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Phys.org / Making mini-lightning in a block of plastic
Lightning formation and the conditions triggering it have long been shrouded in a cloud of mystery, but new research led by Penn State scientists is lifting the fog. Using mathematical calculations, the researchers have discovered ...
Dialog / Amazon fish contaminated with toxic metals threaten riverine communities' health
For riverside communities along the Amazon, fish is not a menu choice—it is a lifeline. Millions of people in the Brazilian Amazon depend on fish as their primary source of protein, consuming it daily in quantities far ...
Phys.org / AI-designed diffractive optical processors pave the way for low-power structural health monitoring
A team of researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has introduced a novel framework for monitoring structural vibrations using diffractive optical processors. This new technology uses artificial intelligence ...
Phys.org / Neutrons reveal magnetic signatures of chiral phonons
Physicists in China have uncovered new evidence that chiral phonons and magnons can interact strongly inside magnetic crystals. Using neutron spectroscopy, a team led by Song Bao at Nanjing University mapped magnetic signatures ...
Phys.org / New LVK catalog adds 128 gravitational-wave candidates, more than doubling detections
When the densest objects in the universe collide and merge, the violence sets off ripples, in the form of gravitational waves, that reverberate across space and time, over hundreds of millions and even billions of years. ...
Phys.org / Marine biologists a family history of San Diego's giant kelp over more than four decades
The growth form of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) is composed of shoots known as stipes instead of branches. From one parent holding fast to the hard bottom might come as many as 150 stipes. Typically, the tips of the ...
Phys.org / Why Large Hadron Collider predictions can miss the mark, and a new way to fix it
Estimating things that exist is generally easy, but when it comes to estimating things that do not exist, it's more difficult. This is something physicists from Poland and the UK are well aware of. To improve current simulations ...
Medical Xpress / Finding the right supportive footwear for pain relief is key, say podiatrists
If you suffer from persistent foot or lower body discomfort, the solution might be found in your closet rather than your medicine cabinet.
Phys.org / Microbial ancestor of complex life was more sophisticated than previously thought, studies suggest
Our single-celled ancestor lived in a world without plants, animals or oxygen-rich oceans. Yet, this seemingly simple microorganism took the first steps toward complex life. From this ancestor emerged all multicellular (complex) ...
Medical Xpress / Follow motion or light? How the brain deals with multiple visual inputs
Imagine arriving at a busy location with people moving around and a multitude of visual and other sensory cues vying for your attention. How does the brain integrate such floods of sensory information and reach a decision ...
Phys.org / Protecting wildlife from genetic collapse with newly identified 'early warning signals'
A new study reveals that habitat fragmentation can lead to sudden "tipping points" where a species' genetic health unexpectedly collapses after appearing stable for long periods. By merging network theory with population ...
Phys.org / The Black Death's counterintuitive effect: As human numbers fell, so did plant diversity
Between 1347 and 1353, Europe was gripped by the most catastrophic pandemic in its history: the Black Death. Killing many millions, the plague wiped out between one-third and a half of Europe's population.