Articles by Krystal Kasal
Phys.org / Asteroid with unexplained orbital shift turns out to be a 'dark comet'
Typically, astronomers identify comets by their distinct atmospheres, or comae, and their tails, which are created as the sun vaporizes a comet's ice. These features emit a glow when sunlight bounces off dust and water droplets. ...
Phys.org / New Jurassic dinosaur species identified in Thailand from a single bone
A new study published in Scientific Reports describes the identification of a new species of long-necked dinosaur found in the Phu Kradung Formation in Thailand. The team calls the dinosaur Uragasaurus kalasinensis and says ...
Phys.org / Next‑generation membranes can refine crude oil using under half the energy of distillation
Oil refining is necessary for transforming raw, unusable crude oil into valuable goods like gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and petrochemical feedstocks. However, the usual distillation process is energy-intensive, spurring researchers ...
Phys.org / Nanoplastics found in Antarctic soils for first time, suggesting long-range atmospheric transport
Microplastic contamination has been a much-discussed topic over the last several years, but contamination from even smaller plastic particles represents another pressing issue. Nanoplastics—defined as being under a micrometer ...
Phys.org / Much of Earth's 'space dust' may come from unidentified near-Earth asteroids
Like a shelf in an old house, the Earth collects a lot of dust from its surroundings. This "space dust" is mostly made up of micrometeorites that survive atmospheric entry and provides researchers with a cheap and easy way ...
Phys.org / Traces of Earth's primordial magma ocean discovered in lava from a modern volcanic eruption
In May 2018, the island of Mayotte, between Madagascar and Mozambique, began to experience a series of earthquakes that led to the discovery of an underwater volcano, now called Fani Maoré. Multiple scientific expeditions ...
Medical Xpress / Video games might modestly sharpen your memory and other cognitive skills, review suggests
Because video games are a regular part of many people's everyday lives, researchers have spent a lot of time trying to determine whether they are beneficial or detrimental to brain health. A new study, published in Acta Psychologica, ...
Phys.org / Greenland meltwater adds to AMOC weakening, but updated model finds no tipping point in sight
The state of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) has been a hot topic among climate scientists in recent years. The AMOC is crucial for climate regulation because it pulls warm surface water from the tropics ...
Phys.org / DNA-based nanoswitch can flip in milliseconds and stay in one state for days without continuous forcing
Scientists have engineered a nanoscale switch using DNA "origami." Inspired by macroscale mechanical switches, the device achieves long-term functionality without the continuous forcing mechanism that past versions required ...
Phys.org / An iconic spear-throwing device likely wasn't used by prehistoric hunters until around 10,000 years ago
Archaeologists have long pictured prehistoric hunters taking down mammoths and other megafauna using the atlatl, a handheld spear-throwing device that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity and force when throwing darts. ...
Phys.org / Light-activated compound kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria by turning its own defense enzyme against it
Antibiotic resistance is becoming an accelerating crisis because of the overuse and misuse of antibiotics over many years. The problem is exacerbated when antibiotics wipe out susceptible bacteria but leave resistant bacteria ...
Phys.org / An iron-driven chain reaction may trigger mass death of harmful algae blooms
Over recent decades, harmful algal blooms have become increasingly common. These blooms often consist of bacteria called "cyanobacteria" in freshwater ecosystems. They can produce debilitating toxins, suffocate marine life ...
Phys.org / The universe should look the same in all directions at large scales, but DESI data suggest otherwise
Earlier this year, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) completed observations that mapped 47 million galaxies across 11 billion light-years, allowing astronomers to better evaluate the large-scale structure of ...
Phys.org / Language-based screeners may miss kids who struggle to read due to visual-processing issues
Reading difficulties, like dyslexia, are common and often affect achievement and outcomes during school and later in life. A new study, published in Current Biology, reports that current methods used to test for reading disabilities ...
Phys.org / Oldest example of preserved tube feet reveals clues about the lives of 452-million-year-old sea lilies
Echinoderms, such as starfish, sea urchins and sea lilies, use small, flexible, tubular projections called "tube feet" for locomotion, feeding, respiration and sensory perception. Crinoids, a subgroup of echinoderms, are ...
