Earth bids farewell to its temporary 'mini moon' that is possibly a chunk of our actual moon
Planet Earth is parting company with an asteroid that's been tagging along as a "mini moon" for the past two months.
25 Nov 09:38 · phys.org
Plastics: lifesaver turned environmental threat
Before it threatened biodiversity, the oceans and the global food chain, plastics saved lives and transformed societies as a durable, malleable and cheap material.
25 Nov 09:40 · phys.org
The Chesapeake Bay's 'dead zone' stays at long-term average: It's a 'good sign'
The dead zone in the Chesapeake Bay, where there's low oxygen for underwater life, was near its average size in 2024, according to new data from the Chesapeake Bay Program.
25 Nov 11:23 · phys.org
International team studies the migration of the American woodcock
The American woodcock, a plump harbinger of spring, is a well known shorebird found across eastern North America. The species is a popular game bird and has earned the admiration of hunters, birders and ...
25 Nov 12:22 · phys.org
Bats employ instant compensation strategy when they can't hear, study shows
When bats can't hear, new research finds that these hearing-dependent animals employ a remarkable compensation strategy. They adapt immediately and robustly, suggesting for the first time that bats' brains ...
25 Nov 13:29 · phys.org
Focaccia: A Neolithic culinary tradition dating back 9,000 years ago
A study led by researchers from the UAB and the University La Sapienza in Rome indicates that during the Late Neolithic, between 7000 and 5000 BCE, the fully agricultural communities in the Fertile Crescent ...
25 Nov 13:30 · phys.org
Firefighting foam contains more branched PFOA than anticipated
A new study has revealed there may be a significant underestimation of a specific type of PFAS "forever chemical" in the environment.
25 Nov 13:37 · phys.org
The early universe may have had giant batteries of dust
The largest magnetic fields in the universe may have found themselves charged up when the first stars began to shine, according to new research.
25 Nov 14:16 · phys.org
A molecular trap for exotic metals promises improved diagnostics and faster drug development
A group of scientists from IOCB Prague, led by Dr. Miloslav Polášek, have created compounds that are up to a million times more stable than similar substances used in contemporary medicine to treat ...
25 Nov 14:23 · phys.org
Molecular morphers: DNA-powered gels shape-shift on command
Johns Hopkins engineers have developed gel strips that change shape when given chemical instructions written in DNA code. These "gel automata," measuring just centimeters, can grow or shrink, transforming ...
25 Nov 14:24 · phys.org
Study: When You Look Better, You Act Better
“People who are appearance-focused are often judged harshly, but we show that this behavior can have positive spillover effects that benefit others."
25 Nov 14:36 · The Jewish Press
More comprehensive search for sterile neutrinos comes up empty
Particle physicists have been looking for so-called "sterile neutrinos" for a few decades now. They are a hypothesized particle that would have a tiny mass like the three known neutrinos but would not ...
25 Nov 15:18 · phys.org
How tiny droplets can deform ice: Findings show potential for cryopreservation and food engineering
When water freezes slowly, the location where water turns into ice—known as the freezing front—forms a straight line. Researchers from the University of Twente showed how droplets that interact with ...
25 Nov 15:21 · phys.org
Survey participants are turning to AI, putting academic research results into question
When academics and other researchers need to recruit people for large-scale surveys, they often rely upon crowdsourcing sites like Prolific or Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants sign up to provide demographic ...
25 Nov 15:21 · phys.org
Is 'bypassing' a better way to battle misinformation? Researchers say new approach has advantages over the standard
Misinformation can lead to socially detrimental behavior, which makes finding ways to combat its effects a matter of crucial public concern. A new paper by researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center ...
25 Nov 15:22 · phys.org
Bird divorce rates may be linked to fluctuations in rainfall
A 16-year study on a closed population of Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis) on Cousin Island, Seychelles, has uncovered significant findings about how environmental factors—specifically ...
25 Nov 15:22 · phys.org
'Bomb cyclone' adds to growing extreme weather trend
The "once-in-a-decade" storm that devastated the Pacific Northwest last week caused widespread outages, damage, and at least two deaths. Data shows the storms are becoming more common. Could climate change ...
