Phys.org news
Phys.org / Sunlight-powered process turns plastic waste into acetic acid without added emissions
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have discovered a way to turn plastic waste into acetic acid, the main ingredient of vinegar, using sunlight. The breakthrough offers a promising new approach to reducing plastic ...
Phys.org / Twisting optical fiber creates a robust new pathway for light
Light powers everything from communications to sensing, yet even tiny imperfections can scatter it and weaken signals. To address this, a team led by the University of Bath—working with the University of Cambridge and international ...
Phys.org / A new form of aluminum unlocks sustainable and cheaper catalysts
A research team at King's College London has isolated a new form of aluminum—a highly abundant metal, that could provide a far cheaper and more sustainable alternative to commonly used rare earth metals. Dr. Clare Bakewell, ...
Phys.org / Quantum computers go high-dimensional with a four-state photon gate
The collaboration of TU Wien with research groups in China has resulted in a crucial building block for a new kind of quantum computer: The realization of a novel type of quantum logic gate makes it possible to carry out ...
Phys.org / Automated catalyst testing uses two coordinated robots, cutting 32 days of work to 17 hours
A technology has been developed that uses robots rather than humans to evaluate the performance of newly developed catalysts. By operating 45 times faster than manual work while also improving precision, it is expected to ...
Phys.org / Young 'sun' caught blowing bubbles by Chandra
For the first time, a much younger version of the sun has been caught red-handed blowing bubbles in the galaxy by astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The bubble—called an "astrosphere"—completely surrounds ...
Phys.org / Peatland lakes in Congo Basin release carbon that is thousands of years old
Researchers at ETH Zurich have now discovered for the first time that large blackwater lakes in the extensive peatlands of the central Congo Basin are releasing ancient carbon. To date, climate researchers had assumed that ...
Phys.org / Turning high-emissions waste into fertilizer: Catalyst boosts urea production by coupling CO₂ with nitrogen pollutants
UNSW engineers have tackled a longstanding problem at the heart of global agriculture: how to make urea for fertilizer without the intensity of emissions associated with fossil-fuel-powered factories. The solution is outlined ...
Phys.org / System isolates single extracellular vesicle surface proteins to map function
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny biological bubbles that carry nucleic acids and proteins between cells, playing an essential role in tissue repair, neuroprotection and immune health. By isolating the surface proteins ...
Phys.org / Between the Pampa and Patagonia: New clues about how ancient hunter-gatherers fed themselves
An archaeological study reveals how ancient hunter-gatherer groups lived—and survived—more than a thousand years ago in the transition zone between the Pampas and Patagonia in Argentina. The research, carried out by Martínez ...
Phys.org / Why the planet doesn't dry out all at once: Scientists solve a global climate puzzle
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN), in collaboration with international partners, have shown that ocean temperature patterns help limit the global spread of droughts. Published in Communications ...
Phys.org / Scientists deliver new molecule for getting DNA into cells
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new molecule which carries DNA into biological cells, to treat or vaccinate against illnesses. Many existing options rely on molecules with a strong positive charge, ...