Phys.org news
Phys.org / Rivers may be carrying more microplastics into the world's oceans than previously thought
Microplastics are a modern environmental menace and a potential threat to human health. These tiny pieces of plastic, measuring from 1 to 5,000 micrometers, come mainly from larger plastics as well as sources such as paints ...
Phys.org / Mosquito 'toilet' detects West Nile and first Hedwig-like virus found in the Americas
When public health researchers want to know whether diseases such as COVID-19 or polio are circulating in a community, they can look for genetic evidence in wastewater.
Phys.org / Series of reactions reveals how complex carbon chemistry can begin in frigid space
Before there was Earth, there was chemistry. In the unimaginable cold, dark clouds where stars and planets are born, carbon molecules assemble into more complex forms—starting a chemical journey that could eventually deliver ...
Phys.org / Salicornia genomes reveal genetic secrets to farming on salty land
A University of Newcastle-led global study has produced the most complete genetic picture yet of a salt-loving plant with the potential to help grow food in some of the world's harshest environments.
Phys.org / AI updates can sometimes feel like breakups or losses, study finds
Artificial intelligence systems, particularly those powered by large language models and designed to communicate with users on a one-to-one basis, are increasingly used worldwide. Some of these systems, such as Replika, are ...
Phys.org / Speedy electrons for brilliant laser light: Research paves the way for compact, inexpensive free-electron lasers
Extremely short, intense light flashes are in high demand to investigate atoms, molecules and new materials. Free-electron lasers (FELs) produce these flashes. But around the world, beam time available at large-scale user ...
Phys.org / How prehistoric coastal flooding shaped the Northern Adriatic
Researchers have shown how dramatic sea-level rise over a 5,000-year period profoundly changed the coasts of northern Italy, Slovenia and northern Croatia. Successive shaping and reshaping of coastal features influenced the ...
Phys.org / The surprising history of woolly rhinos: They weren't always creatures of the frozen north
Woolly rhinoceroses (Coelodonta antiquitatis) were fascinating creatures: giant, lumbering Ice Age beasts with thick fur and massive horns that died out about 11,000 years ago. Previous genetic studies had left open the question ...
Phys.org / Bizarre galactic radio source remains active for two decades with no detectable X-rays
Astronomers have identified a peculiar radio transient in the Milky Way that has remained active for more than two decades, defying the behavior expected of known classes of galactic radio sources. The paper posted to the ...
Phys.org / Getting photons into shape for reliable quantum communication
The vast majority of modern quantum technologies—from quantum cryptography to the quantum internet to the quantum computer—rely on one essential element: the transmission of photons. Two qubits (two atoms, for example) exchange ...
Phys.org / How the 2024 solar superstorm drained Earth's radiation belt
In May 2024, Earth experienced its most intense geomagnetic storm since the Halloween storms of 2003. This "superstorm" filled night skies in many parts of the world with colorful aurorae, and it disrupted some infrastructure, ...
Phys.org / Ultracold cesium atoms reveal Bethe strings predicted nearly a century ago
In 1931, physicist Hans Bethe predicted that, in certain one-dimensional quantum systems, particles can bind together to form multi-particle states known as Bethe strings. Unlike ordinary molecules, which are held together ...
