Phys.org news

Phys.org / 'Peculiar' crocodile ancestor started life on four legs before learning to walk on two

A "peculiar" ancient relative of the crocodile which experts believe began life on four legs before, in adulthood, it learned how to walk on just two has been revealed in a new study. Named Sonselasuchus cedrus, this archaic ...

1 hour ago
Phys.org / AI disclosure labels may do more harm than good, study warns

The growing use of AI-generated scientific and science-related content, especially on social media, raises important concerns: these texts may contain false or highly persuasive information that is difficult for users to ...

1 hour ago
Phys.org / Superconductivity controlled by a built-in light-confining cavity

For the first time, physicists have demonstrated that a material's superconductivity can be altered by coupling it to an in-built, light-confining cavity. In experiments published in Nature, a team led by Itai Keren at Columbia ...

7 hours ago
Phys.org / Inland China experienced typhoon-related population decline 3,000 years ago, according to 'oracle bones,' AI and physics

Evidence suggests that China's "cradle of civilization" experienced marked climate disasters and social upheavals during the mid-late Holocene (around 3,000 years ago). However, the direct causes and impacts of these ancient ...

10 hours ago
Phys.org / Quantum entanglement offers route to higher-resolution optical astronomy

Researchers in the US have demonstrated how quantum entanglement could be used to detect optical signals from astronomical sources at the single-photon level. Published in Nature, a team led by Pieter-Jan Stas at Harvard ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / 'Mesoscale' swimmers could pave way for drug delivery robots inside the body

In physics, the mesoscale lies between the microscopic and the macroscopic. It is not just the domain of tiny living creatures like small larvae, shrimp, and jellyfish, but also where physics equations become extreme. While ...

9 hours ago
Phys.org / How a protein pair ensures that faulty mRNA is destroyed

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is one of the most important processes in our cells to ensure that no faulty or incomplete proteins are produced. Scientists have now identified a central mechanism behind this control system.

10 hours ago
Phys.org / Engineered magnetic films follow graphene's equations for massless electron waves

The electronic and magnetic properties of two-dimensional materials both have strong potential for technological applications. Researchers have long assumed that they are distinct phenomena, but Illinois Grainger engineers ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Heat-tolerant corals may help some reefs persist, but most still erode

A recent report on global tipping points warned that coral reefs face widespread dieback and have reached a point from which they cannot recover.

12 hours ago
Phys.org / How long does it take to get last liquid drops from kitchen containers? These physicists know the answer

At some point, most people have found themselves holding a tilted carton of milk or bottle of cooking oil, patiently waiting for the last drops to drip out. Now, physicists at Brown University have done the math to show just ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Philippines' 'Cockroach Lord' goes to bat for misunderstood bugs

A thin band of light from Cristian Lucanas's headlamp pierces the blackness of a Philippine rainforest as he digs through the underbrush before gently scooping up a cockroach with his bare hands.

15 hours ago
Phys.org / High-resolution ocean models better capture Atlantic-driven European heat waves

Europe is struggling more and more with extreme heat in the summer. While climate change is the main reason for this increase, what specific physical mechanisms cause a heat wave? One important driver of weather conditions ...

14 hours ago