# 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@2b75e86 # Learn more about Yarn.social at https://yarn.social # # nick = Phys_org # url = https://feeds.twtxt.net/Phys_org/twtxt.txt # source = https://phys.org/rss-feed/ # avatar = # description = # updated_at = 2022-07-03T19:46:06Z # 2022-05-20T01:51:45Z **Paleontologists find the jaws of an extremely rare bear in Taurida cave**
Ural paleontologists discovered the lower jaws of an Etruscan bear from the Early Pleistocene (2–1.5 million years ago) in the Taurida Cave (Crimean Peninsula). Scientists reported the finding in the international journal of paleobiology Historical Biology. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-paleontologists-jaws-extremely-rare-taurida.html) 2022-05-20T01:51:33Z **Webb telescope nearly set to explore the solar system**
As NASA's James Webb Space Telescope moves through the final phases of commissioning its science instruments, we have also begun working on technical operations of the observatory. While the telescope moves through space, it will constantly find distant stars and galaxies and point at them with extreme precision to acquire images and spectra. However, we also plan to observe planets and their satellites, asteroids, and comets in our solar system, whic ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-webb-telescope-explore-solar.html) 2022-05-20T07:41:17Z **Sandstorms pose serious risk to human health**
Sandstorms have engulfed the Middle East in recent days, in a phenomenon experts warn could proliferate because of climate change, putting human health at grave risk. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-sandstorms-pose-human-health.html) 2022-05-20T07:39:36Z **Boeing crew capsule launches to space station on test redo**
Boeing's crew capsule rocketed into orbit Thursday on a repeat test flight without astronauts, after years of being grounded by flaws that could have doomed the spacecraft. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-boeing-crew-capsule-space-station.html) 2022-05-20T07:37:54Z **Survey: Chesapeake's crab population at lowest since 1990**
The number of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay is estimated to be at the lowest level observed since an annual survey tracking the population began in 1990, officials announced Thursday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-survey-chesapeake-crab-population-lowest.html) 2022-05-20T11:44:03Z **A new tool to verify the geographical origins of virgin olive oil**
Olive oil is one of the most prestigious agri-foods in Spain and it is the base of the Mediterranean diet. Adulteration and commercial fraud cases occur when it comes to the origin and varieties of a product with such an economic and business interest. Now, a team from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Torribera Food and Nutrition Campus and the Institute for Nutrition and Food Safety Research (INSA) of the University of Bar ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-tool-geographical-virgin-olive-oil.html) 2022-05-20T16:18:41Z **Researchers demonstrate organic crystals can serve as energy converters for emerging technologies**
New research by a team of researchers at the NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Smart Materials Lab published today in the journal Nature Communications demonstrates that organic crystals, a new class of smart engineering materials, can serve as efficient and sustainable energy conversion materials for advanced technologies such as robotics and electronics. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-crystals-energy-emerging-technologies.html) 2022-05-21T01:45:04Z **Long-hypothesized 'next generation wonder material' created for first time**
For over a decade, scientists have attempted to synthesize a new form of carbon called graphyne with limited success. That endeavor is now at an end, though, thanks to new research from the University of Colorado Boulder. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-long-hypothesized-material.html) 2022-05-21T12:33:04Z **Millions stranded, dozens dead as flooding hits Bangladesh and India**
Heavy rains have caused widespread flooding in parts of Bangladesh and India, leaving millions stranded and at least 57 dead, officials said Saturday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-millions-stranded-dozens-dead-bangladesh.html) 2022-05-22T02:43:28Z **Breach exposed data of half-million Chicago students, staff**
The personal information of more than half a million Chicago Public Schools students and staff was compromised in a ransomware attack last December, but the vendor didn't report it to the district until last month, officials said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-breach-exposed-half-million-chicago-students.html) 2022-05-22T02:42:06Z **US high schoolers design low-cost filter to remove lead from water**
When the pandemic forced schools into remote learning, Washington-area science teacher Rebecca Bushway set her students an ambitious task: design and build a low-cost lead filter that fixes to faucets and removes the toxic metal. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-high-schoolers-low-cost-filter.html) 2022-05-22T09:31:42Z **Turtles freed in Tunisia with tracking monitor**
Three rescued loggerhead turtles were released into the Mediterranean off Tunisia on Sunday, one with a tracking beacon glued to its shell to help researchers better protect the threatened species. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-turtles-freed-tunisia-tracking.html) 2022-05-23T02:34:33Z **Multiple habitats need protecting to save UK bumblebees, finds 10-year citizen science study**
A study using 10 years of citizen science data from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust's BeeWalk scheme has found that a variety of targeted conservation approaches are needed to protect UK bumblebee species. The findings are published the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-multiple-habitats-uk-bumblebees-year.html) 2022-05-23T07:34:23Z **Hundreds of endangered baby giant turtles released into Cambodian river**
Hundreds of critically endangered baby giant turtles were released into Cambodia's Mekong River to mark World Turtle Day on Monday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-hundreds-endangered-baby-giant-turtles.html) 2022-05-23T07:33:26Z **Fly me to the Moon: US, Japan aim for lunar landing**
Japan and the United States said Monday they want to put the first Japanese astronaut on the Moon as the allies deepen cooperation on space projects. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-moon-japan-aim-lunar.html) 2022-05-23T12:28:54Z **Skydiving salamanders live in world's tallest trees**
Salamanders that live their entire lives in the crowns of the world's tallest trees, California's coast redwoods, have evolved a behavior well-adapted to the dangers of falling from high places: the ability to parachute, glide and maneuver in mid-air. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-skydiving-salamanders-world-tallest-trees.html) 2022-05-23T17:13:02Z **Glass and the energy reform: Sustainable production thanks to electricity?**
2022 is the international year of glass. And yet many glass factories are struggling to survive. High energy costs and considerable CO2 emissions mean that glass production faces a challenging future. Researchers at FAU and Technische Hochshchule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm are currently conducting research aimed at finding a solution to make glass production more sustainable without relying on fossil fuels. Their appro ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-glass-energy-reform-sustainable-production.html) 2022-05-24T02:28:01Z **Girls' chance of success at school in Sub-Saharan Africa shaped by language they are taught in**
Millions of school children across large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa are sat silently in classrooms, struggling to follow lessons, and not progressing in their learning due to an insistence that all lessons should be taught in English, say the authors of a new report. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-girls-chance-success-school-sub-saharan.html) 2022-05-24T08:41:52Z **Toward more sustainable wine: Scientists can now track sulfur from grapes to streams**
Each week during growing season, California winemakers coat their precious grapes with sulfur fungicides to prevent powdery mildew infection. It's an effective defense against a potentially crop-devastating disease, in one of the state's largest industries. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-sustainable-wine-scientists-track-sulfur.html) 2022-05-24T13:26:03Z **Researchers use bacteria to enhance concrete resistance**
Concrete, with its low cost, good compressive strength, and manufacturing convenience, is one of the most widely used materials in construction. However, with accelerating urbanization, natural aggregates for mixing with concrete, such as sand and gravel, are in short supply. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-bacteria-concrete-resistance.html) 2022-05-25T02:29:42Z **Using origami and kirigami to inspire reconfigurable yet structural materials**
Origami, the Japanese art of folding paper into decorative shapes and figures, has long served as inspiration for industrial design. The concept of folding has been used to build reconfigurable structures, which change their function by changing their shape. These structures are promising for applications such as nanorobots for drug delivery, foldable solar panels for aerospace, and morphable cladding and shading f ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-origami-kirigami-reconfigurable-materials.html) 2022-05-25T08:30:27Z **Electronic self-passivation of single vacancy in black phosphorus**
NUS scientists discovered that a two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting material, known as black phosphorus (BP), exhibits an electronic self-passivation phenomenon by re-arranging its vacancy defects. This may potentially enhance the charge mobility of the material and its analogs. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-electronic-self-passivation-vacancy-black-phosphorus.html) 2022-05-25T12:40:01Z **An ocean first: Underwater drone tracks CO2 in Alaska gulf**
In the cold, choppy waters of Alaska's Resurrection Bay, all eyes were on the gray water, looking for one thing only. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-ocean-underwater-drone-tracks-co2.html) 2022-05-25T12:37:00Z **Florida wildlife officials say some manatee food growing**
Wildlife officials working to prevent threatened Florida manatees from starving to death say they're encouraged that some of the marine mammals' favorite food is growing naturally in a key area. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-florida-wildlife-manatee-food.html) 2022-05-25T12:36:41Z **From drones to sensors, Malaysian durian grower goes high-tech**
Drones spraying pesticide, sensors taking soil readings, sprinklers that squirt fertiliser at the touch of a button—a Malaysian plantation is using high-tech methods to boost its crop of pungent durians. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-drones-sensors-malaysian-durian-grower.html) 2022-05-25T16:51:04Z **Researchers use CRISPR technology to modify starches in potatoes**
Humble potatoes are a rich source not only of dietary carbohydrates for humans, but also of starches for numerous industrial applications. Texas A&M AgriLife scientists are learning how to alter the ratio of potatoes' two starch molecules—amylose and amylopectin—to increase both culinary and industrial applications. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-crispr-technology-starches-potatoes.html) 2022-05-26T02:52:57Z **Human membrane proteins strike evolutionary balance**
Cells are compartmentalized by membranes, and proteins present in these membranes play an important role in transporting cellular information. For proper function of these proteins to occur, a tertiary protein structure must be formed through the correct folding process. In a study published in Nature Chemical Biology, the folding process of a glucose transporter—a complex membrane protein—was identified for the first time using single-molecule ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-human-membrane-proteins-evolutionary.html) 2022-05-26T02:52:25Z **Community-led science uncovers high air pollution from fracking in Ohio county**
Some residents of Belmont County in eastern Ohio have long suffered from headaches, fatigue, nausea and burning sensations in their throats and noses. They suspected these symptoms were the result of air pollution from fracking facilities that dominate the area, but regulators dismissed and downplayed their concerns. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-community-led-science-uncovers-high-air.html) 2022-05-26T08:19:22Z **Why did Mars dry out? New study points to unusual answers**
