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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 / Largest canine gut microbiome catalog reveals hundreds of new bacterial strains

Researchers at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute in the UK recently revealed a complete taxonomic and functional catalog of the canine gut microbiome after analyzing samples from 107 healthy dogs across the U.S. and Europe. ...

Jan 21, 2026
Phys.org / SPHEREx imaging reveals increased sublimation activity on 3I/ATLAS

The interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, was first discovered in July 2025, and made its closest approach to the sun (perihelion) in late October. New observations of 3I/ATLAS were taken in December from the SPHEREx observatory—a ...

Jan 20, 2026
Tech Xplore / Benchmarking framework reveals major safety risks of using AI in lab experiments

While artificial intelligence (AI) models have proved useful in some areas of science, like predicting 3D protein structures, a new study shows that it should not yet be trusted in many lab experiments. The study, published ...

Jan 19, 2026
Phys.org / Marine wildlife rarely interact with tidal turbines—and usually avoid collisions when they do, observations show

Tidal turbines harbor the potential to provide a natural, inexhaustible source of power, but have faced some regulatory hurdles and scientific uncertainty about risks to marine life.

Jan 19, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists transform enigmatic cell structures into devices for recording RNA activity

Scientists can peer into cells to get a limited view of their activity using microscopes and other tools. However, cells and the molecular events within them are dynamic, and developmental processes, disease progression and ...

Jan 16, 2026
Phys.org / Antarctic submillimeter telescope enables more complete view of the carbon cycle in star-forming regions

Chinese researchers have braved the cold and harsh environment of Antarctica in order to get a unique view of star formation in the interstellar medium (ISM). The Chinese National Antarctica and Arctic Research Expedition ...

Jan 15, 2026
Phys.org / Medieval burials shed light on Menga dolmen's multicultural significance over thousands of years

The Menga dolmen in Antequera, Spain, is a Neolithic monument and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. The monument, built in the fourth millennium BCE, has seen continued use for burials and rituals through the Bronze Age, ...

Jan 14, 2026
Phys.org / Asexual yam species employs mimicry to trick birds and spread farther

Evolutionarily speaking, the ultimate goal of a lifeform is to reproduce and stave off extinction. Many plants and animals have evolved unique tricks to do so. One of these tricks is mimicry, which might be used to trick ...

Jan 13, 2026
Phys.org / Aerosol pollution found to thicken fog over Northern India—especially at night

Frequent, thick winter fog events are a common nuisance in Northern India, exacerbated by heavy air pollution and dense aerosol concentrations. Because these fog events often cause major disruptions to transportation and ...

Jan 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / Yoga accelerates opioid withdrawal recovery when combined with standard care, study finds

Opioid addiction, or opioid use disorder (OUD), is a major global health issue, and recovery from OUD is marked with high relapse rates. During withdrawal, patients experience severe symptoms, which are partly due to dysregulation ...

Jan 10, 2026
Tech Xplore / New sodium-sulfur battery may offer safer, cheaper alternative to lithium

Due to our ever-increasing reliance on electronics, researchers are always on the lookout for battery materials with more desirable qualities. Common battery materials, like lithium, can be prone to disadvantages like overheating ...

Jan 8, 2026
Phys.org / Antiferromagnetic metal exhibits diode-like behavior without external magnetic field

Antiferromagnetic (AF) materials are made up of atoms or molecules with atomic spins that align in antiparallel directions of their neighbors. The magnetism of each individual atom or molecule is canceled out by the one next ...

Jan 7, 2026
Phys.org / Rare 'firework morphology' of supernova remnant Pa 30 may be due to white dwarf wind

In 1181 AD, a bright "guest star" was observed to linger in the sky for around six months. Nearly 850 years later, the likely remnants of this event were rediscovered and tentatively linked to the 1181 supernova and dubbed ...

Jan 6, 2026
Phys.org / Vegetation might exacerbate urban heat island effect in very dry cities

As temperatures rise around the world, city heat becomes increasingly unbearable during the hottest seasons. The urban heat island effect causes cities to become significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas due to human ...

Jan 5, 2026
Phys.org / Astronomers measure both mass and distance of a rogue planet for the first time

While most planets that we are familiar with stick relatively close to their host star in a predictable orbit, some planets seem to have been knocked out of their orbits, floating through space free of any particular gravitational ...

Jan 2, 2026