one of largest in Greece, is shrinking after a prolonged drought and a summer of record-breaking temperatures, leaving behind cracked earth, dead fish and a persistent stench. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-lakes-drying-greeks-despair.html) 2024-09-13T04:12:04Z **Studies on pigeon-guided missiles, swimming abilities of dead fish among Ig Nobles winners**
A study that explores the feasibility of using pigeons to guide missiles and one that looks at the swimming abilities of dead fish were among the winners Thursday of this year's Ig Nobels, the prize for comical scientific achievement. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-pigeon-missiles-abilities-dead-fish.html) 2024-09-13T09:00:01Z **New research finds employees feel pressure to work while sick, which has been shown to cost companies billions**
Employees often feel pressure to work while sick, leading to lost productivity, deviant behaviors such as theft and mistreatment of coworkers and intent to leave the organization, according to new research led by University of South Florida Assistant Professor of Psychology Claire Smith. The cost of such behavior, known as "presenteeism," can be staggering—as much as $150 billion annu ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-employees-pressure-sick-shown-companies.html) 2024-09-13T13:06:22Z **Study shows urbanization has impacted the population genetic structure of the Eurasian red squirrel in Japan**
Since many kinds of wildlife have started living in urban environments, urban environments have been recognized as places of biodiversity conservation. What kind of factors facilitate or prohibit wildlife from living in urban environments? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-urbanization-impacted-population-genetic-eurasian.html) 2024-09-13T13:06:21Z **Exploring ternary metal sulfides as electrocatalysts for carbon dioxide reduction reactions**
One of the most promising avenues for actively reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere is recycling it into valuable chemicals via electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reactions. With a suitable electrocatalyst, this can be achieved under mild conditions and at a low energy cost. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-exploring-ternary-metal-sulfides-electrocatalysts.html) 2024-09-13T13:06:17Z **The roles played by Indigenous Peoples in biodiversity conservation**
Indigenous Peoples play an indisputable and critical role in the conservation of the planet's biodiversity. Their lands and livelihoods sustain life in myriad forms. However, a study by researchers at the ICTA-UAB published in Nature concludes that this vital activity can be misrepresented and misunderstood. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-roles-played-indigenous-peoples-biodiversity.html) 2024-09-14T04:24:12Z **Germany's parks plant a way forward on climate change**
In the castle gardens of Muskauer Park, which straddles both banks of the German-Polish river border, caretakers have mounted a fightback against the impacts of climate change. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-germany-climate.html) 2024-09-14T08:50:01Z **Saturday Citations: Permian-Triassic mystery solved; cute baby sighted; the nine-day 2023 seismic event**
This week, a billionaire made a spacewalk, archaeologists found a new, isolated Neanderthal lineage and the James Webb Space Telescope revealed the extreme outskirts of the Milky Way. And a few other things happened: ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-saturday-citations-permian-triassic-mystery.html) 2024-09-14T14:00:01Z **Can AI talk us out of conspiracy theory rabbit holes?**
New research published in Science shows that for some people who believe in conspiracy theories, a fact-based conversation with an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot can "pull them out of the rabbit hole." Better yet, it seems to keep them out for at least two months. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-ai-conspiracy-theory-rabbit-holes.html) 2024-09-15T04:36:13Z **One dead in Poland as storm lashes eastern and central Europe**
One person has drowned in Poland and four people are missing in the Czech Republic, authorities said Sunday, as Storm Boris lashed central and eastern Europe with torrential rains and flooding. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-dead-poland-storm-lashes-eastern.html) 2024-09-15T04:32:57Z **Tech billionaire returns to Earth after first private spacewalk**
A billionaire spacewalker returned to Earth with his crew on Sunday, ending a five-day trip that lifted them higher than anyone has traveled since NASA's moonwalkers. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-tech-billionaire-earth-private-spacewalk.html) 2024-09-15T04:32:14Z **Catch a partial lunar eclipse during September's supermoon**
Get ready for a partial lunar eclipse and supermoon, all rolled into one. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-partial-lunar-eclipse-september-supermoon.html) 2024-09-15T09:40:01Z **'Ecocide' on Easter Island never took place, studies suggest**
Two recent studies have cast doubt on a popular theory that the ancient residents of Easter Island suffered a societal collapse because they overexploited their natural resources, an event often labeled one of history's first "ecocides". ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-ecocide-easter-island.html) 2024-09-16T00:10:07Z **1 in 5 parents worry their elementary and middle school aged kids don't have friends, poll suggests**
Developing friendships is often seen as a natural part of childhood but it may be easier for some kids than others. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2024-09-parents-elementary-middle-school-aged.html)