Mars once ran red with rivers. The telltale tracks of past rivers, streams and lakes are visible today all over the planet. But about three billion years ago, they all dried up—and no one knows why. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-mars-unusual.html) 2022-05-26T13:26:09Z **Wine as scapegoat in trade disputes means consumers pay the price**
When you sit down for a nice dinner and sip a glass of wine, is your bottle of choice from France, Australia, or South America? Chances are the fine beverage you're enjoying is imported from a major global wine producer. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-wine-scapegoat-disputes-consumers-price.html) 2022-05-26T13:24:43Z **Desalination study could help engineers produce clean water more efficiently**
A team led by researchers from Imperial College London, investigated how water molecules move in a confined space—in this case through a polyamide (PA) membrane that is used to remove salt from seawater to produce fresh water. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-desalination-efficiently.html) 2022-05-26T13:23:51Z **New data reveals climate change might be more rapid than predicted**
About 30 massive, intricate computer networks serve the scientists who stand at the forefront of climate change research. Each network runs a software program comprised of millions of lines of code. These programs are computational models that combine the myriads of physical, chemical and biological phenomena that together form the climate of our planet. The models calculate the state of Earth's atmosphere, oceans, land and ice, capturing past a ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-reveals-climate-rapid.html) 2022-05-26T13:23:38Z **Study of North Pacific 'garbage patch' shows abundance of neuston organisms**
A team of researchers from the U.K. and the U.S. has found that in addition to human garbage, the North Pacific "garbage patch" also has an abundance of neuston organisms. In their paper posted on the bioRxiv site, the group describes their study of material in the patch of sea and what sorts of creatures they found living in it. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-north-pacific-garbage-patch-abundance.html) 2022-05-26T17:30:01Z **Researcher describes how extraterrestrial civilizations could colonize the galaxy even if they don't have starships**
Astronomers have searched for extraterrestrial civilizations in planetary systems for sixty years, to no avail. In the paper published by International Journal of Astrobiology, Cambridge University Press, and titled "Migrating extraterrestrial civilizations and interstellar colonization: Implications for SETI and SETA," Irina K. Romanovskaya proposes that the search f ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-extraterrestrial-civilizations-colonize-galaxy-dont.html) 2022-05-27T02:20:55Z **AI learns coral reef 'song'**
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can track the health of coral reefs by learning the "song of the reef", new research shows. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-ai-coral-reef-song.html) 2022-05-27T07:00:01Z **British coral predicted to be resilient to climate change**
An iconic coral species found in UK waters could expand its range due to climate change, new research shows. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-british-coral-resilient-climate.html) 2022-05-27T11:04:03Z **Our Mars rover mission was suspended because of the Ukraine war. What we're hoping for next**
Just a few months ago, we were confidently expecting to launch our rover, Rosalind Franklin, to Mars in September as part of the ExoMars mission, a collaboration between Europe and Russia. The landing was planned for June 2023. Everything was ready: the rover, the operations team and the eager scientists. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-mars-rover-mission-ukraine-war.html) 2022-05-27T16:47:04Z **Gene linked to severe learning disabilities governs cell stress response**
A gene that has been associated with severe learning disabilities in humans has been found to also play a vital role in cells' response to environmental stress, according to a Duke University study appearing May 24 in the journal Cell Reports. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-gene-linked-severe-disabilities-cell.html) 2022-05-27T16:46:02Z **When hurricanes strike, social media can save lives**
Everyone knows that while disinformation is a problem, social media is a powerful tool for communicating fast in an emergency. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-hurricanes-social-media.html) 2022-05-28T05:02:54Z **17 years post-Katrina, New Orleans-area protections complete**
Seventeen years after Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans, the Army Corps of Engineers has completed an extensive system of floodgates, strengthened levees and other protections. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-years-post-katrina-orleans-area.html) 2022-05-28T05:01:50Z **US review traces massive New Mexico fire to planned burns**
Two fires that merged to create the largest wildfire in New Mexico history have both been traced to planned burns set by U.S. forest managers as preventative measures, federal investigators announced Friday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-massive-mexico.html) 2022-05-29T05:32:25Z **Deaths of 3 women in early heat wave raise questions, fears**
Temperatures barely climbed into the 90s and only for a couple of days. But the discovery of the bodies of three women inside a Chicago senior housing facility this month left the city looking for answers to questions that were supposed to be addressed after a longer and hotter heat wave killed more than 700 people nearly three decades ago. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-deaths-women-early.html) 2022-05-29T05:31:40Z **Decline in North Sea puffins causes concern**
The Isle of May, off Scotland's east coast, is home to one of the UK's biggest colonies of seabirds. Some 200,000 birds, from kittiwakes to guillemots can flock to the rocky outcrop at the height of the breeding season. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-decline-north-sea-puffins.html) 2022-05-30T03:45:46Z **Race to save undersea Stone Age cave art masterpieces**
To reach the only place in the world where cave paintings of prehistoric marine life have been found, archaeologists have to dive to the bottom of the Mediterranean off southern France. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-undersea-stone-age-cave-art.html) 2022-05-30T08:38:34Z **Key insights into a protein linked to diabetes and hypertension**
The amount of salt and water in our cells and their pH is strictly controlled for cell survival. To maintain the necessary balance, special proteins perform the essential role of exchanging protons (hydrogen ions, or H+) for sodium (Na+) or lithium (Li+) ions across cell membranes. These proteins are called sodium-proton exchangers (Na+/H+ exchangers, or NHEs). Found in every cell, NHEs tightly regulate the cells' pH, sodium levels a ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-key-insights-protein-linked-diabetes.html) 2022-05-30T13:41:03Z **Report: Maintaining and enhancing forest biodiversity in Europe**
Biodiversity loss has been globally recognized as a major threat to ecological and socio-economic stability. The forest ecosystems of Europe, which include both natural and planted forests, provide habitats for numerous species and are havens for much of Europe's biodiversity. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-forest-biodiversity-europe.html) 2022-05-31T04:03:44Z **2TK, Canada's migratory bird that fell for Uruguayan resort**
The first cold winds announce the arrival of winter in Uruguay's jet setters' playground, Punta del Este. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-2tk-canada-migratory-bird-fell.html) 2022-05-31T04:02:50Z **Hurricane Agatha drenches Mexican beach resorts**
Hurricane Agatha, the first of the season, lashed a string of beach resorts on Mexico's Pacific coast as it barreled ashore Monday, bringing strong winds, heavy rain and flood warnings. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-hurricane-agatha-drenches-mexican-beach.html) 2022-05-31T08:44:32Z **Long-distance collaboration makes scientific breakthroughs more likely**
In an analysis of data for more than ten million research teams, across eleven academic fields from 1961 to 2020, a new working paper from the Oxford Martin Program on the Future of Work has determined that over the past decade remote collaboration between academic teams has led to more scientific breakthroughs. This is a reversal of what was observed from the 1960s to the 2000s, when remote collaboration led t ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-long-distance-collaboration-scientific-breakthroughs.html) 2022-05-31T08:44:23Z **Engineers enhance cannabis strain with 20% more THC for medical applications, increased crop yields**
Throughout the world, the cannabis plant is gaining in popularity and legitimacy as a medical treatment for a broad range of illnesses. Now, researchers at the laboratory of Professor Alexander (Sasha) Vainstein at the Hebrew University of Jerusalerm (HU)'s Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, in partnership with and funding from Mariana Bioscience Ltd., have successful ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-cannabis-strain-thc-medical-applications.html) 2022-05-31T08:42:11Z **New dinosaur species used fearsome claws to graze along the coast**
Scientists have described the youngest therizinosaur fossil from Japan and the first in Asia to have been found in marine sediments. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-dinosaur-species-fearsome-claws-graze.html) 2022-05-31T08:42:06Z **Increase in chromatin entropy drives cellular aging, say researchers**
At the center of every cell, highly organized chromatin encodes the program of life with just one set of genes. This is possible because different genes are activated at different stages of life while remaining silent otherwise. Some genes active at previous stages of life are buried deep at the nuclear periphery, and some manage to escape from repression. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-chromatin-entropy-cellular-aging.html) 2022-05-31T08:41:59Z **How invading pathogens switch off plant cells' defenses**
Many disease-causing bacteria are able to inhibit the defense mechanisms in plants and thus escape dissolution by the plant cell, a process known as xenophagy. Animal and human cells have a similar mechanism whereby the cell's defenses "eat" invading bacteria—yet some bacteria can inhibit the process. An international research team has now described the inhibition of xenophagy in plants for the first time. The team is headed by Professor Suayb ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-invading-pathogens-cells-defenses.html) 2022-05-31T08:41:43Z **Poisonous hogweed infestation threatens to envelop European Russia by mid-21st century**
Skoltech researchers are forecasting that by 2040–60, Sosnowsky's hogweed will likely exploit global warming to expand its habitat, threatening to infest almost the entire European part of Russia. Published in Scientific Reports, the study makes it clear that the aggressive poisonous weed has to be watched more closely and controlled. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-poisonous-hogweed-infestation-threatens-envelop.html) 2022-05-31T08:40:38Z **Study of data from weather satellite confirms theories surrounding the dimming of Betelgeuse in 2019**
A trio of researchers at The University of Tokyo has found that data from weather satellites can be used to study the stars. In their paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, Daisuke Taniguchi , Kazuya Yamazaki and Shinsuke Uno describe studying the dimming of Betelgeuse in 2019 by analyzing data from the Himawari-8 weather satellite. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-weather-satellite-theories-dimming-betelgeuse.html) 2022-05-31T13:04:22Z **Urban magnetic fields reveal clues about energy efficiency, pollution**
Examining a city's magnetic footprint can be used to monitor the health of that city, including a possible early warning system for trouble with pollution and as a tool for optimizing energy conservation. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-urban-magnetic-fields-reveal-clues.html) 2022-05-31T13:03:19Z **Science academies publish statements on primary concerns for international action ahead of the G7 summit**
