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Phys.org / Volcanic eruptions linked to rising famine risk across China's history
Large volcanic eruptions may have played a bigger role in triggering historical famines across China than previously understood, according to a new study that traced links between eruptions, climate disruption, and food shortages ...
Phys.org / MUSE maps spiral galaxy W2246f, uncovering old core and ongoing star formation across disk
Astronomers have employed the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to perform deep spectroscopic observations of a peculiar spiral galaxy known as W2246f. Results of the observational ...
Phys.org / Medieval pandemic left a hidden legacy in Europe's oldest trees
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrates how radiocarbon dating can reveal the maximum lifespan of Mediterranean hardwoods, uncovering hidden links between human history and ...
Phys.org / Deep-sea supergiant isopods last years without food by using a two-part survival system
The supergiant bathynomid is a deep-sea isopod famous for surviving more than five years without food. Despite residing in an extremely low-nutrient habitat, these organisms exhibit pronounced body gigantism, a trait that ...
Phys.org / Mount Etna eruptions reveal carbon dioxide and water can trigger separate explosive paths
The plumbing systems of volcanoes are vast and complex. But they aren't consistent, even in the same volcano. A Cornell-led collaboration found very different mechanisms behind two historic eruptions of Mount Etna in Italy. ...
Tech Xplore / Plastic waste yields jet fuel through new process costing as little as $1 per kilogram
Aviation is one of the sectors that contributes most to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change on Earth. One proposed strategy for mitigating or counterbalancing the effects of these emissions is to substitute existing ...
Phys.org / 'The Heaven Sword' crowned as East Asia's tallest tree after a nearly decade-long search
Taiwan, historically known as Formosa, holds a secret deep within its rugged interior: it is one of the rare locations on Earth capable of supporting "giant" trees—specimens that tower over 80 meters in height. Since 2014, ...
Phys.org / Hagfish fossils reveal stepwise eye simplification before near-total vision loss
Many animals, including humans, rely on their eyes to detect changes in their surroundings. The eyes of vertebrates, animals with a backbone or a similar supporting structure, contain a transparent structure (i.e., the lens) ...
Phys.org / 120,000-year-old European fallow deer—tracing the loss of genetic diversity
European fallow deer have faced a dramatic loss of genetic diversity since the last interglacial period. This was revealed by 120,000-year-old fossils from central Germany's Neumark-Nord site in Saxony-Anhalt, analyzed by ...
Phys.org / Did this star eat its planets? A new study offers clues on 'chemical paradox' of a binary system
Astronomers have investigated a puzzling binary star system in which two stars that may have formed together now show dramatically different chemical compositions. The new study, uploaded to the arXiv preprint server on May ...
Dialog / Sweet basil carbon dots show potential for sustainable agriculture
What if a common herb found in the kitchen could help farmers grow healthier crops? As the global population grows and agriculture faces increasing environmental challenges, scientists are searching for innovative ways to ...
Phys.org / Infrastructure for African mines destroying forests at 34 times the rate of the mines themselves
Industrial-scale mining in Africa to support global supply chains is leading to unprecedented deforestation across the continent, with 34 hectares of forest removed for every single hectare of active mine site.
