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Phys.org / Increasing plant diversity in agricultural grasslands boosts yields, reducing reliance on fertilizer

Higher plant diversity in agricultural grasslands increases yields with lower inputs of nitrogen fertilizer. That is the headline finding of a landmark, international study led by Trinity College Dublin that paints a promising ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Pleasant-sounding words are easier to remember, pseudoword experiment shows

Which words do we find beautiful? And do beautifully sounding words stick better in memory? A new study led by linguist Theresa Matzinger from the University of Vienna suggests that the phonemic composition of words influences ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Other Sciences
Tech Xplore / 'OCTOID,' a soft robot that changes color and moves like an octopus

Underwater octopuses change their body color and texture in the blink of an eye to blend perfectly into their surroundings when evading predators or capturing prey. They transform their bodies to match the colors of nearby ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Robotics
Medical Xpress / Breathe in, breathe out: How respiration shapes remembering

First and foremost, we breathe in order to absorb oxygen—but this vital rhythm could also have other functions. Over the past few years, a range of studies have shown that respiration influences neural processes, including ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Psychology & Psychiatry
Phys.org / AI chatbots can effectively sway voters—in either direction

A short interaction with a chatbot can meaningfully shift a voter's opinion about a presidential candidate or proposed policy in either direction, new Cornell University research finds.

Dec 4, 2025 in Other Sciences
Medical Xpress / A single shot of HPV vaccine may be enough to fight cervical cancer, study finds

A single HPV vaccination appears just as effective as two doses at preventing the viral infection that causes cervical cancer, researchers reported Wednesday.

Dec 4, 2025 in Oncology & Cancer
Phys.org / Detecting strong-to-weak symmetry breaking might be impossible, study shows

When a system undergoes a transformation, yet an underlying physical property remains unchanged, this property is referred to as "symmetry." Spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) occurs when a system breaks out of this symmetry ...

Dec 1, 2025 in Physics
Tech Xplore / Using smartphones to improve disaster search and rescue

When a natural disaster strikes, time is of the essence if people are trapped under rubble. Conventional search-and-rescue methods use radar-based detection or employ acoustics that rely on sounds made by victims.

Dec 5, 2025 in Engineering
Phys.org / How cells change their minds and save their work in progress

All cells need to sense and respond to their environment, to know when to activate genes, build proteins, and carry out their basic functions. One of the most well-studied cellular responses is how they react during times ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / First discoveries from new Subaru Telescope program reveal massive planet and brown dwarf

Astronomers using the Subaru Telescope in Hawaiʻi have discovered a massive planet and a brown dwarf orbiting distant stars. The discoveries are the first results from OASIS (Observing Accelerators with SCExAO Imaging Survey), ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Medical Xpress / Impaired touch perception in Alzheimer's associated with Tau pathology and lower cognitive scores

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by the progressive deterioration of brain cells, which prompts memory loss, a decline in mental functions and behavioral changes. Estimates suggest that ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Neuroscience
Phys.org / Magnetism switching in antiferromagnets: Two distinct mechanisms successfully visualized

A research team led by Ryo Shimano of the University of Tokyo has successfully visualized two distinct mechanisms through which up and down spins, inherent properties of electrons, switch in an antiferromagnet, a material ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Physics