The science academies of the G7 states are calling for urgent international action to protect the ocean and polar regions and to accelerate decarbonization. In the healthcare sector, scientists demand increased global pandemic preparedness and the implementation of a One Health approach, which considers the health of humans, animals, plants and the wider environment as closely linked a ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-science-academies-publish-statements-primary.html) 2022-05-31T17:25:37Z **How intricate patterns arise in developing tissues**
Early development is like a carefully choreographed dance, with uniform swaths of cells arranging themselves into elaborate patterns—a first step toward the formation of functional organs. A flat layer of skin cells, for instance, must transition into one studded with neat arrays of hair cells and sweat glands. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-intricate-patterns-tissues.html) 2022-05-31T17:25:26Z **Neuroscientists expand CRISPR toolkit with new, compact Cas7-11 enzyme**
Last year, researchers at MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research discovered and characterized Cas7-11, the first CRISPR enzyme capable of making precise, guided cuts to strands of RNA without harming cells in the process. Now, working with collaborators at the University of Tokyo, the same team has revealed that Cas7-11 can be shrunk to a more compact version, making it an even more viable option for editing the R ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-05-neuroscientists-crispr-toolkit-compact-cas7-.html) 2022-06-01T04:12:07Z **Microgravity analog culture profoundly affects microbial infection process in 3-D human tissue models, a new study finds**
Infectious microbes have evolved sophisticated means to invade host cells, outwit the body's defenses and cause disease. While researchers have tried to puzzle out the complicated interactions between microorganisms and the host cells they infect, one facet of the disease process has often been overlooked—the physical forces that impact host-pathogen interactions and ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-microgravity-analog-culture-profoundly-affects.html) 2022-06-01T08:31:03Z **NASA eyes November for launch of NOAA's JPSS-2**
NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are now targeting Nov. 1, 2022, as the new launch date for NOAA's Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) satellite mission. During recent tests of a key instrument designed to collect visible and infrared images, the team found and corrected an issue, which resulted in additional time needed to complete thermal vacuum testing. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-nasa-eyes-november-noaa-jpss-.html) 2022-06-01T13:15:26Z **India's relic forests reveal a new species of leopard gecko**
Deep in the forests of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh in India lives a colorful gecko species that only now revealed its true identity. Meet Eublepharis pictus, also known as the Painted Leopard Gecko. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-india-relic-forests-reveal-species.html) 2022-06-01T13:15:10Z **The persistent effects of colonialism in Caribbean science**
Prior to the First World War, sprawling European empires collectively controlled roughly 80% of Earth's landmass. Following WWII, that percentage drastically shrank, as colonies and occupied territories successfully vied for their independence, leading many to assume that the colonial mindset of taking from smaller countries to support large nations had been relegated to the past. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-persistent-effects-colonialism-caribbean-science.html) 2022-06-01T17:26:18Z **The scientist helping to develop the axolotl as a model**
With its amazing capacity to regenerate tissues and organs, its ability to reproduce in a laboratory environment and the ease with which its genes can be manipulated, the Mexican salamander, or axolotl, holds enormous promise as a model for the study of regenerative medicine. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-scientist-axolotl.html) 2022-06-01T17:25:59Z **Young adults turn crushes into love, study suggests**
The image of young adults living in a hookup culture with emotionally meaningless relationships might be a common theme in movies and daytime talk shows. But it does not seem to be the norm in real college life, suggests a new study from University of California, Davis, researchers. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-young-adults.html) 2022-06-02T04:07:43Z **Ancient Mayan maize god sculpture found in Mexico**
Archaeologists have uncovered a roughly 1,300-year-old sculpture representing the head of a Mayan maize god in ruins in southeastern Mexico, the National Institute of Anthropology and History said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-ancient-mayan-maize-god-sculpture.html) 2022-06-02T04:05:49Z **Vietnam develops new African swine fever vaccine: official**
Vietnam has developed an African swine fever vaccine for pigs in partnership with the United States, and is aiming to become the first global commercial exporter, an official said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-vietnam-african-swine-fever-vaccine.html) 2022-06-02T04:01:55Z **Carbon emissions dip, at least briefly, in China, study says**
China, the world's top emitter of carbon dioxide that causes global warming, has seen a notable dip in its emissions over the past three quarters—but it's not clear how long the drop will continue. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-carbon-emissions-dip-briefly-china.html) 2022-06-02T08:25:30Z **Eco-friendly policies could entice workers back to the office**
Climate change took center stage at Australia's recent Federal election with many voters using their ballots to put the environment at the top of the political agenda. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-eco-friendly-policies-entice-workers-office.html) 2022-06-02T08:24:21Z **Breakthrough study examines evolution of snake venom genes**
A new study from biologists at The University of Texas at Arlington and an international team of collaborators provides the first comprehensive explanation of how snake venom regulatory systems evolved—an important example that illuminates the evolution of new complex traits. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-breakthrough-evolution-snake-venom-genes.html) 2022-06-02T08:23:48Z **Chemists design chemical probe for detecting minute temperature shifts in the body**
The noninvasive, life-saving technique known as magnetic resonance imaging works by aligning hydrogen atoms in a strong magnetic field and pulsing radiofrequency waves to convert the response of those atoms into an image. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-chemists-chemical-probe-minute-temperature.html) 2022-06-02T12:28:03Z **Controversial police bills of rights don't lead to more civilian fatalities**
Law enforcement officers' bills of rights, known as LEOBRs, don't result in an increase in police-related fatalities, according to new research from Cornell University professor Jamein Cunningham. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-controversial-police-bills-rights-dont.html) 2022-06-02T16:58:03Z **NASA moon mission set to break record in navigation signal test**
As the Artemis missions journey to the moon and NASA plans for the long voyage to Mars, new navigation capabilities will be key to science, discovery, and human exploration. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-nasa-moon-mission.html) 2022-06-03T02:55:18Z **In Bali, bird sellers help endangered mynah make a comeback**
Tossing flowing crests back and forth, three snow-white Bali mynahs share a branch, squawking and looking around with the trademark blue patches around their eyes catching sunlight. Minutes later, four more join—a sight that would have been impossible in the wild two decades ago. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-bali-bird-sellers-endangered-mynah.html) 2022-06-03T02:54:43Z **Volcanic cones near peak sacred to tribes gain protection**
A years-long effort to protect land around a New Mexico mountain peak held sacred by many Native American tribes got a major boost Thursday with the announcement that dozens of additional square miles will be set aside for wildlife, cultural preservation and recreation. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-volcanic-cones-peak-sacred-tribes.html) 2022-06-03T08:22:45Z **Promising new materials mimic muscle structure and function**
Inspired by the structure of muscles, an innovative new strategy for creating fiber actuators could lead to advances in robotics, prosthetics, and smart clothing, according to a Penn State led team of scientists who discovered the process. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-materials-mimic-muscle-function.html) 2022-06-03T08:22:32Z **Searching for critical minerals in ancient ocean floors**
Studying ancient ocean floors could help discover minerals needed to produce electric cars and solar panels. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-critical-minerals-ancient-ocean-floors.html) 2022-06-03T12:58:03Z **In first year of COVID-19 pandemic and after George Floyd's death, rates of some crimes rose while others fell**
The year 2020 was marked by lockdowns as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and ensuing protests across the United States. A new study analyzed the effect of these events on crime rates in many of the largest U.S. cities. The study found that the pandemic and the protests were associated with significant changes in urban crime, but ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-year-covid-pandemic-george-floyd.html) 2022-06-04T04:26:20Z **China plans to complete space station with latest mission**
China is preparing to launch a new three-person mission to complete work on its permanent orbiting space station, the China Manned Space Agency said Saturday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-china-space-station-latest-mission.html) 2022-06-04T04:24:46Z **US wildlife agency to consider protecting Yellowstone bison**
A wildlife agency that lost key court rulings over its denial of petitions to protect Yellowstone National Park bison will undertake a comprehensive study over whether the animals should be covered under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Friday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-wildlife-agency-yellowstone-bison.html) 2022-06-04T04:23:39Z **Why US gun violence spikes in warm weather**
From the Texas school massacre to a Tulsa hospital shooting and many less-reported incidents, a recent spate of gun violence across America bears out a trend police departments have long sworn by: murders go up in warmer weather. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-gun-violence-spikes-weather.html) 2022-06-04T11:00:01Z **NASA's Perseverance studies the wild winds of Jezero Crater**
During its first couple hundred days in Jezero Crater, NASA's Perseverance Mars rover saw some of the most intense dust activity ever witnessed by a mission sent to the Red Planet's surface. Not only did the rover detect hundreds of dust-bearing whirlwinds called dust devils, Perseverance captured the first video ever recorded of wind gusts lifting a massive Martian dust cloud. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-nasa-perseverance-wild-jezero-crater.html) 2022-06-04T17:53:14Z **Greece evacuates Athens suburb under wildfire threat**
A wildfire whipped by gale-force winds blazed through vegetation in a southern suburb of Athens on Saturday, the fire brigade said, forcing residents to evacuate and damaging about 20 properties. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-greece-evacuates-athens-suburb-wildfire.html) 2022-06-04T17:52:53Z **Bezos's Blue Origin makes 5th crewed flight into space**
Jeff Bezos's company Blue Origin flew six tourists into space for a 10-minute ride Saturday, successfully carrying out its fifth crewed mission. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-bezos-blue-5th-crewed-flight.html) 2022-06-05T02:39:17Z **Managing inventories a pandemic headache for US businesses**
More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, American businesses are still struggling to manage their inventories in a feast-or-famine cycle caused by fickle consumer demand. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-pandemic-headache-businesses.html) 2022-06-05T09:20:01Z **World's largest plant is a vast seagrass meadow in Australia**
