Phys.org news

Phys.org / Tracking the footsteps of West Africa's prehistoric metalworkers

The discovery of a 2,400-year-old metalworking workshop in Senegal provides new insights into the history of iron production in Africa. Despite decades of archaeological research, the origins of iron metallurgy in sub-Saharan ...

58 minutes ago
Phys.org / Say what? New study debunks belief that introverts are better listeners

New Minnesota Carlson research debunks the idea that introverts are better listeners than extroverts. In fact, extroverts may have a slight perceived advantage as listeners. The study authors suggest moving past personality-based ...

18 minutes ago
Phys.org / Climate change may produce 'fast-food' phytoplankton

We are what we eat. And in the ocean, most life-forms source their food from phytoplankton. These microscopic, plant-like algae are the primary food source for krill, sea snails, some small fish, and jellyfish, which in turn ...

38 minutes ago
Phys.org / College students struggle to identify problematic gray zones in academic practice, study finds

Students across education levels have a blind spot for identifying situations that might bring their academic integrity into questionable territory, a study finds. When navigating questions on citation, collaboration, and ...

1 hour ago
Phys.org / Impacts from meteors may have helped start life on Earth by creating hydrothermal vents

Meteor impacts may have helped spark life on Earth, creating hot, chemical-rich environments where the first living cells could take shape, according to research integrated by a recent Rutgers University graduate. Shea Cinquemani, ...

1 hour ago
Phys.org / SimCells successfully target and kill drug-resistant bacteria

We are continually in an evolutionary arms race with bacteria. As we develop new antibiotics, they develop resistance, and so it goes on until some of our treatments no longer work. Superbugs and antimicrobial resistance ...

2 hours ago
Phys.org / Getting a glimpse of viral dances in the dark in the Sargasso Sea

In a new study of viral abundance over a short time frame in the Sargasso Sea, researchers found that almost all viruses with cyclical changes in abundance were most active at night—somewhat surprising when the team expected ...

1 hour ago
Phys.org / The influencers with millions of followers who don't actually exist

Lil Miquela has 2.5 million Instagram followers, a high-fashion wardrobe, and a clear political voice. She has advocated for Black Lives Matter and the LGBTQI+ community, fronted major brand campaigns, and built a devoted ...

2 hours ago
Phys.org / Astronomers determine the fate of a double white dwarf binary

Utilizing the stellar evolution code named Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA), Chinese astronomers have investigated the evolution of a recently discovered ultra-compact double white dwarf binary system ...

8 hours ago
Phys.org / What builds cohesion in diverse societies? Brain scans point to shared national identity cues

The brain? It has a flexible social perception. In interactions with people from different ethnic groups, it tends to respond more inclusively when a shared national identity is made salient. A study, by the University of ...

2 hours ago
Phys.org / Lost mosaic reveals first image of female beast-fighter from the Roman era

When you think of a fight between an animal and a human in ancient Roman sports, the mental image is usually of a big man vs. an animal in a big arena filled with cheering spectators. In a new study, Alfonso Manas, a researcher ...

4 hours ago
Phys.org / New catalyst enables targeted antibiotic redesign to beat resistant bacteria

Antibiotics, our infantry against bacteria, are losing their ability to fight against bacterial infections due to the rise of superbugs—microbes that have developed resistance to medications that are designed to kill them. ...

9 hours ago