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Phys.org / Plants use engineering principles to push through hard soil
Across the globe, soil compaction is becoming an ever more serious challenge. Heavy vehicles and machinery in modern agriculture compress the soil to such an extent that crops struggle to grow. In many regions, the problem ...
Tech Xplore / Can bigger-is-better 'scaling laws' keep AI improving forever? History says we can't be too sure
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman—perhaps the most prominent face of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom that accelerated with the launch of ChatGPT in 2022—loves scaling laws.
Phys.org / Starquakes reveal red giant's turbulent history and rapid spin in black hole system
Astronomers from the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy (IfA) have uncovered the turbulent past of a distant red giant by listening to its celestial "song." Subtle variations in the star's brightness suggest that ...
Phys.org / Satellites spot surprising tsunami patterns: Massive Kamchatka quake challenges old models
A satellite deployed to measure ocean surface heights was up to the challenge when a massive earthquake off the Kamchatka Peninsula triggered a Pacific-wide tsunami in late July.
Phys.org / Corral technique measures fragile quantum states in magnet-superconductor hybrids from afar
Hybrid materials made of magnets and superconductors give rise to fascinating quantum phenomena, which are so sensitive that it is crucial to measure them with minimal interference. Researchers at the University of Hamburg ...
Phys.org / Mystery foot belongs to ancient human relative: Scientists
Newly discovered fossils prove that a mysterious foot found in Ethiopia belongs to a little-known, recently named ancient human relative who lived alongside the species of the famous Lucy, scientists said Wednesday.
Phys.org / Life in balance: Ancient Andean scales illuminated by new research
New research from the University of St Andrews has discovered how Incas used Andean balance scales and ancient string knot writing known as "khipus," in association with sacred, animate landscapes.
Medical Xpress / Daily coffee drinking may slow biological aging of people with major mental illness
Drinking a maximum of 3–4 cups of coffee a day may slow the "biological" aging of people with severe mental illness, by lengthening their telomeres—indicators of cellular aging—and giving them the equivalent of 5 extra ...
Phys.org / New deep-learning tool can tell if salmon is wild or farmed
A paper published in Biology Methods and Protocols, finds that it is now possible to distinguish wild from farmed salmon using deep learning, potentially greatly improving strategies for environmental protection. The paper ...
Phys.org / How to turn water into wine, with raisins
It's astonishing to realize how innovative our ancestors were in food and beverage production before modern science and technology. Without understanding or isolating them, ancient peoples made use of yeasts like Saccharomyces ...
Phys.org / Public trust in science eroded by UN climate change language, study suggests
The United Nations' climate change body may unintentionally be eroding public trust in science because of the way it communicates risk, new University of Essex research shows.
Phys.org / Counting salmon is a breeze with airborne eDNA
During the annual salmon run last fall, University of Washington researchers pulled salmon DNA out of thin air and used it to estimate the number of fish that passed through the adjacent river. Aden Yincheong Ip, a UW research ...