Phys.org news
Phys.org / Decades of research bring quantum dots to brink of widespread use
A new article in Science magazine gives an overview of almost three decades of research into colloidal quantum dots, assesses the technological progress for these nanometer-sized specs of semiconductor matter, and weighs ...
Phys.org / V404 Cygni: Huge rings around a black hole
This image features a spectacular set of rings around a black hole, captured using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. The X-ray images of the giant rings reveal information about dust located ...
Phys.org / This quantum crystal could be a new dark matter sensor
Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have linked together, or "entangled," the mechanical motion and electronic properties of a tiny blue crystal, giving it a quantum edge in measuring electric ...
Phys.org / Leaping squirrels! Parkour is one of their many feats of agility
Videos of squirrels leaping from bendy branches across impossibly large gaps, parkouring off walls, scrambling to recover from tricky landings.
Phys.org / Massive ancient lake across prairies emptied quickly enough to set off an ice age, study suggests
A flood of epic proportions drained at a rate of more than 800 Olympic swimming pools per second from a glacial lake that spanned the Prairie provinces more than 12,000 years ago, according to a University of Alberta-led ...
Phys.org / Corn's genetic diversity on display in new genome study
The newly assembled genomes of 26 different genetic lines of corn illustrate the crop's rich genetic diversity and could pave the way for a better understanding of what genetic mechanisms account for crop traits prized by ...
Phys.org / Survey suggests climate change has reduced the presence of invasive Argentine ants
In 1993, Stanford University biology professor Deborah Gordon and her first graduate student, Katy Human, began a survey of ants at Stanford's Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve. Nearly 30 years, four more graduate students ...
Phys.org / Using two CRISPR enzymes, a COVID diagnostic in only 20 minutes
Frequent, rapid testing for COVID-19 is critical to controlling the spread of outbreaks, especially as new, more transmissible variants emerge.
Phys.org / Now how did that get up there? New study sheds light on development and evolution of dolphin, whale blowholes
Modern cetaceans—which include dolphins, whales and porpoises—are well adapted for aquatic life. They have blubber to insulate and fins to propel and steer. Today's cetaceans also sport a unique type of nasal passage: ...
Phys.org / Venom has contributed to the species diversity of insects and fishes, new study reveals
The extraordinary diversity of insects and fishes, the most species-rich invertebrate and vertebrate groups in the animal kingdom, is partly due to the origin of venom, a new study of their evolution has revealed.
Phys.org / Scientists mail freeze-dried mouse sperm on a postcard
Scientists no longer have to worry about their bottles of mouse sperm breaking in transit. Researchers in Japan have developed a way to freeze dry sperm on a plastic sheet in weighing paper so that samples can withstand being ...
Phys.org / Solving solar puzzle could help save Earth from planet-wide blackouts
Could solar storms knock out the global internet? Yes, but we don't know when or how it could happen. Mathematician Dr. Geoffrey Vasil has proposed a new understanding of the Sun's convection zone to help.