Phys.org news
Phys.org / Why is almost everyone right-handed? The answer may lie in how we learned to walk
It is one of the strangest puzzles in human evolution. About 90% of people across every human culture favor their right hand—with no other primate species showing a population-level preference on this scale. Despite decades ...
Phys.org / Neuron imaging captures unconventional receptor route that supports synaptic communication
All cells, whether big or small, short or long, rely on proteins to function properly. In most cells, transporting these proteins is relatively simple. Neurons in the brain, however, face a significant logistical challenge ...
Phys.org / Implantable bacteria can now be safely contained, clearing a major hurdle for fighting infection and cancer
Researchers have long known that bacteria could potentially be used to deliver therapeutic drugs inside the human body. However, safely and successfully carrying out such a feat in humans has been a challenge. But now, researchers ...
Phys.org / Scientists identify hidden accelerant in Antarctic ice loss
For years, scientists have warned that melting Antarctic ice could push sea levels dangerously higher by the end of this century. But a new study led by University of Maryland scientist Madeleine Youngs suggests those warnings ...
Phys.org / Sustainable chemistry: Iron substitutes noble metals in catalytic reactions
The production of many products used in everyday life and in industry, such as pharmaceuticals, plastics, and coatings, requires chemical catalysts, often expensive noble metals with limited availability. Researchers at the ...
Phys.org / A hidden threshold enables tunable control of liquid crystal helices for energy-efficient technologies
Liquid crystals are an integral part of modern technology, ranging from displays to advanced sensory systems. In a study published in Scientific Reports, researchers from the Institute of Experimental Physics of the Slovak ...
Phys.org / Single-molecule RNA mapping may reveal how shape shifts steer health and disease
Researchers from A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (A*STAR GIS) have developed a new method to study individual RNA molecules and reveal how their structures influence gene regulation, a fundamental process that affects ...
Phys.org / Tropical rivers emerge as biggest oxygen-loss hotspots in a warming world
According to a study published in Science Advances on May 15, global rivers are undergoing widespread and sustained deoxygenation driven by climate warming, among which tropical rivers are the most vulnerable ecosystems, ...
Phys.org / Exploiting interfacial ionic mobility to make heat-moldable nanoparticle aggregates
If you have ever warped a cheap plastic cup by pouring coffee into it, then you have witnessed thermoplasticity in action. Thermoplasticity is the ability of a material to become pliable under heating. In industry, thermoplasticity ...
Phys.org / Dense soils may spread earthquake surface ruptures into wider damage zones, particle models suggest
Earthquakes can visibly and permanently crack the ground apart in dramatic and unpredictable surface fault rupture, but new research led by University of Michigan Engineering revealed that soil density strongly influences ...
Phys.org / Coal pollution is cutting solar power output worldwide, study finds
New research led by the University of Oxford and University College London (UCL) has revealed that pollution from coal-fired power plants is significantly reducing the energy output of solar photovoltaic (solar PV) installations, ...
Phys.org / Q&A: Evolution may reshape how urban forests, wetlands and reefs protect cities
Over the past decade, cities around the world have increasingly turned to nature-based infrastructure to become more resilient in the face of a changing climate. Urban forests provide shade during heat waves and improve air ...