Scientists have discovered the world's largest plant off the Australia coast—a seagrass meadow that has grown by repeatedly cloning itself. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-world-largest-vast-seagrass-meadow.html) 2022-06-06T03:55:39Z **Tanzania rescinds decision to lift ban on wildlife exports**
Tanzania on Sunday reversed its decision to lift a controversial ban on wildlife exports, a day after the move triggered an uproar in the east African nation. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-tanzania-rescinds-decision-wildlife-exports.html) 2022-06-06T08:49:02Z **Direct transformation of CH3Cl to acetic acid through a carbonylation reaction**
Methane, the main component of natural gas, shale gas and flammable ice, is a clean and inexpensive chemical feedstock with abundant reserves. Nevertheless, the high C-H band energy and low polarizability of a methane molecule inhibit the utilization of methane. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-ch3cl-acetic-acid-carbonylation-reaction.html) 2022-06-06T13:09:10Z **Researchers tapped again for NASA moon mission, set to explore mysterious domes**
A team of researchers from the University of Central Florida will be exploring an unknown and mysterious region of the moon. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-nasa-moon-mission-explore-mysterious.html) 2022-06-06T13:08:28Z **Exploring wildlife's 'worm-wide web'**
Many of us try to repress the thought of them, while others have come to accept them. Whatever your take on parasites is, they can tell scientists a lot about ecology, health and the environment. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-exploring-wildlife-worm-wide-web.html) 2022-06-06T17:26:26Z **Bacterial cellulose in kombucha enables microbial life under Mars-like conditions**
An international research team including the University of Göttingen has investigated the chances of survival of kombucha cultures under Mars-like conditions. Kombucha is known as a drink, sometimes called tea fungus or mushroom tea, which is produced by fermenting sugared tea using kombucha cultures—a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. Although the simulated Martian environment destroyed the microbi ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-bacterial-cellulose-kombucha-enables-microbial.html) 2022-06-07T03:10:01Z **Nano-sensor detects pesticides on fruit in minutes**
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed a tiny sensor for detecting pesticides on fruit in just a few minutes. The technique, described as a proof-of-concept in a paper in the journal Advanced Science, uses flame-sprayed nanoparticles made from silver to increase the signal of chemicals. While still at an early stage, the researchers hope these nano-sensors could help uncover food pesticides before consumption. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-nano-sensor-pesticides-fruit-minutes.html) 2022-06-07T08:35:01Z **Grandparent 'child care' a win across generations**
As parents struggle to juggle work and family commitments, early childhood education experts are encouraging Australians to acknowledge the important role of grandparents as critical caregivers in society. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-grandparent-child.html) 2022-06-07T08:34:33Z **U.S. Department of Agriculture approves release of tiny wasp that targets destructive fruit fly**
After 12 years of research, a parasitic wasp that controls a highly destructive fruit fly will be released by Oregon State University agricultural scientists in June. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-department-agriculture-tiny-wasp-destructive.html) 2022-06-07T08:34:10Z **Feeling unsettled about the climate? You might be experiencing eco-anxiety**
Feeling anxious about the future isn't particularly new, but the challenges posed by climate change can undoubtedly bring about intense feelings of uncertainty. And while climate anxiety isn't strictly a medical diagnosis, there are some suggestions it's becoming more common and could impact our mental health long term. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-unsettled-climate-experiencing-eco-anxiety.html) 2022-06-07T12:45:44Z **Scientists develop novel computational model for aptamer generation, with wide applications**
Oligonucleotides are short, single strands of synthetic DNA or RNA. Although they are small, these molecules play an important role in molecular and synthetic biology applications. One type of oligonucleotide—aptamers—can selectively bind to specific targets such as proteins, peptides, carbohydrates, viruses, toxins, metal ions and even live cells. As they are similar to antibodies, they have a variety of ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-scientists-aptamer-wide-applications.html) 2022-06-07T12:45:11Z **Scientists show how fast-growing bacteria can resist antibiotics**
Scientists have demonstrated how some fast-growing bacteria can resist treatment with antibiotics, according to a study published today in eLife. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-scientists-fast-growing-bacteria-resist-antibiotics.html) 2022-06-07T12:44:37Z **Physical mechanisms explaining DNA and RNA twist changes**
The double-helix structure of DNA is deformed by environmental stimuli, which will then affect gene expression, and eventually trigger a sequence of cellular processes. Recent research led by a physicist from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) observed substantial DNA deformations by ions and temperature changes. The researchers developed one simple physical model to explain DNA deformations. These results provide new insights into the molecular m ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-physical-mechanisms-dna-rna.html) 2022-06-07T12:44:09Z **Copper makes seed pods explode**
Plants have evolved numerous strategies to spread their seeds widely. Some scatter their seeds to the wind, while others tempt animals and birds to eat their seed-filled fruits. And a few rare plants—such as the popping cress Cardamine hirsuta—have evolved exploding seed pods that propel their seeds in all directions. In their new study published in PNAS, Angela Hay and colleagues—from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, Germany—investigate what genes contr ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-copper-seed-pods.html) 2022-06-07T12:44:01Z **Nano-protein corona perturbs protein homeostasis and remodels cell metabolism**
A research team led by Prof. Chen Chunying from the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has recently investigated the evolution of the nano-protein corona during endocytosis and its disturbance to protein homeostasis and cell metabolism. Their results were published in PNAS. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-nano-protein-corona-perturbs-protein-homeostasis.html) 2022-06-07T16:53:26Z **California's 'red flag' law utilized for 58 threatened mass shootings**
In the wake of the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead, legislators in Washington, D.C., and across the country are debating "red flag" laws or extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs). ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-california-red-flag-law-threatened.html) 2022-06-07T16:53:18Z **International team visualizes properties of plant cell walls at nanoscale**
To optimize biomaterials for reliable, cost-effective paper production, building construction, and biofuel development, researchers often study the structure of plant cells using techniques such as freezing plant samples or placing them in a vacuum. These methods provide valuable data but often cause permanent damage to the samples. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-international-team-visualizes-properties-cell.html) 2022-06-08T00:20:01Z **New study finds 19th-century wooden shipwrecks to be thriving habitats for deep-sea microbiomes**
Historic wooden shipwrecks alter seafloor microbial communities, reports a recent study. There are millions of shipwrecks in the world's oceans, each providing a potentially new habitat for sea life. Microbes form the foundation of ecosystems and this is the first evidence of how human structures impact their distribution in the deep sea. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-19th-century-wooden-shipwrecks-habitats-deep-sea.html) 2022-06-08T07:14:11Z **Chicken vaccination shows benefits for nutrition, growth in Kenyan children**
Vaccinating household chicken flocks can increase availability and consumption of eggs and meat, leading to better growth of young children in agriculture-dependent families in rural Kenya. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-chicken-vaccination-benefits-nutrition-growth.html) 2022-06-08T11:22:57Z **Promising anticancer molecule identified**
Researchers at Kanazawa University in collaboration with teams from Toyama Prefectural University and BioSeeds Corporation report in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces the identification of a molecule with enhanced antiproliferative activity in cancer cells. The underlying biomolecular mechanism is the inhibition of an enzyme that is overproduced in several types of cancer. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-anticancer-molecule.html) 2022-06-08T11:22:41Z **In low-income families, fathers' depression hurts couples**
When fathers in economically struggling families show symptoms of depression, the effects may be particularly damaging to the couple's relationship, a new study suggests. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-low-income-families-fathers-depression-couples.html) 2022-06-08T11:22:31Z **Allow children to play in nature on their own more often**
Places to play outdoors for children are increasingly located in the built-up environment and often look gray, with few natural elements. However, nature can add something, especially in outdoor play areas where children can release their energy. This was observed by researchers from Radboud University in a study where more than 1,500 primary school pupils were asked to draw and analyze their favorite place to play outside. They published their conclusions in t ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-children-nature.html) 2022-06-08T16:11:50Z **Climate-driven flooding poses well water contamination risks**
After a record-setting Midwestern rainstorm that damaged thousands of homes and businesses, Stefanie Johnson's farmhouse in Blandinsville, Illinois, didn't have safe drinking water for nearly two months. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-climate-driven-poses-contamination.html) 2022-06-08T16:11:01Z **Happy together: Orphaned turtles and kids who set them free**
The circle of life was on vivid display Wednesday at the Jersey Shore in a way that even the youngest children could understand. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-happy-orphaned-turtles-kids-free.html) 2022-06-08T16:10:19Z **Report: Philanthropy can help protect against climate change**
Philanthropists could help ease the damage from climate change by donating more money to address global warming and the communities most at risk from it, according to a report that the research organization Candid released Wednesday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-philanthropy-climate.html) 2022-06-08T16:07:09Z **Altered gene helps plants absorb more carbon dioxide, produce more useful compounds**
Every day, plants around the world perform an invisible miracle. They take carbon dioxide from the air and, with the help of sunlight, turn it into countless chemicals essential to both plants and humans. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-gene-absorb-carbon-dioxide-compounds.html) 2022-06-09T01:00:02Z **PCR test for Okinawa mozuku could increase yields and lead to climate-tolerant strains**
A simple PCR test could be used to improve cultivation of the edible brown seaweed, Okinawa mozuku, and even aid attempts at generating heat-tolerant strains, reported scientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST). The PCR test, described in a new study published June 9, 2022 in Phycological Research, detects nine genes that reveal the mozuku algae's lifecycle ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-pcr-okinawa-mozuku-yields-climate-tolerant.html) 2022-06-09T06:12:20Z **Almost all of Portugal in severe drought after hot, dry May**
Almost the whole of Portugal was in severe drought at the end of May, the country's weather service said Thursday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-portugal-severe-drought-hot.html) 2022-06-09T10:30:05Z **How to avoid great white sharks and what to do if you encounter one**
Like it or not, great white sharks are wending their way north to begin their annual visit in Atlantic Canada and feast on their favorite snack—the region's abundant seal population. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-great-white-sharks-encounter.html) 2022-06-09T10:30:04Z **New research gives insights into how organelles divide in cells**
