Phys.org news
Phys.org / A severed piece of sea cucumber refused to die, and what happened next could transform medicine
From the revived corpse of Frankenstein's monster to the disembodied hand, "Thing," in the Addams Family, reanimated tissue is one of the most enduring images in science fiction. It turns out, that image has some basis in ...
Phys.org / 'Feathered dragon' has some of the longest tail feathers ever found on a fossil bird
Birds have all kinds of fancy decorations for attracting mates—male peacocks have a fan of feathers accented with shimmering blue eye-spots, birds of paradise do courtship dances that highlight their fluffy plumes, and female ...
Phys.org / Perfect randomness realized for the first time
Creating perfect randomness is surprisingly difficult. Even modern random number generators never generate completely ideal random numbers: small systematic errors can result in some numbers appearing slightly more frequently ...
Phys.org / Scientists reveal how dividing cells precisely trigger spindle formation
During animal cell division, a highly synchronized and tightly regulated dance of chromosomes takes place, ensuring the chromosomes split correctly into the two cells. Spindle fibers—complex machinery responsible for choreographing ...
Phys.org / Trust and patience link to higher happiness across 76 countries
A study covering 76 countries has found that people who are more trusting, patient, altruistic and cooperative tend to report higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction, suggesting that well-being depends on more than ...
Phys.org / Moon base missions face an unseen threat, and these simulations show where it could strike first
Researchers have developed a novel virtual model for simulating how astronauts in future moon base operations might interact with each other and with their environment, with preliminary simulations revealing potential opportunities ...
Phys.org / Researchers link specific microbiomes to archaeological bone degradation
Well-preserved archaeological bone samples have different microbial communities than heavily degraded bone samples, providing a new understanding of how microbes contribute to bone degradation, according to a study published ...
Phys.org / Rare observations reveal an X9 solar flare before it erupts
Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation from the sun's surface, which can wreak havoc on Earth's power grids, damage orbiting satellites, and pose serious radiation risks to astronauts. Yet despite decades of study, ...
Phys.org / Single tissue snapshot reveals biological processes unfolding over time
A core challenge in biology is understanding how processes in the body, such as cellular development and regeneration, unfold over long stretches of time, making them notoriously difficult to view at the molecular level. ...
Phys.org / Outdoor lights may keep mosquitoes biting and breeding deeper into autumn
In some parts of the world, autumn brings welcome relief from mosquitoes, such as the Northern house mosquito (Culex pipiens). As the days grow shorter, the waning light is a signal for them to enter a winter state of dormancy ...
Phys.org / Lake Erie produces 'forbidden soup' of rotating potential toxins
Municipalities and federal agencies monitor U.S. waters for microcystins, a toxin produced by harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, but a University of Michigan study shows that the blooms produce a greater range of potentially ...
Phys.org / Earth's oxygen-rich atmosphere may owe its existence to cold subduction
Earth was mostly devoid of oxygen for much of its 4.5 billion year lifetime. That is, until certain processes started to allow for the eventual buildup of oxygen up to the levels we have now (around 21% of the atmosphere). ...
