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Phys.org / Trace additive unlocks faster bioplastic biodegradation without losing transparency or strength
Compostable plastics could be part of a solution to the world's plastic waste problem. But currently these materials need industrial composting facilities to break down. In a step toward making a home-compostable plastic, ...
Tech Xplore / Ultrathin membranes could transform hydrocarbon processing by slashing energy use
A team of international researchers has developed a new class of ultrathin polymer membranes that can rapidly and selectively separate complex hydrocarbon mixtures, potentially transforming how crude oil is refined and refinery ...
Phys.org / Heat waves increase wildfire risk—a new study explains how much, and it's not a small number
When heat waves hit the Western United States, the risk of wildfires quickly rises. The prolonged heat dries out vegetation, but that's only part of the cause—heat waves also play other roles in spreading wildfires.
Phys.org / Plant diversity may explain why some caterpillars are fussy about their food
Many insects will eat almost anything in their sight, such as certain beetles, grasshoppers and locusts, while others are remarkably picky eaters. For example, numerous insect herbivores will feed only on a single plant family ...
Medical Xpress / Link between genetics and BMI has become stronger since rise in obesity rates, study finds
People who carry genetic variations linked to obesity are more likely to be heavier now than individuals with the same variants who were born before the recent obesity epidemic. Liam Wright of University College London and ...
Phys.org / Europe swelters as more heat records set to tumble
Much of Western Europe was sweltering in a grueling heat wave on Friday, with the mercury expected to continue rising in the coming days, likely shattering yet more temperature records.
Phys.org / Rice gene switch helps plants rebound from cold and use nitrogen more efficiently
Global climate change has increased the frequency of regional cold spells, causing substantial yield losses and even crop failure. Meanwhile, excessive nitrogen fertilizer use in agriculture has increased non-point-source ...
Tech Xplore / Wearable glove turns data into heat and touch for more personal insights
University of Adelaide researchers have developed a wearable glove that uses heat, touch and physical objects to transform data into a sensory experience. The prototype, called ThermoPhy, was developed as part of a remote ...
Phys.org / New Zealand scientists working on 'R' win major global award
Scientists working on the revolutionary 'R' programming language invented at the University of Auckland have won a top award intended to be a Nobel Prize for statisticians.
Phys.org / Mountain lions have major ecological impact even in small preserves
Big cats have a big impact. A long-term study showed that when mountain lions began regular visits to a small suburban preserve about 45 miles (72 kilometers) south of San Francisco, they changed the behavior of many other ...
Phys.org / People are marrying holograms and making friends with chatbots. But can AI bring true happiness?
Can technology really replace human relationships? As philosophy scholars who focus on human happiness and on artificial intelligence (AI), we tackle this question in a recent paper.
Medical Xpress / Update to 89-year-old motor homunculus model shows brain's motor cortex isn't as neatly organized as previously thought
For almost a century, budding neuroscientists have been taught that the headband-like strip of brain tissue over our ears that controls our movements, called the motor cortex, contains an orderly map of our bodies. Brain ...