A pioneering study has shed new light on how subcellular organelles divide and multiply. The study, led by Professor Michael Schrader from the University of Exeter, has explored on peroxisome dynamics and revealed alternative pathways for their division. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-insights-organelles-cells.html) 2022-06-09T10:30:01Z **The formation of gap solitons in a 1D dissipative topological lattice**
Topological photonics is a rapidly evolving area of research that focuses on the design of photonic lattices where the behavior of light is inspired from the physics of topological insulators. While most studies in this area presented photonic systems with linear topological properties, recent works have started paving the foundations of non-linear topological photonics. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-formation-gap-solitons-1d-dissipative.html) 2022-06-09T10:29:42Z **The signaling pathways that make plants more resistant to flooding**
Extreme weather phenomena are on the rise worldwide, including frequent droughts and fires. Floods are also a clear consequence of climate change. For agriculture, a flooded field means major losses: about 15% of global crop losses are due to flooding. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-pathways-resistant.html) 2022-06-09T10:26:58Z **Digging is not just a game for children in hunter-gatherer groups**
Ana Mateos and Jesús Rodríguez, scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), have published an experimental energy study in the journal Human Nature, using volunteers of both sexes aged 8 to 14, showing that digging is an activity requiring major physical effort at these ages, although it is not excessive. This effort of digging and extracting underground resources entails significant energ ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-game-children-hunter-gatherer-groups.html) 2022-06-09T10:23:20Z **Prehistoric Swiss Army knife indicates early humans communicated**
Archaeologists have found that a tool, dubbed the "stone Swiss Army knife" of prehistory, was made to look the same in enormous numbers across great distances and multiple biomes in southern Africa. This indicates early humans were sharing information and communicating with one another. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-prehistoric-swiss-army-knife-early.html) 2022-06-09T10:22:29Z **Twenty years of citizen science backs up findings on coral bleaching**
Volunteer-collected data on coral bleaching has been credited with supporting scientific findings about reef health across the globe. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-twenty-years-citizen-science-coral.html) 2022-06-09T14:36:03Z **Scheduling NASA's Webb telescope's science**
In the lead-up to the release of Webb's first full-color images and spectroscopic data on July 12, the Webb team is now in the last phase of commissioning the science instruments. The first two instrument modes, NIRCam imaging and NIRISS imaging, have been declared ready for science; watch the "Where is Webb" page as the team works their way through the other 15 instrument modes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-nasa-webb-telescope-science.html) 2022-06-09T19:00:02Z **Wreck of historic royal ship discovered off the English coast**
The wreck of one of the most famous ships of the 17th century—which sank 340 years ago while carrying the future King of England James Stuart—has been discovered off the coast of Norfolk in the UK, it can be revealed today. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-historic-royal-ship-english-coast.html) 2022-06-10T04:08:28Z **Turkish hilltop where civilisation began**
On a sun-blasted hillside in southeast Turkey, the world's oldest known religious sanctuary is slowly giving up its secrets. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-turkish-hilltop-civilisation-began.html) 2022-06-10T09:30:01Z **Magnetizing laser-driven inertial fusion implosions**
Nuclear fusion is a widely studied process through which atomic nuclei of a low atomic number fuse together to form a heavier nucleus, while releasing a large amount of energy. Nuclear fusion reactions can be produced using a method known as inertial confinement fusion, which entails the use of powerful lasers to implode a fuel capsule and produce plasma. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-magnetizing-laser-driven-inertial-fusion-implosions.html) 2022-06-10T14:00:01Z **The Earth moves far under our feet: A new study shows that the inner core oscillates**
USC scientists have found evidence that the Earth's inner core oscillates, contradicting previously accepted models that suggested it consistently rotates at a faster rate than the planet's surface. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-earth-feet-core-oscillates.html) 2022-06-10T23:09:40Z **Research reveals the science behind this plant's blue berries**
On a beautiful fall day in 2019, Miranda Sinnott-Armstrong was walking down Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado when something caught her eye: a small, particularly shiny blue fruit, on a shrub known as Lantana strigocamara. While its tiny clusters of pink, yellow and orange flowers and blue berries commonly adorn the pedestrian mall in spring, city workers were ripping these common Lantanas out to prepare for the winter season. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-reveals-science-blue-berries.html) 2022-06-11T04:09:32Z **Large tundra wildfire in southwest Alaska threatens villages**
The largest documented wildfire burning through tundra in southwest Alaska was within miles of two Alaska Native villages, prompting officials Friday to urge residents to prepare for possible evacuation. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-large-tundra-wildfire-southwest-alaska.html) 2022-06-11T04:08:57Z **Rare wetland plant found in Arizona now listed as endangered**
A rare plant that depends on wetlands for survival is now on the federal endangered species list, a designation that environmentalists say will boost efforts to protect the last free-flowing river in the desert Southwest. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-rare-wetland-arizona-endangered.html) 2022-06-11T11:10:01Z **Europe's 'largest predatory dinosaur' found by UK fossil hunter**
A giant crocodile-faced dinosaur, discovered on the Isle of Wight by one of Britain's best fossil hunters, was probably the largest predator ever to stalk Europe, scientists said on Thursday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-europe-largest-predatory-dinosaur-uk.html) 2022-06-12T10:30:01Z **Asteroid samples contain 'clues to origin of life': Japan scientists**
Asteroid dust collected by a Japanese space probe contains organic material that shows some of the building blocks of life on Earth may have been formed in space, scientists said Friday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-asteroid-samples-clues-life-japan.html) 2022-06-12T14:52:04Z **Volcano ash blankets Philippine towns after second eruption this week**
A volcano in the Philippines spewed a huge column of ash into the sky on Sunday, blanketing a region still recovering from last week's eruption. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-volcano-ash-blankets-philippine-towns.html) 2022-06-12T14:51:32Z **Climate: offshore methane gas leak spotted from space**
Scientists have for the first time used satellite data to detect a major offshore leak of the potent greenhouse gas methane, according to peer-reviewed research. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-climate-offshore-methane-gas-leak.html) 2022-06-12T19:00:01Z **'Monkey media player' suggests zoo animals may prefer to listen**
A "monkey media player" that lets zoo animals choose between video and sound files suggests they may prefer to spend more of their time listening than watching. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-monkey-media-player-zoo-animals.html) 2022-06-13T04:00:01Z **Gaia sees strange stars in most detailed Milky Way survey to date**
Gaia is ESA's mission to create the most accurate and complete multi-dimensional map of the Milky Way. This allows astronomers to reconstruct our home galaxy's structure and past evolution over billions of years, and to better understand the lifecycle of stars and our place in the universe. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-gaia-strange-stars-milky-survey.html) 2022-06-13T09:00:01Z **Research examines X-ray intraday variability of blazar Markarian 421**
By analyzing the data from ESA's XMM-Newton satellite, astronomers from the Astronomical Observatory of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, and elsewhere, have investigated X-ray intraday variability of a nearby blazar known as Markarian 421. Results of the study, published June 5 on arXiv.org, could help us better understand the nature of high-energy X-ray sources. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-x-ray-intraday-variability-blazar-markarian.html) 2022-06-13T13:16:03Z **How much spring nitrogen to apply? Pre-planting weather may provide a clue**
With the rising cost of nitrogen fertilizer and its impacts on air and water quality, University of Illinois researchers want to help farmers make more informed fertilizer rate decisions. Their latest modeling effort aims to do that by examining the role of pre-growing season weather on soil nitrogen dynamics and end-of-season corn yield. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-nitrogen-pre-planting-weather-clue.html) 2022-06-13T17:21:29Z **Wildfire tears through California forest as temperatures rocket**
A wildfire was burning out of control Monday in forest outside Los Angeles after a weekend of record-breaking temperatures, and as forecasters warn of fire danger across the parched US West. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-wildfire-california-forest-temperatures-rocket.html) 2022-06-13T17:20:01Z **A wandering star disrupts the stellar nursery**
From a zoomed out, distant view, star-forming cloud L483 appears normal. But when a Northwestern University-led team of astrophysicists zoomed in closer and closer, things became weirder and weirder. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-star-disrupts-stellar-nursery.html) 2022-06-14T04:11:25Z **Installation of deep-water pipeline gives immediate boost to sea-floor animals**
An underwater survey west of Africa, off the Angolan coast, found that both the abundance and types of animals on the deep-sea floor increased significantly in response to the installation of a pipeline. Published in Frontiers in Marine Science, the study also revealed a large increase in the amount of litter on the seafloor, which was trapped against the pipeline. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-deep-water-pipeline-boost-sea-floor-animals.html) 2022-06-14T08:30:51Z **Hanging out with bats to discover the secrets of their biology**
By turns admired and reviled, bats are one of the most mysterious mammals alive. Their nocturnal habits and unique adaptations mean that bat biology still holds many secrets. It is possible that bats may hold the key to understanding diabetes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-secrets-biology.html) 2022-06-14T12:40:36Z **Calculating the 'fingerprints' of molecules with artificial intelligence**
With conventional methods, it is extremely time-consuming to calculate the spectral fingerprint of larger molecules. But this is a prerequisite for correctly interpreting experimentally obtained data. Now, a team at HZB has achieved very good results in significantly less time using self-learning graphical neural networks. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-fingerprints-molecules-artificial-intelligence.html) 2022-06-14T16:45:05Z **Developing sustainable membranes for future energy**
A recently published paper in Science "Polytriazole membranes with ultrathin tunable selective layer for crude oil fractionation," offers an innovative membrane development solution to handle unique industrial conditions, such as hydrocarbon fractionation. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-sustainable-membranes-future-energy.html) 2022-06-14T16:44:11Z **DNA evolves at different rates, depending on chromosome structure**
The structure of how DNA is stored in archaea makes a significant difference to how quickly it evolves, according to a new study by Indiana University researchers. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-dna-evolves-chromosome.html) 2022-06-14T16:43:58Z **Update on Golden Retriever Lifetime Study published**
