Articles by Paul Arnold
Phys.org / New universal law predicts how most objects shatter, from dropped bottles to exploding bubbles
When a plate drops or a glass smashes, you're annoyed by the mess and the cost of replacing them. But for some physicists, the broken pieces are a source of fascination: Why does everything break into such a huge variety ...
Medical Xpress / Prototype device restores lost smell by teaching the brain to feel odors
There is new hope for people who have lost their smell. Scientists have successfully tested a breakthrough device that lets people detect the presence of certain odors. This innovative system helps them "smell" again by translating ...
Phys.org / Dating a North American rock art tradition that lasted 175 generations
The Pecos River murals are a stunning collection of monumental, multicolored rock paintings in limestone rock shelters across southwest Texas and northern Mexico. They depict human-like figures that reach up to eight meters ...
Phys.org / Modern life explains why people in Chile are taller and have larger heads than their ancestors
Modern Chileans are significantly taller and have larger heads than their ancestors. That's the central finding of new research looking at how intracranial volume (ICV) has changed across thousands of years in northern Chile. ...
Phys.org / Love hurts: Flashy feathers may put some male pheasant species' lives at risk
The male Lady Amherst's pheasant knows how to put on a show when it comes to attracting mates. As well as elaborate courtship displays, they will unfurl their golden feathers to form a cape around their neck, which can prove ...
Phys.org / Experimental proof shows quantum world is even stranger than previously thought
The quantum world is famously weird—a single particle can be in two places at once, its properties are undefined until they are measured, and the very act of measuring a quantum system changes everything. But according to ...
Tech Xplore / The world's most efficient solar cell: Chinese researchers explain how they designed and built it
Earlier in 2025, Chinese solar manufacturer Longi announced it had built the world's most efficient solar cell. The hybrid interdigitated back-contact (HIBC) cell achieved 27.81% efficiency, which was verified by Germany's ...
Phys.org / Endangered lemurs face new threat from the luxury meat trade
Lemurs, the small primates with bushy tails and large, expressive eyes, are among the world's most endangered species. According to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List, of the 112 species of ...
Phys.org / Cooperative mammals show lower cancer rates than solitary, competitive species
Cancer is a common disease among mammals, but some species, such as the naked mole rat and elephants, have evolved resistance. According to new research published in the journal Science Advances, this may be because these ...
Phys.org / Polar ice melt offers unexpected solution to a global climate disaster
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a system of Atlantic Ocean currents that redistributes heat and nutrients between the tropics and the North Atlantic, is one of the planet's tipping points. That means ...
Medical Xpress / Macrophage-killing bacterial toxin weakens the gut's defenses against ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the most common inflammatory bowel diseases, a lifelong condition that can cause chronic inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the large intestine. This can lead to symptoms such as rectal ...
Phys.org / Climate change is now warming the deepest parts of the Arctic Ocean
While it is well known that climate change is heating the world's oceans, it was thought that the deep sea was safe from its effects—until now. Researchers have discovered that a rapidly warming part of the Atlantic is leading ...
Tech Xplore / Engineers repurpose a mosquito proboscis to create a 3D printing nozzle
When it comes to innovation, engineers have long proved to be brilliant copycats, drawing inspiration directly from nature. But now some scientists are moving beyond simple imitation to incorporating natural materials into ...
Medical Xpress / New cholesterol-lowering pill reduces bad cholesterol levels by almost 60%
Trials of a new cholesterol-lowering pill have shown promising results for people with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), a genetic disorder that leads to high levels of LDL cholesterol.
Tech Xplore / New green homes in the UK put less strain on the grid than models predicted
A study of some of the first net-zero-ready homes in the UK has found that their peak grid power demand is far lower than planners had anticipated. The research confirms that these all-electric homes can significantly cut ...