Phys.org news
Phys.org / Theia and Earth were neighbors, new research suggests
About 4.5 billion years ago, the most momentous event in the history of Earth occurred: a huge celestial body called Theia collided with the young Earth. How the collision unfolded and what exactly happened afterward has ...
Phys.org / Climate change is now warming the deepest parts of the Arctic Ocean
While it is well known that climate change is heating the world's oceans, it was thought that the deep sea was safe from its effects—until now. Researchers have discovered that a rapidly warming part of the Atlantic is ...
Phys.org / Bright squeezed vacuum reveals hidden quantum effects in strong-field physics
In a new study published in Nature Physics, researchers have demonstrated that quantum light, particularly bright squeezed vacuum (BSV), can drive strong-field photoemission at metal needle tips.
Phys.org / Moss spores survive 9 months outside International Space Station
Mosses thrive in the most extreme environments on Earth, from the peaks of the Himalayas to the sands of Death Valley, the Antarctic tundra to the lava fields of active volcanoes. Inspired by moss's resilience, researchers ...
Phys.org / Cellular crowding in fruit fly embryos triggers a critical DNA reorganization, biologists find
After fertilization, embryos race through rapid cell divisions before slowing down to build specialized cells that will carry out distinct functions in the developing body—but the signals that trigger this shift have remained ...
Phys.org / Generative chatbots promise personalized education at scale but struggle with accuracy issues
Personalized learning is a very effective teaching method, but its potential is limited due to resource constraints. In a small, in-person class, instructors can walk around, engage with students individually, adjust lessons ...
Phys.org / Rethinking where language comes from: Framework reveals complex interplay of biology and culture
A new study challenges the idea that language stems from a single evolutionary root. Instead, it proposes that our ability to communicate evolved through the interaction of biology and culture, and involves multiple capacities, ...
Phys.org / Airborne sensors map ammonia plumes in California's Imperial Valley
A recent study led by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and the nonprofit Aerospace Corporation shows how high-resolution maps of ground-level ammonia plumes can be generated with airborne ...
Phys.org / Not just stomata: Hidden water regulation mechanism could help crops survive drought
Cornell researchers have discovered a previously unknown way plants regulate water that is so fundamental it may change plant biology textbooks—and open the door to breeding more drought-tolerant crops.
Phys.org / Light-controlled embryos reveal power of mechanical forces in human development
Only two weeks after fertilization, the first sign of the formation of the three axes of the human body (head/tail, ventral/dorsal, and right/left) begins to appear. At this stage, known as gastrulation, a flat and featureless ...
Phys.org / Understanding bacteria's role in transforming steroids to pharmaceuticals
For decades, pharmaceutical companies have been using bacteria found in soil and water to chemically convert steroids into effective treatments for human diseases. One example is cortisol, which is used to treat asthma and ...
Phys.org / LHAASO conducts all-sky search for exploding primordial black holes
Primordial black holes (PBHs) are black holes theorized to have formed shortly after the Big Bang. Compared to black holes emerging from collapsing stars, PBHs could have very different masses, ranging from very small to ...