As the Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study approaches its 10th anniversary, a newly published paper in the journal PLOS ONE reviews the study's findings to date and previews research in progress. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-golden-lifetime-published.html) 2022-06-14T16:43:52Z **What shedding light on plant growth could mean for cancer**
Understanding how plants process light is key to improving crop yields. Light helps plants know when to grow and flower at the right time. Plants find light using proteins called photoreceptors. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Assistant Professor Ullas Pedmale's team uncovered how proteins called UBP12 and UBP13 help regulate a photoreceptor called CRY2. Published in Current Biology, their discovery might reveal new ways to control growth—which could have b ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-growth-cancer.html) 2022-06-15T04:10:38Z **Veterinary: Urgent action needed on English Bulldog breeding**
English Bulldogs must be bred with more moderate physical features, as a new study reports that the breed is significantly less healthy than other dog breeds. English Bulldogs are at increased risk of breathing, eye, and skin conditions due to their extreme physical features, including shortened muzzles, folded skin, and a squat body, reports the paper published in the journal Canine Medicine and Genetics. The authors advocate that ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-veterinary-urgent-action-english-bulldog.html) 2022-06-15T08:24:37Z **Researchers synthesize a nanocluster of superfluorinated gold**
The SupraBioNano Lab (SBNLab)at the Politecnico di Milano's Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta," in partnership with the University of Bologna and the Aalto University of Helsinki (Finland) has, for the first time, synthesized a superfluorinated gold nanocluster, made up of a core of only 25 gold atoms, to which 18 branch-structured fluorinated molecules are linked. The project was recently published ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-nanocluster-superfluorinated-gold.html) 2022-06-15T12:30:01Z **Major water cutbacks loom as shrinking Colorado River nears 'moment of reckoning'**
As the West endures another year of unrelenting drought worsened by climate change, the Colorado River's reservoirs have declined so low that major water cuts will be necessary next year to reduce risks of supplies reaching perilously low levels, a top federal water official said Tuesday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-major-cutbacks-loom-colorado-river.html) 2022-06-15T16:38:18Z **After Yellowstone, floodwaters near Montana's largest city**
Floodwaters that rushed through Yellowstone National Park and surrounding communities earlier this week moved through Montana's largest city on Wednesday, flooding farms and ranches and forcing the shutdown of its water treatment plant. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-yellowstone-floodwaters-montana-largest-city.html) 2022-06-16T03:53:39Z **Wildfire smoke exposure negatively impacts dairy cow health**
Increasing frequency and size of wildfires in the United States over the past several decades affect everything from human life and health to air quality, biodiversity, and land use. The US dairy industry is not exempt from these effects. The Western states, where wildfires are especially prevalent, are home to more than two million dairy cows that produce more than 25% of the nation's milk. A new report in the Journal of Dairy Sci ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-wildfire-exposure-negatively-impacts-dairy.html) 2022-06-16T08:26:03Z **New luminous quasar detected by astronomers**
An international team of astronomers reports the detection of a new luminous quasi-stellar object, or quasar. The newly found object, designated SMSS J114447.77-430859.3 (or J1144 for short) turns out to be the most luminous quasar known over the last 9 billion years of cosmic history. The discovery was presented in a paper published June 9 on the arXiv pre-print repository. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-luminous-quasar-astronomers.html) 2022-06-16T12:28:03Z **Gender gap in leadership aspirations changed little in sixty years**
Women in the United States are still less likely than men to express a desire to take on leadership or managerial roles, according to an analysis of data from leadership studies conducted over six decades. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-gender-gap-leadership-aspirations-sixty.html) 2022-06-16T16:32:14Z **Gateway towns to Yellowstone become dead ends after flood**
This gateway town to Yellowstone National Park has become a dead end, a casualty of the severe flooding that tore through one of America's most beloved natural attractions and swept away roads, bridges and homes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-gateway-towns-yellowstone-dead.html) 2022-06-17T03:12:20Z **Can farms produce to the max and still reduce greenhouse gas emissions?**
Decarbonizing agriculture is critical for the U.S. to reach net zero emissions by 2050. A new data-driven approach looks at practices that are good for the earth and profitable for farmers. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-farms-max-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html) 2022-06-17T07:14:47Z **Researchers observe vital cellular machinery behind the body's incorporation of selenium**
A Rutgers scientist is part of an international team that has determined the process for incorporating selenium—an essential trace mineral found in soil, water and some foods that increases antioxidant effects in the body—includes 25 specialized proteins, a discovery that could help develop new therapies to treat a multitude of diseases from cancer to diabetes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-vital-cellular-machinery-body-incorporation.html) 2022-06-17T11:20:03Z **Australian rural communities under-resourced to take on refugees**
As Australia continues to take on refugees from Ukraine, education experts are calling for essential supports as new research from the University of South Australia shows that rural and regional schools can be under-resourced and ill-prepared to support refugee children and their families. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-australian-rural-under-resourced-refugees.html) 2022-06-17T17:35:17Z **Electrons take the fast and slow lanes at the same time**
Imagine a road with two lanes in each direction. One lane is for slow cars, and the other is for fast ones. For electrons moving along a quantum wire, researchers in Cambridge and Frankfurt have discovered that there are also two "lanes," but electrons can take both at the same time! ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-electrons-fast-lanes.html) 2022-06-18T05:05:59Z **Europe braces for blistering June weekend heat**
France, Spain and other western European nations braced on Saturday for a sweltering June weekend that is set to break records and sparked concern about forest fires and the effects of climate change. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-europe-braces-blistering-june-weekend.html) 2022-06-18T05:03:58Z **41 dead, millions stranded as floods hit Bangladesh, India**
Monsoon storms in Bangladesh and India have killed at least 41 people and unleashed devastating floods that left millions of others stranded, officials said Saturday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-dead-millions-stranded-bangladesh-india.html) 2022-06-18T14:23:51Z **Europe swelters in record-breaking June heatwave**
Spain, France and other western European nations on Saturday sweltered under a blistering June heatwave that has sparked forest fires and concerns that such early summer blasts of hot weather will now become the norm. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-europe-swelters-record-breaking-june-heatwave.html) 2022-06-19T10:40:01Z **Shaky oasis for some polar bears found, but not for species**
With the polar bear species in a fight for survival because of disappearing Arctic sea ice, a new distinct group of Greenland bears seem to have stumbled on an icy oasis that might allow a small remote population to "hang on." ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-shaky-oasis-polar-species.html) 2022-06-19T15:26:11Z **Spain, Germany battle wildfires amid unusual heat wave**
Firefighters in Spain and Germany struggled to contain wildfires on Sunday amid an unusual heat wave in Western Europe for this time of year. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-spain-germany-wildfires-unusual.html) 2022-06-20T04:01:54Z **Scientists conceptualize a species 'stock market' to put a price tag on actions posing risks to biodiversity**
So far, science has described more than 2 million species, and millions more await discovery. While species have value in themselves, many also deliver important ecosystem services to humanity, such as insects that pollinate our crops. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-scientists-species-stock-price-tag.html) 2022-06-20T09:05:04Z **Little penguins' food struggles**
The latest floods have drowned out memories of drought in many parts of Australia, but ecosystems and native species are still battling with the effects of drought and bushfire. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-penguins-food-struggles.html) 2022-06-20T13:16:28Z **Exploring the biometric data that could predict racehorse injury**
Imagine having the knowledge to prevent a catastrophic event from occurring ahead of time. In horse racing, this could be a possibility. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-exploring-biometric-racehorse-injury.html) 2022-06-21T03:18:58Z **Modern phoenix: The bird brought back from extinction in Japan**
Every day for the past 14 years, 72-year-old Masaoki Tsuchiya has set out before sunrise to search for a bird rescued from extinction in Japan. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-modern-phoenix-bird-brought-extinction.html) 2022-06-21T08:44:22Z **Another step toward synthetic cells**
Building functional synthetic cells from the bottom-up is an ongoing effort of scientists around the globe. Their use in studying cellular mechanisms in a highly controlled and pre-defined setting creates great value for understanding nature as well as developing new therapeutic approaches. Scientists from the 2nd Physics Institute at the University of Stuttgart and colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research were now able to take the next step towards synthetic c ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-synthetic-cells.html) 2022-06-21T08:43:53Z **Ovum‑in‑ovo egg suggests titanosaur's reproductive biology was more like birds than reptiles**
A trio of researchers, two with the University of Delhi and a third with the Dhar District, Higher Secondary School, has found the first-ever example of an ovum-in-ovo dinosaur egg. In their paper published in Scientific Reports, Harsha Dhiman, Guntupalli Prasad and Vishal Verma describe the dinosaur egg they found and why they believe it suggests at least one type of dinosaur reproduction was mo ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-ovuminovo-egg-titanosaur-reproductive-biology.html) 2022-06-21T12:51:10Z **Heavy flooding, landslides destroy buildings, roads in China**
Heavy rainstorms are causing major flooding and landslides in southern China, destroying buildings, crops and roads, and forcing many people to flee their homes. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-heavy-landslides-roads-china.html) 2022-06-21T17:09:15Z **New insights of how the HIV-1 assembles and incorporates the envelope protein**
Assembly of HIV-1, which causes AIDS, takes place on the inner plasma membrane leaflet of infected cells, a geometric building process that creates hexamers out of trimers of the viral Gag protein, as guided by Gag's N-terminal matrix domain. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-insights-hiv-incorporates-envelope-protein.html) 2022-06-22T03:18:28Z **Local economic data encourages legislators to open emails—but only Democrats**
Personalizing outreach to legislators to include the local economic impact of an issue can increase engagement with research among Democratic, but not Republican, legislators. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-local-economic-legislators-emailsbut-democrats.html) 2022-06-22T03:16:32Z **How is pharmaceutical pollution affecting the world's rivers?**
During their production, use, and disposal, pharmaceutical ingredients in prescription and over-the-counter drugs are released into the environment, especially in surface waters. Results from a recent study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry indicate that pharmaceutical pollution is a global problem that is likely negatively affecting the health of the world's rivers. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-pharmaceutical-pollution-affecting-world-rivers.html) 2022-06-22T07:53:40Z **LARPing has more intense effect than other entertainment**
