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Phys.org / Allowing atoms to come and go can open the door to better materials modeling
Most materials, especially metals and ceramics, are crystals. Their atoms are arranged in three-dimensional lattices that repeat the same exact pattern, over and over again. But there's a well-known saying in materials science: ...
Phys.org / Musicality is rooted in human biology, not just culture, says professor
Humans are fundamentally "musical animals"—and our capacity for music is rooted in biology, not just culture. This is the conclusion of new work by University of Amsterdam professor of Music Cognition Henkjan Honing. In ...
Tech Xplore / AI search robot uses 3D maps and internet knowledge to find lost items
A robot that can locate lost items on command, the latest development at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), combines knowledge from the internet with a spatial map of its surroundings to efficiently find the objects ...
Phys.org / Musicologists map medieval chant tropes to 9th-century political borders
The spread of a particular genre of music reflects the borders between medieval empires in Europe. This is shown by a study conducted by a musicologist at the University of Würzburg, appearing in Transactions of the International ...
Tech Xplore / AI agents can autonomously coordinate propaganda campaigns without human direction
Imagine it is two weeks before a major election in a closely contested state. A controversial ballot measure is on the line. Suddenly, a wave of posts floods X, Reddit, and Facebook, all pushing the same narrative, all amplifying ...
Phys.org / Nocturnal ants use lunar compass and sophisticated calculations to travel at night
It's well known that many animals, including migratory birds, butterflies, and even fish, use the sun for navigational purposes. Nocturnal animals are dealt a more difficult hand, however, as the moon's path is far more variable. ...
Tech Xplore / Microscopic metal 'thorns' shed light on how lithium-ion batteries short-circuit
For the first time, scientists have observed how tiny metal "thorns" called dendrites sprout inside lithium-ion batteries, which can cause the batteries to short-circuit. Their findings, published in the journal Science, ...
Phys.org / Capsule technology opens new window into individual cells
Researchers have developed a capsule-based method that makes it possible to analyze the same cell through multiple experimental steps. The technology overcomes a long-standing limitation in cell research and could open new ...
Medical Xpress / Calcium signaling channels regulate neuroinflammation and motivation, research reveals
Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered how calcium signaling channels in microglia—the primary immune cells of the brain—regulate neuroinflammation and promote the development of behaviors associated with affective ...
Medical Xpress / In a hyperconnected world, shared expectations can shape how negative experiences feel
Imagine waiting in line for a shot when someone who just got one tells you it was really painful. Could hearing that make the shot hurt more? According to a new Dartmouth study, what others say about an experience can shape ...
Phys.org / The 'croak' conundrum: Parasites complicate love signals in frogs
Across the animal kingdom, sound is more than communication—it's a signal of survival and success. From birds and primates to insects, fish, and amphibians, animals broadcast acoustic "advertisements" to defend territory, ...
Phys.org / Ancient DNA sequences that control gene function across plant evolution uncovered
A study has traced thousands of conserved regulatory elements back 300 million years, revealing deep principles of plant genome evolution—a discovery that could pave the way for more precise engineering of crop traits.