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Phys.org / Common Asian plant in Brazil shows potential for removing microplastics from water
A study conducted at the Institute of Science and Technology of São Paulo State University (ICT-UNESP) in São José dos Campos, Brazil, shows that Moringa oleifera, also known as moringa or white acacia, has the potential ...
Phys.org / In Arizona's desert, tiny ants turn into living hygienists, climbing inside bigger ants' mandibles and cleaning them
Ants are known for many things. They fight, bite and sometimes compete for every crumb. We can now possibly add cleaning services to that list, according to a study published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.
Phys.org / Bonobos' peaceful reputation cracks after a rival group attack leaves an infant dead
Bonobos are often described as gentle apes, generally calm primates that are seen as peacemakers in the animal kingdom. But this reputation may be coming under attack as a new study published in Scientific Reports reveals ...
Tech Xplore / Simple robots inspired by ants collectively build and excavate
When it comes to teamwork, we could all learn something from ants. These relatively simple, small-brained animals are famous for their ability to collectively build massive, intricate, climate-controlled structures, despite ...
Phys.org / 'Ghost tunnels' guide sound waves in one direction while staying invisible to others
Acoustic metamaterials are a fast-evolving family of materials which manipulate sound waves in ever more advanced ways. Now, a team led by Changqing Xu at Nanjing Normal University in China has engineered an acoustic metamaterial, ...
Medical Xpress / Overlooked ribosomal DNA may help explain human size differences
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), made from many copies of ribosomal DNA (rDNA), is the core component that powers ribosomes—protein-building machines in our body. It helps build proteins by linking amino acids together, and can also ...
Phys.org / How a new technique will help us mine rare-earth metals with plants
Researchers have developed a technique for detecting and measuring the concentration of many rare-earth elements in plants, without destroying the plant. The technique can be used to optimize "plant mining" efforts, in which ...
Medical Xpress / Previously unknown stem cells may power children's height gain during puberty
Two previously unknown stem cell types appear to play a central role in children's height growth, according to a study from the University of Gothenburg. The study also shows that growth hormone can act directly on these ...
Tech Xplore / 'Like liquid metal': Entangled, staple-like particles could inspire new generation of materials
A tightly packed ball of office staples can be surprisingly strong. Try to pull it apart and the tangled metal resists like a solid object. But with the right movement or vibration, that same bundle can quickly fall back ...
Phys.org / Copper blasted into a million-degree plasma strips away 22 electrons in a flash before atoms recover
When laser flashes hit matter, electrons are knocked off their orbits around the atomic nuclei. This can generate extremely hot plasmas composed of charged particles—ions and electrons. Researchers at HZDR have now observed ...
Medical Xpress / Chloride ions do more than help neurons fire—they may also help control how genes are expressed
Chloride ions, best known for helping cells maintain fluid balance and electrical stability, may also play a more direct role in regulating brain development than previously thought. In a new study, published in the journal ...
Phys.org / Massive Atlantic sargassum blooms traced to West Africa
Massive blooms of Sargassum seaweed that have inundated coastlines across the Atlantic since 2011 likely originate off the coast of West Africa—forming years before they are visible and overturning long-standing assumptions ...