In season four of the Netflix series "Stranger Things," an alternate dimension "the Upside Down" bleeds into the real world. Now new research by the University of Sydney and Monash University has found this is a common experience for people who engage in live action role-playing games. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-larping-intense-effect.html) 2022-06-22T11:59:03Z **Versatile optical technique for unveiling thermophysical properties of complex fluids**
Nanofluids (NFs) have been found to possess enhanced thermophysical properties compared to those of bare fluids like organic solvents or water. Since the first study was published in 1951, NFs have emerged as promising heat transport fluids with enhanced thermal conductivity in a wide range of technological applications, e.g., electronic cooling, solar water heating devices, nuclear reactors, rad ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-versatile-optical-technique-unveiling-thermophysical.html) 2022-06-22T16:34:56Z **Theoretical calculations predicted now-confirmed tetraneutron, an exotic state of matter**
James Vary has been waiting for nuclear physics experiments to confirm the reality of a "tetraneutron" that he and his colleagues theorized, predicted and first announced during a presentation in the summer of 2014, followed by a research paper in the fall of 2016. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-theoretical-now-confirmed-tetraneutron-exotic-state.html) 2022-06-22T16:34:31Z **Think twice before founding that free-market utopia, researcher warns**
It's a quaint fantasy: pack up your belongings, hop on a plane and escape to a remote island or maybe even found a tiny nation of your own, where you can live unencumbered by the constraints of society. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-founding-free-market-utopia.html) 2022-06-23T04:15:50Z **Loss of nature is pushing nations toward sovereign credit downgrades and 'bankruptcy'**
The world's first biodiversity-adjusted sovereign credit ratings shows how ecological destruction affects public finances—driving downgrades, debt crises and soaring borrowing costs, according to a team of economists led by Cambridge University. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-loss-nature-nations-sovereign-credit.html) 2022-06-23T08:37:48Z **What's causing the devastating floods in China, India, and Bangladesh?**
In central and southern China, tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes due to flooding from extreme rainfall. The Guardian reports that approximately a million people have seen their homes damaged and lives uprooted from the worst floods in decades. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-devastating-china-india-bangladesh.html) 2022-06-23T08:37:14Z **Interlocking rings unlock new material properties**
Researchers working with Jonathan Barnes, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry, have recently shown how molecules with interlocking ring architectures can be functionalized and incorporated into three-dimensional polymer networks and materials. First author Mark Nosiglia, a graduate student in Barnes' lab, led the new work, which builds on the team's previous efforts to streamline the synthesis of mechanically interlocked molecules. The ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-interlocking-material-properties.html) 2022-06-23T08:37:05Z **Decontaminating heavy metal water using protein from plant waste**
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), in collaboration with ETH Zurich, Switzerland (ETHZ), have created a membrane made from a waste by-product of vegetable oil manufacturing that can filter out heavy metals from contaminated water. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-decontaminating-heavy-metal-protein.html) 2022-06-23T12:45:35Z **Lipid nanoparticles carry gene-editing cancer drugs past tumor defenses**
As they grow, solid tumors surround themselves with a thick, hard-to-penetrate wall of molecular defenses. Getting drugs past that barricade is notoriously difficult. Now, scientists at UT Southwestern have developed nanoparticles that can break down the physical barriers around tumors to reach cancer cells. Once inside, the nanoparticles release their payload: a gene editing system that alters DNA inside the tumor, ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-lipid-nanoparticles-gene-editing-cancer-drugs.html) 2022-06-23T12:45:03Z **Study shows that getting pesticide reduction policies right is crucial for food security**
The term peri-urban agriculture is generally used to describe the cultivation of plants and livestock on the fringes of large population centers. However, factors such as urban expansion, rising labor costs and limited labor supply are putting peri-urban agriculture under increasing pressure. As a result, agribusinesses are seeking ways to minimize workloads and increase yields; for example, many are rel ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-pesticide-reduction-policies-crucial-food.html) 2022-06-23T17:00:20Z **Arecibo observatory scientists help unravel surprise asteroid mystery**
When asteroid 2019 OK suddenly appeared barreling toward Earth on July 25, 2019, Luisa Fernanda Zambrano-Marin and the team at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico jumped into action. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-arecibo-observatory-scientists-unravel-asteroid.html) 2022-06-23T16:53:12Z **UM study finds microplastic pollution in Flathead Lake**
They're in our oceans and rivers. They're in the food we eat and the water we drink. They've even been detected inside the human body. They're called microplastics—particles of plastic so small they can't be seen by the naked eye. While researchers have known for years that these microplastics exist in Flathead Lake, the concentrations and origins of the microplastic pollution have remained a mystery. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-um-microplastic-pollution-flathead-lake.html) 2022-06-24T04:15:13Z **Climate change negatively impacting bumblebees, study finds**
Temperature changes have negatively impacted most species of bumblebees over the past 120 years, according to new research published this week in Biology Letters. The researchers note that changes in temperature had more of a negative impact than other factors—such as precipitation or floral resources. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-climate-negatively-impacting-bumblebees.html) 2022-06-24T08:25:15Z **Methane levels surged in 2020 despite lockdowns**
Levels of methane, the second most important greenhouse gas in our atmosphere, continued their unrelenting rise in 2020 despite the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-methane-surged-lockdowns.html) 2022-06-24T08:24:56Z **We helped track 77 species for up to 60 years to try to reveal the secrets of long life. Some don't seem to age at all**
Ever wondered about the secret to a long life? Perhaps understanding the lifespans of other animals with backbones (or "vertebrates") might help us unlock this mystery. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-track-species-years-reveal-secrets.html) 2022-06-24T08:24:15Z **Campaign to end human trafficking introduces more challenges for migrating Nigerian women, author says**
Human anti-trafficking campaigns rely on the "three p's" of prevention, protection and prosecution. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-campaign-human-trafficking-migrating-nigerian.html) 2022-06-24T08:23:52Z **Image: Lunar science stirring on Mount Etna**
This image comes to you from Mount Etna, Sicily, where a lunar analog study focusing on robotic exploration is currently unfolding. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-image-lunar-science-mount-etna.html) 2022-06-24T12:41:23Z **Examining the two faces of social ties and empathic behavior**
Humans have evolved as social animals. From childhood, we are taught the benefits of forging ties and being empathetic as a strategy for survival and mental well-being—or at least that is the ideal. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-social-ties-empathic-behavior.html) 2022-06-24T12:41:13Z **'Hot' graphene reveals migration of carbon atoms**
The migration of carbon atoms on the surface of the nanomaterial graphene was recently measured for the first time. Although the atoms move too swiftly to be directly observed with an electron microscope, their effect on the stability of the material can now be determined indirectly while the material is heated on a microscopic hot plate. The study by researchers at the Faculty of Physics of the University of Vienna was published in the journal Ca ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-hot-graphene-reveals-migration-carbon.html) 2022-06-24T12:39:04Z **Small molecule transports iron in mice, human cells to treat some forms of anemia**
A natural small molecule derived from a cypress tree can transport iron in live mice and human cells lacking the protein that normally does the job, easing a buildup of iron in the liver and restoring hemoglobin and red blood cell production, a new study found. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-small-molecule-iron-mice-human.html) 2022-06-24T19:00:01Z **Infrastructure, hunting and climate change linked to huge migratory bird declines**
Migratory birds are declining globally because of the way that humans have modified the landscape over recent decades—according to new research from the University of East Anglia. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-infrastructure-climate-linked-huge-migratory.html) 2022-06-25T05:46:29Z **New study offers insight into past—and future—of west-side wildfires**
When the 2020 Labor Day Fires torched more than 300,000 hectares over the span of two weeks in parts of western Oregon and Washington, they devastated communities and put the threat of west-side fires squarely into focus. A new study led by the USDA Forest Service's Pacific Northwest Research Station examines the context surrounding the fires and offers insight into the historical role of large, high-severity fires—and t ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-insight-pastand-futureof-west-side-wildfires.html) 2022-06-25T14:13:11Z **Climate damage caused by growing space tourism needs urgent mitigation**
Published today in the journal Earth's Future, researchers from UCL, the University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) used a 3D model to explore the impact of rocket launches and re-entry in 2019, and the impact of projected space tourism scenarios based on the recent billionaire space race. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-climate-space-tourism-urgent-mitigation.html) 2022-06-26T04:37:51Z **Rich heritage buried under impoverished Gaza Strip**
While workers labored on a large construction site in the Gaza Strip, a security guard noticed a strange piece of stone sticking out of the earth. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-rich-heritage-impoverished-gaza.html) 2022-06-26T10:30:02Z **World's biggest bacterium found in Caribbean mangrove swamp**
Scientists have discovered the world's largest bacterium in a Caribbean mangrove swamp. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-world-biggest-bacterium-caribbean-mangrove.html) 2022-06-27T03:46:40Z **USDA-ARS releases genome of the voracious desert locust**
The first high-quality genome of the desert locust—those voracious feeders of plague and devastation infamy and the most destructive migratory insect in the world—has been produced by U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service scientists. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-usda-ars-genome-voracious-locust.html) 2022-06-27T08:40:45Z **Gift cards from politicalized brands dampen recipients' gratitude**
Even gift cards aren't immune from America's sharp political divisions. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-gift-cards-politicalized-brands-dampen.html) 2022-06-27T12:48:33Z **Making dark semiconductors shine**
Whether or not a solid can emit light, for instance as a light-emitting diode (LED), depends on the energy levels of the electrons in its crystalline lattice. An international team of researchers led by University of Oldenburg physicists Dr. Hangyong Shan and Prof. Dr. Christian Schneider has succeeded in manipulating the energy-levels in an ultra-thin sample of the semiconductor tungsten diselenide in such a way that this material, which normally has a low luminescence yield, beg ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-dark-semiconductors.html) 2022-06-27T16:55:03Z **Urban density strongly correlates with house sparrow health**
