Articles by Paul Arnold
Phys.org / Foot-stiffening socks could make walking less tiring
Human feet are much stiffer than those of other primates, which means they limit midfoot bending during walking. The evolutionary reasons for this are not entirely clear. One idea is that the features that stiffen the foot ...
Medical Xpress / A possible chemical explanation for why we give up on tough tasks
When we engage our brains in a mentally taxing task, we eventually reach a point where we hit a wall or run on empty. Even when the rewards of finishing are obvious, we often find ourselves simply stopping. Exactly why this ...
Phys.org / Tell this AI what you want a protein to do—and it designs one
In a short space of time, artificial intelligence has become a whiz at designing proteins, molecular machines that perform various functions such as speeding up reactions, producing fluorescent signals and breaking down plastic. ...
Phys.org / Historical records reveal the bitter truth about 17th-century Transylvania's climate
For roughly five centuries from about 1300, Europe experienced periods of unusually cold weather and extreme conditions collectively known as the Little Ice Age. Transylvania, a historical region in modern-day Romania, was ...
Phys.org / Single molecules could provide the building blocks for future quantum networks
Quantum computers rely on qubits as their units of information. To connect them into a larger network across long distances, they need to transmit quantum information using light.
Phys.org / Early humans needed more than access to water to settle ancient Arabian deserts
Models of early population migrations assume people moved to places with easy access to water. But this assumption has left us with a fascinating mystery in ancient Arabia. Despite evidence that monsoon rains once filled ...
Phys.org / How fish schools swim in sync may come down to following one influential neighbor
Fish schools are a marvel of navigation. They move in concert without any one fish leading the way. Instead, their coordinated movements arise from individual fish continually adjusting their movements based on their neighbors. ...
Phys.org / The genetic cost of being a lazy parent ... if you're a cuckoo finch
African cuckoo finches (Anomalospiza imberbis) are very deceptive birds, or at least the mothers are. They sneak into the nests of other birds, such as prinias and cisticolas, to lay their eggs, then slip away and leave the ...
Medical Xpress / A hidden brain rhythm challenges ideas about where consciousness comes from
How our brains give rise to consciousness is one of the biggest mysteries in neuroscience. But new research by Janis Hesse at the University of California, Berkeley, and colleagues, may help fill in some of the details. The ...
Phys.org / Ultrathin carbon ribbons conduct electricity like metals in first successful synthesis
As modern electronic devices shrink, so do the metal electrical wires inside them. However, they start to run into serious problems the smaller they get. Conventional wires generate excessive heat and suffer a massive spike ...
Phys.org / Scientists count more than 2 million eels on one underwater mountain
Patience Seamount is an underwater mountain in Australia's Huon Marine Park off the coast of Tasmania. Every year, it is the site of an enormous gathering of basketwork eels (Diastobranchus capensis) for reasons unknown, ...
Phys.org / Embedded enzymes help plastics break down faster in the deep sea
Scientists have developed a way for certain types of compostable plastic to break down much faster in marine environments, from shallow coastal waters to the deep sea. The breakthrough comes from tiny enzymes embedded in ...
Phys.org / Scientists reveal the staggering number of bat deaths at wind turbines
Bat populations across the United States face numerous threats, and one of the biggest may be the number of collisions with wind turbines. According to the most comprehensive study of the problem to date, published in the ...
Phys.org / Scientists produce less disruptive research as they age, but their breakthroughs are more likely to last
Science often advances in small steps, with researchers gradually building on previous discoveries. But every now and then, a breakthrough comes along that challenges conventional thinking and changes the direction of a field.
Medical Xpress / AI chatbots may worsen symptoms in people with psychosis
Conversational AI chatbots are a relatively new technology, but they are now ubiquitous, embedded in everything from customer service platforms to personal productivity tools. Such is their rapid adoption that potential negative ...
