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Phys.org / Smarter tools for peering into the microscopic world developed
The microscopic organisms that fill our bodies, soils, oceans and atmosphere play essential roles in human health and the planet's ecosystems. Yet even with modern DNA sequencing, figuring out what these microbes are and ...
Phys.org / Unique bond identified as key to viral infection speed
Viruses are typically described as tiny, perfectly geometric shells that pack genetic material with mathematical precision, but new research led by scientists at Penn State reveals a deliberate imbalance in their shape that ...
Phys.org / Ultra-hot super-Earth shows signs of thick atmosphere despite extreme conditions
Researchers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have detected the strongest evidence yet for an atmosphere on a rocky planet outside our solar system.
Phys.org / Water's enigmatic surface: X-ray snapshots reveal atoms and molecules at work
Water is all around us, yet its surface layer—home to chemical reactions that shape life on Earth—is surprisingly hard to study. Experiments at SLAC's X-ray laser are bringing it into focus.
Phys.org / Astronomers examine nuclear star cluster of nearby galaxy Messier 74
By analyzing the data from the PHANGS-MUSE survey, an international team of astronomers has inspected a nuclear star cluster of the nearby large spiral galaxy Messier 74. The new study presented Dec. 3 on the arXiv pre-print ...
Medical Xpress / How a simple slipknot can help surgeons tie the perfect suture
In surgical procedures, the last knot of a suture is crucial because it must hold the wound firmly in place to allow proper healing. But many surgeons struggle to apply the perfect tension. Tie it too tightly, and it can ...
Phys.org / A new medium for canine stem cells that doesn't contain any human components
Canine induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells possess the ability to differentiate into any type of cell, making them a useful tool for investigating common canine diseases and disease states, including those of humans.
Phys.org / Feedback loops from oil fields accelerate Arctic warming and other atmospheric changes, study shows
The climate is changing and nowhere is it changing faster than at Earth's poles. Researchers at Penn State have painted a comprehensive picture of the chemical processes taking place in the Arctic and found that there are ...
Tech Xplore / More brines could be mined for lithium with counterintuitive method
Lithium could be selectively extracted from "low quality" brines using a surprising mechanism discovered at the University of Michigan. The technology could help make brine lakes rich in magnesium a more sustainable source ...
Phys.org / Femtosecond lasers push the limits of nanostructures for thermal engineering
Femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures can be used to control thermal conductivity in thin film solids, report researchers from Japan. Their innovative method, which leverages high-speed laser ablation, produces ...
Phys.org / Laughing about science more important than ever: Ig Nobel founder
With science increasingly coming under attack, using humor as a way to get people interested in scientific research is more important than ever, the founder of the satirical Ig Nobel prizes said.
Phys.org / Rare-earth europium substitution allows for more control over CO₂-to-fuel conversion
The electrochemical CO2 (carbon dioxide) reduction reaction takes harmful pollutants and transforms them into valuable products like fuel. However, selectively tailoring various processes in this reaction to successfully ...