House sparrows (Passer domesticus) have adapted to urban environments, which are changing and growing faster than ever before. A range of both biotic and abiotic factors—including habitat fragmentation, changing food availability, heavy metals, nighttime light, noise and urban density—change the way birds live in an urban environment. Understanding how cities affect birds can help scientists understand and predict how bird populations ma ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-urban-density-strongly-house-sparrow.html) 2022-06-28T00:00:03Z **Hate sites are using the wider abortion argument to spread racism and extremism**
White supremacists are using the debate around women's reproductive rights to promote racist and extremist agendas, finds a new study released today, following news on Friday that millions of women in the US will lose the constitutional right to abortion. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-sites-wider-abortion-argument-racism.html) 2022-06-28T04:24:14Z **How climate change is affecting extreme weather events around the world: new study**
Attribution science has led to major advances in linking the impacts of extreme weather and human-induced climate change, but large gaps in the published research still conceal the full extent of climate change damage, warns a new study released today in the first issue of Environmental Research: Climate. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-climate-affecting-extreme-weather-events.html) 2022-06-28T08:37:26Z **Bacteria species found in glacial ice could pose disease risk as glaciers melt from global warming**
A team of researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has found nearly 1,000 species of bacteria in snow and ice samples collected from Tibetan glaciers. In their paper published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the group describes collecting and studying the bacteria and their concerns about the spread of disease as the glaciers melt. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-bacteria-species-glacial-ice-pose.html) 2022-06-28T12:56:33Z **Understanding earthquakes triggered by wastewater injection**
Since 2009, many central U.S. residents have faced increasing earthquake activity. Research has suggested that these tremors are linked to wastewater injection into deep wells by oil and gas companies. However, the precise dynamics of these earthquakes are still being revealed. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-earthquakes-triggered-wastewater.html) 2022-06-28T12:54:44Z **New study investigates the microbiomes of dogs around the world**
Although the microbiome—the collection of all microbes that live in the body—in the fecal matter of dogs has been investigated extensively, those studies have mostly been limited to domesticated dogs. In a new study, researchers have sampled the fecal microbiomes across diverse geographical populations to better understand what they look like around the world. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-microbiomes-dogs-world.html) 2022-06-28T17:09:20Z **Whale entanglements drop, but remain major threat, feds say**
The number of whales entangled in fishing gear has declined recently, but the entanglements remain a critical threat to rare species, the federal government said in a report released Tuesday. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-whale-entanglements-major-threat-feds.html) 2022-06-29T03:44:26Z **Shedding light on reptilian health: Researchers investigate origins of snake fungal disease in US**
Although only recently recognized as an issue in wildlife ecology, snake fungal disease (SFD) is of emerging concern in the U.S., with parallels among other better-known wildlife fungal diseases such as white-nose syndrome in bats. SFD can be deadly to snakes, and even in milder cases disrupts an animal's abilities to perform normal biological functions such as hibernation, eating and avoiding preda ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-reptilian-health-snake-fungal-disease.html) 2022-06-29T03:42:25Z **These red flags can let you know when you're in an online echo chamber**
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have identified specific elements of tone and style in online speech that are linked to hyperpartisan echo chambers. The findings are now published in the journal Discourse & Society. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-red-flags-youre-online-echo.html) 2022-06-29T08:39:59Z **The environmental cost of cheating to overcome cooperation in simple multicellular organisms**
A team of researchers at the University of New Brunswick has conducted an experiment to learn more about the evolution of cooperation in groups of living creatures. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the group describe genetically altering a type of green algae to allow it to bypass cooperation. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-environmental-cooperation-simple-multicellular.html) 2022-06-29T12:52:02Z **Position measurement of a levitated nanoparticle via interference with its mirror image**
Levitated nanoparticles are promising tools for sensing ultra-weak forces of biological, chemical or mechanical origin and even for testing the foundations of quantum physics. However, such applications require precise position measurement. Researchers at the Department of Experimental Physics of the University of Innsbruck, Austria, have now demonstrated a new technique that boosts the efficiency with ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-position-levitated-nanoparticle-mirror-image.html) 2022-06-29T17:02:03Z **Team reassesses greenhouse gas emissions from African lakes**
The emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4)—the most potent greenhouse gases—into the atmosphere from African lakes are reassessed in a study undertaken by the Laboratory of Chemical Oceanography (FOCUS research unit / Faculty of Science). While it was previously assumed that these lakes were significant CO2 sources, it has since been discovered that they really emit very little CO2 but a lot of methane, adding to the emi ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-team-reassesses-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html) 2022-06-29T16:58:03Z **Laser writing may enable 'electronic nose' for multi-gas sensor**
Environmental sensors are a step closer to simultaneously sniffing out multiple gases that could indicate disease or pollution, thanks to a Penn State collaboration. Huanyu "Larry" Cheng, assistant professor of engineering science and mechanics in the College of Engineering, and Lauren Zarzar, assistant professor of chemistry in Eberly College of Science, and their teams combined laser writing and responsive sensor technologies to ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-laser-enable-electronic-nose-multi-gas.html) 2022-06-30T03:14:41Z **The art of getting DNA out of decades-old pickled snakes**
Two levels underground, Chicago's Field Museum has a secret bunker. The sub-basement Collections Resource Center houses millions of biological specimens for scientists around the world to use in their research, including countless bottles and jars containing pickled fish, lizards, and snakes, arranged like a library. Many of these specimens are decades or even centuries old, near-perfectly preserved by a combination of formalin and alcohol. B ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-art-dna-decades-old-pickled-snakes.html) 2022-06-30T08:48:04Z **Promising uses of non-destructive sensors to aid food security and enhance sustainable agriculture**
Researchers from the Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT's research enterprise in Singapore, and their local collaborators from the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A\*STAR) as w ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-non-destructive-sensors-aid-food-sustainable.html) 2022-06-30T13:18:03Z **Perceptions of happy and sad music may not be universal across cultures, new research finds**
New research led by Western Sydney University has found that perceptions of major and minor chords and melodies—what Western culture commonly thinks of as "happy music" and "sad music"—may not be universal and is likely the result of culture-dependent familiarity and associative conditioning. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-perceptions-happy-sad-music-universal.html) 2022-06-30T21:00:02Z **Capturing the onset of galaxy rotation in the early universe**
As telescopes have become more advanced and powerful, astronomers have been able to detect more and more distant galaxies. These are some of the earliest galaxies to form in our universe that began to recede away from us as the universe expanded. In fact, the greater the distance, the faster a galaxy appears to move away from us. Interestingly, we can estimate how fast a galaxy is moving, and in turn, when it was formed based on how "r ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-capturing-onset-galaxy-rotation-early.html) 2022-07-01T03:21:18Z **How COVID-19 put poverty reduction back on the agenda**
Lower income people bore the brunt of the economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, efforts to reduce poverty were adopted in Canada and the United States. But how did partisan politics shape each government's response? Exploring the political dynamics at play, a team of researchers including McGill University Professor Daniel Béland, traces the adoption and evolution of anti-poverty measures in both countries. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-07-covid-poverty-reduction-agenda.html) 2022-07-01T09:09:03Z **Coral pathogen kills competitors in coral microbiota via prophage induction**
Coral is a complicated holobiont, harboring an array of life forms at different scales, including coral cells, zooxanthellae, and associated bacteria, archaea and viruses. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-07-coral-pathogen-competitors-microbiota-prophage.html) 2022-07-01T13:15:03Z **Photon-controlled diode: An optoelectronic device with a new signal processing behavior**
A photodetector is a kind of optoelectronic device that can detect optical signals and convert them into electrical signals. These devices include photodiodes, phototransistors and photoconductors. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-07-photon-controlled-diode-optoelectronic-device-behavior.html) 2022-07-01T17:35:56Z **Study: How placentas evolved in mammals**
The fossil record tells us about ancient life through the preserved remains of body parts like bones, teeth and turtle shells. But how to study the history of soft tissues and organs, which can decay quickly, leaving little evidence behind? ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-07-placentas-evolved-mammals.html) 2022-07-02T02:38:16Z **Satellite-tracking of whale sharks offered insight into their migratory and feeding behavior**
The largest fish in the ocean is a globe-trotter that can occasionally be found basking in the coastal waters of the Panamanian Pacific. However, little more is known about the habits of the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) in the region. By satellite-tracking the whereabouts of 30 of them, scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Li ... ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-07-satellite-tracking-whale-sharks-insight-migratory.html) 2022-07-02T09:10:01Z **Early human ancestors one million years older than thought**
The fossils of our earliest ancestors found in South Africa are a million years older than previously thought, meaning they walked the Earth around the same time as their East African relatives like the famous "Lucy", according to new research. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-06-early-human-ancestors-million-years.html) 2022-07-03T05:26:39Z **Fossil discovery solves mystery of how pandas became vegetarian**
The discovery of panda fossils in China has helped researchers solve the mystery of how the giant species developed a "false thumb" and became the only dedicated vegetarian in the bear family. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-07-fossil-discovery-mystery-pandas-vegetarian.html) 2022-07-03T15:40:31Z **Glacier collapses in Italian Alps, six dead: rescuers**
An avalanche set off by the collapse of the largest glacier in the Italian Alps killed at least six people and injured eight others Sunday, an emergency services spokeswoman said. ⌘ [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2022-07-glacier-collapses-italian-alps-dead.html)