25 Nov 15:24 · phys.org
Machine learning approach discovers crystallizable organic semiconductors
Organic semiconductors represent a transformative technology that bridges traditional electronics with the versatility of organic materials. They make flexible, wearable devices and next-generation displays ...
25 Nov 16:31 · phys.org
Oldest US firearm unearthed in Arizona, a bronze cannon linked to Coronado expedition
Independent researchers in Arizona have unearthed a bronze cannon linked to the Vázquez de Coronado expedition, making it the oldest firearm ever found in the continental United States. The discovery ...
25 Nov 16:31 · phys.org
Acoustic properties of rock sites may have inspired prehistoric art
Researchers at the University of Helsinki performed acoustic impulse response measurements in front of 37 rock painting sites and found that the same vertical rock surfaces that have the painted elks, ...
25 Nov 16:32 · phys.org
Study identifies path to design stable, durable polymer membranes for clean energy
Electrolytes that convert chemical to electrical energy underlie the search for new power sources with zero emissions. Among these new power sources are fuel cells that produce electricity.
25 Nov 16:33 · phys.org
A new carbon-negative method to produce essential amino acids
Amino acids are essential for nearly every process in the human body. Often referred to as "the building blocks of life," they are also critical for commercial use in products ranging from pharmaceuticals ...
25 Nov 16:33 · phys.org
Nonlinear Compton scattering with a multi-petawatt laser mimics astrophysical phenomena
A team of researchers has successfully demonstrated nonlinear Compton scattering (NCS) between an ultra-relativistic electron beam and an ultrahigh intensity laser pulse using the 4-Petawatt laser at ...
25 Nov 16:33 · phys.org
Research on key host pathways has implications for Ebola and beyond
Mortality rates from Ebola outbreaks can be as high as 90%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 55 people died in the most recent outbreak in Uganda in 2022.
25 Nov 16:41 · phys.org
New design standards for stream crossings to help mitigate pollution
Since 2001, the Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies, housed in the Larson Transportation Institute in the Penn State College of Engineering's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has ...
25 Nov 16:41 · phys.org
Alternate stream water-testing method detects emerging contaminants
Pollutants known as "contaminants of emerging concern" or chemicals that could potentially harm human health and have been found in the environment, including pesticides, ingredients from personal care ...
25 Nov 16:54 · phys.org
Civil lawsuits study reveals effectiveness of environment-focused litigation in US, but also large inequalities
A sweeping study of three decades of lawsuits has revealed both the effectiveness but also the underuse of civil litigation to enforce environmental protections.
25 Nov 17:04 · phys.org
Earth-bound asteroids 'could be tracked more precisely' with new equation
Identifying asteroids on a potential collision course with Earth could be made easier thanks to an advancement in how to track their orbits more precisely.
25 Nov 17:05 · phys.org
Study exposes global 'blind spot' in human rights protections for dissidents
Intensifying coercive tactics used by repressive states to silence critics abroad requires the set-up of specialist transnational rights protection offices, says a new paper by researchers at Lancaster ...
25 Nov 17:05 · phys.org
Unusual supernova observations grant astronomers a peek into the cosmic past
An international team of researchers has made new observations of an unusual supernova, finding the most metal-poor stellar explosion ever observed.
25 Nov 17:23 · phys.org
Wood ants that actively combat plant diseases could be used in organic apple orchards
The small industrious wood ant can do more than just build high nests in spruce forests. A newly published article in the journal Microbial Ecology reveals that ants combat a range of plant diseases, ...
25 Nov 17:50 · phys.org
Brighter and more efficient LEDs with low polarization resist 'efficiency droop'
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are everywhere in modern life, from smartphones to home lighting. But today's LEDs have a major limitation: when you try to make them brighter by increasing their power, they ...
25 Nov 17:59 · phys.org
Herodotus' theory on Armenian origins debunked by first whole-genome study
Armenians, a population in Western Asia historically inhabiting the Armenian highlands, were long believed to be descendants of Phrygian settlers from the Balkans. This theory originated largely from ...
25 Nov 18:00 · phys.org
Cyanobacterial circadian clock uses an AM radio-like mechanism to control cellular processes
Cyanobacteria, an ancient lineage of bacteria that perform photosynthesis, have been found to regulate their genes using the same physics principle used in AM radio transmission.
