All News
Phys.org / Vibrational spectroscopy technique enables nanoscale mapping of molecular orientation at surfaces
Sum-frequency generation (SFG) is a powerful vibrational spectroscopy that can selectively probe molecular structures at surfaces and interfaces, but its spatial resolution has been limited to the micrometer scale by the ...
Phys.org / Catalyst selectivity as a balancing act: Co₃O₄ 'trapped' in transition shows peak activity
In a study appearing in Nature Catalysis, researchers from the Inorganic Chemistry Department of the Fritz Haber Institute reveal how structural changes on the surface and in the bulk region of the cobalt oxide catalyst Co3O4 ...
Phys.org / New study sheds light on the threat of 'marine darkwaves' to ocean life
Life in the ocean runs on light. It fuels photosynthesis, shapes food webs and determines where many marine species can live.
Phys.org / Domestication has changed the chemicals that squash flowers use to attract bees
Flowers emit scented chemicals to attract pollinators, but this perfume—and how pollinators interact with the plant—can go through profound changes as a crop becomes domesticated.
Phys.org / Nanoscopic raft dynamics on cell membranes successfully visualized for first time
A collaborative team of four professors and several graduate students from the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemical Science and Technology at National Taiwan University, together with the Department of Applied Chemistry ...
Phys.org / Ecosystem productivity shapes how soil microbes store or release carbon, challenging old assumptions
Soils store more carbon than the atmosphere and vegetation combined, with soil microorganisms playing the main role. As a result, the global soil carbon cycle—by which carbon enters, moves through, and leaves soils worldwide—exerts ...
Phys.org / General ad campaign for climate action receives more public engagement than tailored approach, study finds
Researchers investigating the effectiveness of outdoor ads promoting climate change awareness and action found that a general message of climate emergency awareness received more QR code scans compared to a more-specific ...
Phys.org / Grains of sand prove people—not glaciers—transported Stonehenge rocks
Ask people how Stonehenge was built and you'll hear stories of sledges, ropes, boats and sheer human determination to haul stones from across Britain to Salisbury Plain, in south-west England. Others might mention giants, ...
Phys.org / Rewilding corn reveals what its roots forgot
Corn is a colossal grain in the global food and feed chain, with the U.S. producing roughly 30% of the world's supply, or nearly 278 million metric tons in the 2024–25 growing season alone. But its journey from wild grass ...
Phys.org / Kenya's big cats under pressure: Cattle are pushing lions away
In the Kenyan savanna, lions and livestock essentially live in shifts: Cattle graze during the day and are enclosed at night when lions are active.
Phys.org / Nash equilibria: The hidden math behind predator–prey behaviors
Animal survival depends on effective attack and defense strategies, yet how these behaviors arise remains unclear. Addressing this question, a recent study shows that predator and prey behaviors emerge naturally as stable ...
Phys.org / An app that uses drone footage to track plastic litter on beaches is promoting voluntary cleanup in Ireland
Plastic pollution is one of those problems everyone can see, yet few know how to tackle it effectively. I grew up walking the beaches around Tramore in County Waterford, Ireland, where plastic debris has always been part ...
