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Phys.org / ALMA spots a nine-member stellar family in the act of formation
Massive stars much bigger than our sun always come in pairs or groups, not alone. But astronomers don't fully understand how these groupings form. In a new study, astronomers using ALMA have serendipitously discovered a young ...
Phys.org / Oldest example of preserved tube feet reveals clues about the lives of 452-million-year-old sea lilies
Echinoderms, such as starfish, sea urchins and sea lilies, use small, flexible, tubular projections called "tube feet" for locomotion, feeding, respiration and sensory perception. Crinoids, a subgroup of echinoderms, are ...
Science X / AI in the classroom: Are we building better thinkers or better shortcuts?
AI chatbots like ChatGPT have made their way into college life, sparking an important debate: Do these tools actually help students become better thinkers, or are they just a shortcut? Universities want to foster critical ...
Phys.org / Trios of quantum particles form checkerboard layouts when particle density hits sweet spot
Trions form when three particles, like quarks or electrons, come together. This formation occurs in quantum particles in nuclear physics, semiconductors and magnets, and understanding its behavior can be challenging. Rice ...
Phys.org / Sponges may cut methylmercury contamination in marine food webs by more than 50%
Marine sponges may play an important, previously underestimated role in reducing methylmercury contamination in marine food webs. In a new modeling study, researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon showed that sponges can significantly ...
Tech Xplore / Brain-inspired AI architecture could compute faster while using far less power
Spiking neural networks (SNNs) are artificial intelligence (AI) models inspired by how biological neurons communicate with each other. While biological neurons exchange information in the form of electrical impulses, SNNs ...
Phys.org / Defect detection automated in diamond, other advanced semiconductors
Materials scientists at Rice University have developed a new workflow methodology for measuring microscopic defects in diamond and other advanced semiconductor materials. By making it easier to spot flaws that can undermine ...
Phys.org / AI reads 3D tooth microwear to reconstruct diets of early human ancestors
The study of dental microwear allows the analysis of the microscopic marks that foods leave on the surface of tooth enamel during mastication. In paleoanthropology, this methodology helps reconstruct the diet of fossil primates ...
Phys.org / Language-based screeners may miss kids who struggle to read due to visual-processing issues
Reading difficulties, like dyslexia, are common and often affect achievement and outcomes during school and later in life. A new study, published in Current Biology, reports that current methods used to test for reading disabilities ...
Medical Xpress / First 3D views of human cone opsins reveal how daylight vision reacts so fast
The retina of the human eye contains 6–7 million cone cells. These cells contain light-sensitive proteins known as cone opsins. They enable us to perceive our surroundings in detail in daylight. They allow us to see the world ...
Medical Xpress / Hope for spinal injuries as pigs walk again after experimental gel treatment for severed spinal cords
In humans and other mammals, spinal cord injuries can be devastating, leading to permanent loss of movement, sensation and bladder control. When severed axons (the long fibers that carry messages between nerve cells) cannot ...
Phys.org / Antibiotics trigger bacterial teamwork, boosting survival through shared proteins
When bacteria are under antibiotic attack, it is not "every man for himself." Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and colleagues from collaborating institutions have discovered that bacterial populations work as a team ...
