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Krystal Kasal

Krystal Kasal

Author

Krystal is a freelance science and technical writer with a Master's degree in physics from Washington State University. She has been doing freelance work for the last five years, with experience in clinical research and writing educational physics content. She enjoys writing about science, nature, health, and anything a little bit out of the ordinary.

Articles by Krystal Kasal

Phys.org / New method can measure ocean acidification using ambient wind noise

Since the Industrial Revolution, scientists estimate that the ocean has become around 30% more acidic from the uptake of additional anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Ocean acidification has widespread effects, including loss ...

Oct 28, 2025
Tech Xplore / Safer lithium-ion battery design prevents thermal runaway that can cause fires

Conventional lithium-ion batteries are known to present a fire risk, and can even cause explosions in certain cases. The widespread usage of lithium-ion batteries, in everything from electric vehicles to electric toothbrushes, ...

Oct 27, 2025
Phys.org / Record-breaking quantum key distribution transmission distance achieved alongside classical channels

Quantum key distribution (QKD) harnesses the power of quantum mechanics to securely transmit confidential information. When an outside source eavesdrops on a QKD transmission, the quantum states are affected. This dependably ...

Oct 24, 2025
Phys.org / Using entanglement to test whether gravity is quantum just got more complicated

Unifying gravity and quantum theory remains a significant goal in modern physics. Despite the success in unifying all other fundamental interactions (electromagnetism, strong force and weak force) with quantum mechanics and ...

Oct 24, 2025
Phys.org / Earlier volcano prediction at Mount Etna made possible by new earthquake pattern analysis

Located on the island of Sicily, in Italy, Mount Etna is one of the world's most active volcanoes. Documentation of its many eruptions stretches back as far as 2,700 years ago, with the most recent occurring in June 2025. ...

Oct 23, 2025
Medical Xpress / Men experience more brain atrophy with age despite women's higher Alzheimer's risk

Women are far more likely than men to end up with Alzheimer's disease (AD). This may, at least partially, be due to women's longer average lifespans, but many scientists think there is probably more to the story. It would ...

Oct 16, 2025
Phys.org / Chicago's viral 'rat hole' was not made by a rat after all, new study finds

After existing quietly for over two decades on a Roscoe Village sidewalk in Chicago, a rodent-shaped indent became an internet sensation in 2024, when a tweet by comedian and writer, Winslow Dumaine, brought it into the public ...

Oct 15, 2025
Phys.org / Record-breaking gamma ray burst seems to be caused by a black hole engulfed by a bloated star

On July 2, 2025, NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (Fermi-GBM) captured around three hours' worth of signals that appeared to come from the same source. When scientists compiled this data with signals picked up by multiple ...

Oct 15, 2025
Phys.org / Lab-boosted olfactory receptor reveals new insights about how our sense of smell works

Humans have about 400 odorant receptors (ORs), but scientists have had trouble finding ligands that match up with most of these ORs in lab settings—leaving them with a murky understanding of how certain smells are recognized ...

Oct 13, 2025
Phys.org / By removing common biases, study debunks U-shaped happiness curve with age

Many survey-based studies have been conducted to try to understand how happiness changes over a person's lifetime. While there have been a few different outcomes, the most common has been the U-shaped curve. This pattern ...

Oct 10, 2025
Phys.org / From toilet cleaners to tail-tugging—new study reveals complex social behaviors of naked mole-rats

Naked mole-rats are one of the rare examples of eusocial mammals. Eusocial animal species are those in which a single female within the group is tasked with reproduction, along with a select group of males, while the rest ...

Oct 9, 2025
Phys.org / Astronomers discover the most 'pristine' star in the known universe

Not all stars are created equally. Astronomers believe that the first stars to form after the Big Bang were mostly made of only hydrogen and helium with trace amounts of lithium, as the heavier elements formed later on by ...

Oct 8, 2025
Phys.org / Rare intersex spider among new species discovered in Thailand

A new species of spider was recently discovered near a forested area in Nong Rong, Phanom Thuan, Kanchanaburi, in western Thailand. The spiders were presented to researchers at the Chulalongkorn University Museum of Natural ...

Oct 7, 2025
Tech Xplore / 'FlyingToolbox' drone system achieves accurate mid-air tool exchange despite airflow interference

Flying manipulator robots have shown themselves to be useful in many applications, such as industrial maintenance or construction. Their utility in hard to reach or hazardous locations makes them particularly promising in ...

Oct 6, 2025
Medical Xpress / Scientists identify a new dendritic nanotubular network in the brain that may contribute to Alzheimer's disease

Neurons in the brain communicate with each other through synapses—connection points that allow the passage of electrical and chemical signals. In non-neuronal cells, direct cell-to-cell connections have been found to occur ...

Oct 5, 2025