Phys.org news
Phys.org / Tomatoes in the Galápagos are quietly de-evolving
On the younger, black-rock islands of the Galápagos archipelago, wild-growing tomatoes are doing something peculiar. They're shedding millions of years of evolution, reverting to a more primitive genetic state that resurrects ...
Phys.org / Ancient temple ruins discovered in Andes shed light on lost society
An ancient society near the southern shores of Lake Titicaca in modern-day Bolivia was once one of the continent's most powerful civilizations. Known as Tiwanaku, the ancient society is widely considered by archaeologists ...
Phys.org / Observations of binary system V455 Car suggest a possible third companion
Chinese astronomers have employed NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to observe an eclipsing binary of the Algol-type, designated V455 Car. Results of the observational campaign are published in the journal ...
Phys.org / Large yeast clusters generate natural circulatory flows through metabolic activity to bypass diffusion limits
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and India's National Center for Biological Sciences have found that yeast clusters, when grown beyond a certain size, spontaneously generate fluid flows powerful enough to ...
Phys.org / Affordable laser could be mass-produced for use in self-driving cars and fiber optics
Laser technology is used in many areas, where precise measurements are required and in communication. This means that they are important for everything from self-driving cars to the fiber optic internet and for detecting ...
Phys.org / Artificial heterostructure shows tunable photovoltaic effect for next-generation solar cells
As we witness the detrimental effects of climate change, the need for a rapid shift to renewable energy is only becoming more urgent. One of the most efficient forms of renewable energy, solar power, is generated by solar ...
Phys.org / Two-step system makes plastic from carbon dioxide, water and electricity
What if a machine could suck up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, run it through a series of chemical reactions, and essentially spit out industrially useful plastic?
Phys.org / Metal-organic frameworks with metallic conductivity pave new paths for electronics and energy storage
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are characterized by high porosity and structural versatility. They have enormous potential, for example, for applications in electronics. However, their low electrical conductivity has so ...
Phys.org / Warmer spots within fields have more blooms and more bees, researchers discover
Climate can vary across large areas of land, but it can also vary within much smaller areas such as farms. A new study by researchers at Penn State has examined whether these microclimates—the climate of a very small or ...
Phys.org / World's soft coral diversity retains signature of an ancient, vanished sea
On occasion, it is of vital importance to consider how little we know about the spinning rock we all live on. Take coral reefs, for example. Given how much they've been studied, you'd think we've learned just about everything ...
Phys.org / Creature culture: What animal behavior can teach us about saving nature
Animal conservationists often move elephants between herds to improve biodiversity and group health, but what if the elephants don't speak the same language?
Phys.org / High explosives in slow motion: Freezing molecules in place shows chemical reactions
Safe and effective high explosives are critical to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) mission of stockpile stewardship. It is relatively simple to study the composition of such material before a detonation or ...
