Phys.org news
Phys.org / When politics enter the picture, credentials take a back seat
Most Americans know what a real expert's credentials look like: relevant degree, years of experience, and respect from peers. The problem, according to a study recently published in Scientific Reports, is that none of it ...
Phys.org / eROSITA discovers a 'changing-look' Seyfert galaxy
Astronomers have tracked a dramatic "changing-look" active galactic nucleus (AGN) whose central supermassive black hole appeared to switch off and then rapidly reignite. The galaxy, HE 1237−2252, dimmed in X-rays by a factor ...
Phys.org / Surrounded by stardust: Antarctic ice cores confirm Earth is accumulating iron-60 from local interstellar cloud
Our solar system is currently passing through the Local Interstellar Cloud, a region of highly diluted gas and dust between the stars. On its path, Earth continuously accumulates iron-60, a rare radioactive isotope of iron ...
Phys.org / People overestimate how confident AI systems are in their responses, experiments reveal
Artificial intelligence (AI) systems, particularly conversational agents such as ChatGPT or Gemini, are now used daily by a growing number of people worldwide. While many users trust the answers of AI agents to their queries, ...
Phys.org / Neutrino flavor flips could be key to triggering supernovae
Despite being so elusive, neutrinos are produced in abundance in some of the most violent events in the universe. One of their strangest properties is that they can spontaneously switch between three types, or "flavors": ...
Phys.org / New spacecraft will watch Earth's shield take the hit as solar storms come roaring in
A joint European-Chinese spacecraft is set to blast off Tuesday to investigate what happens when extreme winds and giant explosions of plasma shot out from the sun slam into Earth's magnetic shield.
Phys.org / Hidden cell networks emerge in 3D as new nanoscopy tracks living bridges
A new nanoscopy technique developed at The Australian National University (ANU) has uncovered hidden networks used for communication between cells, opening new ways to understand human diseases. Described in an article published ...
Phys.org / First outbursting hot subdwarf binary discovered
An international team of astronomers has utilized the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to investigate a binary system designated ZTF J0007+4804. As a result, they have found ...
Phys.org / Why some water fleas suddenly grow helmets: Key receptors reveal how predator warnings trigger defense
Daphnia, commonly known as water fleas, are tiny crustaceans that live in freshwater ponds and lakes. When they sense predators in their surroundings, these small organisms can swiftly move away or adapt their body shape, ...
Phys.org / Medieval teeth open a new perspective on leprosy care and toxic medicine
A recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, led by Dr. Elena Fiorin and her colleagues investigated the potential use of mercury-based treatments for leprosy during the late medieval period. Typically, ...
Phys.org / New recyclable protein textiles could cut microplastic pollution and lower clothing waste
The textile industry produces a substantial portion of the world's waste, with only about 12% of fiber materials ending up in recycling. Textiles also account for much of the microplastics in oceans. During every wash cycle, ...
Phys.org / Hidden small RNA in cholera bacterium helps determine whether it can infect humans
Scientists from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have uncovered what gives Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, the ability to colonize the human gut. The researchers found that a small RNA embedded within ...
