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Phys.org / Plastic upcycling method turns food packaging into faster-degrading materials
Scientists have discovered a way to convert widely used plastics into new materials with distinct properties that degrade more rapidly. Applying this new process to upcycle existing plastics—such as those used for food packaging ...
Phys.org / Heat stress linked to higher koala hospitalizations and deaths above 27 C
New research from the University of Sydney has provided the first associative link between heat stress and koala mortality. Published in Biology Letters, the results highlight how even moderate temperature rises can increase ...
Phys.org / Teaching thermodynamic laws to AI unlocks a polymer modeling challenge
For more than half a century, materials scientists have struggled with how to simulate the complexity of polymer materials. An individual chain can comprise tens of thousands of atoms, a melt or composite contains billions, ...
Tech Xplore / AI beats human forecasters in tournament predicting 30 tech ventures
For decades, the idea that artificial intelligence can beat humans at number-crunching tasks like high-frequency trading has been widely accepted. But strategic foresight—the ability to predict the success of high-stakes, ...
Phys.org / Q&A: The Alps are crumbling, and permafrost is not playing the role many assumed
From the Kleines Nesthorn to Pizzo Cengalo, the Alps appear to be crumbling. Permafrost researcher Robert Kenner has penned a summary explaining the role that thawing permafrost and melting glaciers play—or don't play—in ...
Phys.org / Entanglement injuries cause prolonged suffering for whales and dolphins—early intervention is crucial
When a humpback whale became entangled in a craypot line off Kaikōura last week, witnesses described it thrashing in distress for ten minutes before eventually freeing itself.
Phys.org / 190,000 baby trees in 25 years: Seedling census offers clues to what the future might hold for Michigan forests
The history of a forest might be measured by the trunks and branches looming overhead. But for some researchers at Michigan State University, a forest's future lies in what's growing under their feet. Every summer for nearly ...
Phys.org / From compliance to inclusion: Valuing faculty with disabilities
New research out of the University of New Mexico's English department is shining a light on the experiences of faculty with disabilities. Marissa Greenberg, associate professor within the Department of English Language and ...
Medical Xpress / Eye-catching for shoppers: Colorful Nutri-Score labels more effective than gray
Anyone seeking to purchase healthy products at the supermarket needs clear guidance. Nutritional labeling schemes, such as Nutri-Score labels, are designed to help with that. The Nutri-Score front-of-pack label shows a five-color ...
Science X / Why 'football' beats 'shamrock' when your brain is dismantling every word at lightning speed
Before you even know what a word means, your brain is already playing a rapid-fire game of linguistic LEGO. Discover how our minds secretly dissect words, piece by orthographic piece, in the blink of an eye.
Phys.org / Reading brachycephalic dogs' facial expressions requires extra cognitive processing by humans
People often look to dogs' behavior, especially their facial expressions, for indications of their states of mind. Numerous studies show that this is a popular interpretation strategy. However, modern dog breeds vary greatly ...
Phys.org / Ancient dust points to retreat of West Antarctic Ice Sheet during last warm period
Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet may have been far smaller during one of Earth's most recent warm periods, according to a new study that traced the origin of ancient dust preserved in Antarctic ...