25 Nov 18:00 · phys.org
Long-term study reveals warming climates threaten Florida scrub-jay
Because of warmer winters, Florida scrub-jays are now nesting one week earlier than they did in 1981. But these early birds are not always getting the worm.
25 Nov 18:06 · phys.org
Exploring life at its simplest: Scientists create a 'minimal cell membrane' with just two lipids
Lipids, or fats, are essential to life. They form the membranes around cells, protecting them from the outside. In nature, there is an enormous diversity of lipids, with each organism having its own unique ...
25 Nov 18:12 · phys.org
Record-breaking run on Frontier sets new bar for simulating the universe in exascale era
The universe just got a whole lot bigger—or at least in the world of computer simulations, that is. In early November, researchers at the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory used the ...
25 Nov 18:56 · phys.org
The Amborella genome: A window into the origins of plant sex and reproduction
Plant reproduction is a cornerstone of our food system and ecological balance; however, it is a complex process. Plants have fascinating reproductive strategies, some being either male or female, some ...
25 Nov 19:22 · phys.org
XRISM mission looks deeply into 'hidden' stellar system
The Japan-led XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) observatory has captured the most detailed portrait yet of gases flowing within Cygnus X-3, one of the most studied sources in the X-ray sky.
25 Nov 19:22 · phys.org
Tick tubes help reduce the parasites on mice, but time and frequency matter
Ticks are a nuisance across many areas of the U.S., capable of spreading harmful pathogens to both animals and humans. A new study led by researchers at Penn State has analyzed the effectiveness of a ...
25 Nov 19:28 · phys.org
First right whales of season gorge on critical food off Massachusetts, giving hope for a strong year
Scientists who study a critically endangered species of whale that lives off New England said encouraging early signs suggest the animals could have a strong season for feeding and breeding.
25 Nov 19:37 · phys.org
Mini proton accelerator ELISA is now taking data
A particle accelerator on display in a museum exhibition is rare. But a functioning particle accelerator conducting real scientific research in a museum exhibition? That's unprecedented.
25 Nov 19:40 · phys.org
Biodiversity is not a luxury: Study explores the connection between wealth and ecosystem health
A new study suggests that a more complex understanding of how wealth and biodiversity are linked may help communities with little wealth achieve the levels of diversity typically associated with more ...
25 Nov 19:56 · phys.org
Framework uncovers what makes large numbers of 'squishy' grains start flowing in biological processes
Researchers Samuel Poincloux (currently at Aoyama Gakuin University) and Kazumasa A. Takeuchi of the University of Tokyo have clarified the conditions under which large numbers of "squishy" grains, which ...
25 Nov 20:00 · phys.org
Planetary scientist proposes an alternative theory for what lies beneath the surfaces of Uranus and Neptune
Diamond rain? Super-ionic water? These are just two proposals that planetary scientists have come up with for what lies beneath the thick, bluish, hydrogen-and-helium atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune, ...
25 Nov 20:00 · phys.org
Beeches thrive in France's Verdun in flight from climate change
An assisted migration of beech trees in need of protection from climate change is bearing its first fruits in France after 13 years, with saplings now gracing the former World War I battlefield of Verdun.
25 Nov 20:00 · phys.org
Mathematical modeling reveals the explosive secret of the squirting cucumber
A team led by the University of Oxford has solved a mystery that has intrigued scientists for centuries: how does the squirting cucumber squirt?
25 Nov 20:00 · phys.org
New model can predict marine heat waves, extreme ocean acidity months in advance
In the 21st century, the Earth's oceans are growing warmer and more acidic. This change is happening slowly over the long-term, but it can also cause short-term, local spikes.
25 Nov 20:07 · phys.org
Axion dark matter may make spacetime ring
Dark matter made out of axions may have the power to make space-time ring like a bell, but only if it is able to steal energy from black holes, according to new research.
25 Nov 20:36 · phys.org
Study detects methane emissions in the palm oil industry in Indonesia, Malaysia and Colombia
A team of researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), belonging to the LARS-IIAMA group, has used satellite technology to detect methane emissions in the palm oil industry in Indonesia, ...
25 Nov 20:54 · phys.org
last updated on 26 Nov 07:11